We love growing and harvesting our own vegetables at home.
Nothing quite beats the taste and texture of our own plants.
It is also immensely gratifying to see the whole journey from seeds to cutting the leaves for a meal and to be able to harvest again each week from the same plant.
GROW VEGETABLES IN LIQUID WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE FOR BOOKING
AMARANTH
We try amaranth in hydro and soil.
This leafy vegetable is a cut and grow plant and can be harvested within a month.
There are a few varieties of edible amaranth (Yin Tsai, Chinese Spinach), examples are red, green, or mixed amaranth.
GERMINATION
The seeds germinated in 2 days like this.
It is important to keep the seeds constantly moist.
HYDRO AMARANTH
SOIL based Amaranth
The texture is silky when lightly braised in soup or quick stir fry.
Extremely suitable for young children.
CAMOMILE
The fun of growing from seeds is being able to explore more interesting fresh salad options.
Camomile leaves are crunchy and taste like the tea of the same namesake.
Mixed with spicier arugula, it certainly adds texture and kicked up quite an interesting mix.
Kale seeds also germinated in 2 days.
A cut and grow plant that can be harvested in 2 to 3 months depending on each individual’s taste or preference.
Our family loves the younger (smaller), sweeter tasting leaves that are usually not sold in supermarkets, as we consume them raw.
The younger leaves are juicer and less fiberous.
HYDRO KALE
MALABAR SPINACH
It is also known as climbing or Ceylon spinach but this is not actually spinach.
A good vegetable to grow in the gardens when fresh produce is hard to come by.
It belonged to the Basellaceae family and the thick leaves resembled spinach.
Eaten raw, every single bite is juicy and crunchy.
GERMINATION
These seeds can be hard to germinate.
It may take between 3 to 7 days to see sprouts.
Fresh seeds harvested from plants are easier to germinate than store-bought dry seeds.
The latter need to be stratified by applying a nail file, knife, or sandpaper on seeds’ surface before sowing.
It preferred hot direct brutal sun but can also be grown in part shade.
This plant is a climber or creeper in a cooler climate and needs support.
To harvest, we cut only the leaves and they regrow in a week.
The leaves are thick and retain texture after cooking.
Some gardeners made juice from these leaves.
This plant can be propagated from cuttings.
They typically root between 7 to 14 days.
We will be growing some of these in hydro to maximize space on the hanging gardens.
Two plants per family are often enough for a reliable source of vegetables harvest every week.
Avoid drying out the soil as this will cause flowering which resulted in bitter-tasting leaves.
WATERCRESS
Despite its size, this vegetable is a powerhouse of nutrients (vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, E, manganese, carotene).
It is recommended to eat them raw in mixed salads or juice.
Will be consuming as microgreens in mixed salads.
Edible Succulent – Golden Purslane
Sugar Loaf (Italian name – Pan di Zucchero)
Grow a Rainbow with Swiss Chards in the garden!
Thick Salted Leaves and Self Sowing, NEW ZEALAND SPINACH
LETTUCES Can Be Interesting Too!
We grew vegetables on our windows to harness natural resources such as wind and sun.
Our “pots” are constantly in motion, creating ripples in their individual reservoir, giving roots zone more aeration naturally.
Hanging container garden saves space in small apartments.
This hanging garden also allowed soil and hydro based plants to grow together and we DIY these pots’ hangers from PET bottles.
SALADS & HERBS WORKSHOP is available for private 1 : 1, small private group or school setting.
Learn how to grow from seeds in both soil and hydro, the plus & minus of both mediums, and embark on this wonderful journey of growing & harvesting fresh whole food.
INSTANT GARDENS TO BRING HOME AFTER SESSION!
GROW OUR OWN FOOD
CHECK OUT UNCOMMON VEGETABLE SEEDS IN SHOP
I’ve always known planting wasn’t easy and have seen my mom struggle with her only plant – shui mei for many years. The idea of growing herbs in my own little HDB balcony came about when I was cooking some lamb cutlets and had no rosemary and mint. I went to supermarket to buy and they cost quite a bit. Also to use all of the herbs in one cooking since I was only a weekend cook. So I went to nursery to buy my first pot of mint and rosemary. Sadly, they didn’t last very long in my hands. So I embarked on my ‘learning’ journey on herbs and came across Vic’s SG Strawberries blog. I attended a 1:1 session with Vic on basics of planting herbs and vegetables. She covered soil and water medium and also the Kratky Method which is very useful in my case. Thanks to Vic for sharing lots of tips and advice on how to look after these little delicate species. I’ve enjoyed the learning journey.
Hi,
I’m guilty of over fertilizing my vegetable plants, resulting in slow growth. I’m using only self made organic fertilizers, like fish emulsion,compost juice and banana tea in addition to epsom salt and egg shells.
I would appreciate if someone would guide me at what intervals I should apply the fertilizers to my vegetable plants.
Thanks
Banana water alone is enough for vegetables, as they don’t need that much to begin with. Plants that are heavy feeders, such as tomatoes (fruiting plants) can use the rest (fish especially) once a month or bi-weekly.