6 Vegetables That Are Easy To Grow At Home
Because your gardening hobby can feed your family, too
If you’re a certified plantita and you have already got a veritable collection of ornamental plants and succulents growing by your window, you might want to take that hobby one step further and grow an edible garden, as well.
Style Spotter Donna Cuna Pita enjoys growing her own vegetables, fruits, and herbs in her own backyard; and some of them were grown from cuttings from grocery produce.
“Looking to becoming more self-sufficient and environmentally friendly, we have made measures to make our home green through solar panels, rain water catchment system, and our small edible garden,” she writes. “Knowing where your food comes from and getting them fresh and for free are just some of the benefits of backyard farming.” So save some cash with your hobby and feed your family at the same time—here are a few popular vegetables that are relatively easy to grow:
READ: Here’s How To Grow A Vegetable Garden In Your Own Backyard
1. Tomatoes
Tomatoes can be easily grown in containers, and these make it perfect for condo homes (you can grow your own tomato “patch” on your balcony). Two tricks to growing a nice, healthy tomato plant are to use a big container and to expose them to the sun for most of the day. If you don’t want to be bothered in buying seeds, pots, and soil separately, you might want to try the tomato Sow & Gro seedling kit of MNL Grow Kits, which only costs P99. Click here for more info.
2. Okra
Another veg that can be easily grown in a container, your okra also needs a big-enough pot. But first, you have to sprout the seeds in a seed tray with potting mix (only buy the local okra varieties, so they will survive in our weather). Once they have grown a second set of leaves, transfer the seedlings to the big pots. Fertilize once a month and do not over-water. “Okra and eggplants are prolific plants, they bear fruit non-stop,” Donna shares.
3. Kangkong and kamote
These leafy and root vegetables can easily sprout anywhere, but you have to have a large-enough ground area to grow a patch. Donna has so much of it she even sells talbos (kamote tops) at neighborhood weekend markets. You can easily grow these swamp vegetables from cuttings: cut 30 to 40-cm long cuttings from young kangkong and plant in potting mix. Watch out for insects, though. Donna recommends a simple mix of dishwashing liquid to spray on the leaves as repellant.
4. Pechay
Pechay or bok choy can be easily grown from seeds—start by sowing the seeds in a seed tray with potting mix. Cover with plastic film and place the tray in an area that receives partial sunlight. Once the seedlings are ten days old, transfer to bigger pots in partial shade.
5. Lettuce
Ever dreamt of plucking your own salad from your backyard? Yes, you can do that by planting lettuce, which is relatively easy to grow, though you will need a bit of space to plant them. Sow the lettuce seeds in seed trays. After 20 to 30 days, transplant to a trough or plot with fine soil. To care for the lettuce, read this article from Entrepreneur.
6. And yes, sili
Still having sticker shock with the P1,000/kilo price tag of bird’s eye chilis or siling labuyo? Then it’s time to grow your own, as these flaming peppers are relatively easy to care for. Place one seed per hole in a seedling tray with potting mix. In 14 to 21 days, transfer the seedlings to your plot or container. Add 100g of vermiculture to “fatten” the soil. Fertilize again after 20 days. Plants will sprout chilis after approximately 75 days (you can also use the leaves for tinola).
SOURCES: entrepreneur.com.ph, urbangardeningmom.com, hunker.com, agribusiness.ph
