In the comment thread of the obesity entry, Ben and I had a little discussion about how easy it is to subsist in a country where just about anything grows. The climate is kind to plants, no winters when almost nothing grows on the soil, and all it really takes is a small patch of land to start a kangkong-an or something. Of course, it is also true that land is scarce for many because of the inequity in the distribution of wealth. But for some of us who do have some space, growing vegetables at home is such a great thing to do. Auee has planted vegetables in her garden. Julie’s husband wants to do the same. I’ve been growing herbs in pots, and we’ve grown tomatoes and kalamansi on occasion, but most of our garden is still planted to ornamentals.
All that is about to change.
A friend, Lyn, invited me to a Tetada Kalimasada session the other day (oh, but that’s quite another story that I intend to write for Manila Standard Today) and one of its members is also a member of the Philippine Horticulture Society. They were talking about an exhibit that is scheduled to open today at the Manila Seedling Bank Foundation compound and I asked quite offhandedly if they were selling fruit and vegetable seeds. They were and, better yet, they sell seedlings. I used to buy my potted herbs at Market! Market! but the Manila Seedling Bank compound is twice as near and the prices are the same. We can’t make it this weekend — Alex’s 14th birthday and we’re having company Saturday and Sunday — but we’ll go soon.
I really want a vegetable garden. My grandmother had one, a wild and untamed hodgepodge of fruit trees and freely growing vegetables smack in the middle of the city. The kids don’t play volleyball and badminton anymore on the grass anyway (you won’t believe how many shuttlecocks ended up on the roof) so there’s enough open space for a good-sized vegetable garden. It should make Speedy happy too — he had been “threatening” to throw melon seeds all over the garden until I reminded him that melon is a creeping plant and we might end up not being able to cross the garden for fear of stepping on the melons.
The idea, of course, is NOT to plant the ENTIRE garden with vegetables (the link leads to an article about a woman with some very radical ideas that I find rather too extreme). That won’t do at all. We can’t replace all the grass with vegetables because we like to eat outdoors. But I have already decided that a lot of the ornamental plants will have to go to give way to vegetables.
The ecological purpose that ornamental plants serve — you know, the oxygen-carbon monoxide cycle? — the vegetable plants can accomplish just as well. Beauty is relative. Vegetable flowers many not be as huge nor as colorful but beauty with a practical purpose is worth more than beauty that is only good to look at. I can only hope that the cats don’t eat the vegetables before they reach the cooking pot. Cats don’t eat vegetables? You’ll be surprised at what they are willing to eat when they think we don’t feed them enough.
most of the vegetables we eat, my mother grows in our backyard. except for repolyo, carrots, we almost never buy vegetables in the market. he he. last summer we even had tomatoes growing and bearing fruits. nakakatuwa! kalaban lang namin dito heavy rainy season na parang 60- 75% of the year eh– not good for plants and planting/gardening.
Gloria, aren’t there veggies that thrive on water like kangkong? I was thinking that there could be a different batch for the rainy season.
The only things (edible) that I’ve grown are basil, dill, and alugbati. I tried planting tomatoes and all I got was a large bush of leaves and tendrils. Now I have a huge lemongrass plant and I’m seriously thinking of planting sili and alugbati again.
Tama, sa Manila Seedling Bank kayo pumunta. Once you’re in there, it’s hard to stop na. Theres one store there (Garden 2000) that sells all sorts of plant related stuff and also a lot of potted herbs. I think they’re having a grand sale until February. You have the option of becoming a member and you get discounts on everything. It’s a nice shop, you should visit.
Try planting alugbati. It’s so easy. Walang seeds yan. Puro cuttings lang. Kahit nga dahon lang ang itusok mo sa lupa tutubo. As long as your soil is good, it will grow. It’s better if it’s near a wall or a fence para may gapangan siya.
replacing some of your ornamental plants with veggie plants wouldn’t hurt, I guess. there are so many veggie plants that would be as pleasing to landscape as ornamental plants.
I remember watching an episode of Barefoot Contessa where Ina picked few artichokes from her tasteful garden.
the artichokes are round and purple plus its leaves are bright green, you won’t even notice it’s a veggie pala. when I saw that, I thought it was a purple tulip or rose that she picked, veggie pala.
we also have potted plants at home. most of which are herbal like oregano, which we often pick whenever our little boy runs a cold or is coughing.
re: veggies that thrive on water — I think camote tops thrives well be it rainy or summer months. just make sure the neighbors are not aware you plant veggies, or else laging may kakatok sa gate nyo para manghingi ng pangsahog sa sinigang or tinola.
One day I threw kangkong roots on a plastic of construction soil (panambak) on our backyard. After a month, I saw the area full of Kangkong. LOL and we’re getting our Kangkong from there since. We never make dilig, it’s naturally moist.
If i only have enough space i would plant a lot of vegies or fruits. I’ve been planning to go to the Manila Seedling Bank hoping to find a small dayap tree and maybe even kaffir (dba Connie?)
So far, the only ones i’ve been successful in growing are basil and alugbati.
Namiss kong bigla yung little house namin in Cavite. Dito kasi sa place namin, in a year 3 months lang kami pwedeng magtanim. June to Aug lang yung talagang hindi nagbi-below zero ang temperature. Wala nang bisa ang green thumb ng husband ko kapag na-frozen na yung plants. For some reason last year nagtry ang hubby ko na magtanim ng seeds ng sili, hindi pa namin napapakinabangan yung plants bumagsak na ang snow. Made us wonder bakit yung mga seedlings na nabibili dito after a month of being in the soil makakaharvest ka na ng fruits nito. I’m no expert in planting, in fact wala pa akong tinanim na nabuhay. Poor me, I love plants pero yung plants ayaw sa akin.
Sassy the impression and bond of having grown something in the backyard of your own home to your daughters Sam and Alex is paramount and without comparison, because that was what my own mother did during the summers in the 70s when we were still growing up in the foothills of southern West Virginia. My three younger sisters all pitched in to help her with the planting of squash (upo) and tomatoes, Dad and I kept the backyard lawn cut and trim during my teenage days. Our property luckily extended all the way down to a river where a good neighbor one year taught me the kinds of fish that were thriving there at the time, and he lent me his fishing rod and showed me how to reel it in until I actually hooked a huge four-pound carp. It’s this rare and extremely fortunate experience and connection to nature and the land that won’t ever be forgotten by your children for as long as they live. I know because that’s how I learned from my folks what growing and nurturing something was all about.
Kongkong, naku, sili yes, so easy to grow and propagate. Behind my lola’s house, we just left the sili alone, and a new plant would sprout every now and then. We never bought sili leaves for cooking tinola. Parating maraming dahon.
feng, re “just make sure the neighbors are not aware you plant veggies, or else”
Good thing our fence all around the house is over 6 feet high hehehehe When we first moved here, we planted imported varieties of cosmos in front of the house OUTSIDE the gate. Pink and purple flowers. In a month, all the plants had been uprooted. Not by water or wind, for sure, because it was summer.
Mikee, I’ll reserve one corner for kangkong. My kids never seem to tire of them anyway.
Carol B., LOL Speedy says all I’m good at with gardening is to play director and give orders while smoking hahahahaha
Ben, I hope to be able to do that too. We just started moving pots and uprooting some plants today. I think it’s the best time of the year because we get “hamog” all night so the replanted plants won’t get dry. And I know that Sam will spend a lot more time time in the garden even if gardening doesn’t interest her — photos galore.
We always pass by that place,at least three times a week.Every time we do, I always tell hubby that it is in there where we can get the seedlings or whatever it is called to start our vegetable garden. Start small,not wait for the opportunity to get a farm, lol! I will try to see the planting station or something at Circle tomorrow since we would be going there. I heard they also have vegetable plants there, but mostly on hydroponics.
I have tried flowers, orchids and those colorful flowers that can be bought near UP and in the Sunday Market at the Lung Center, and all these died. I got the idea from a student’s mom who suggested I try vegetables. I still have to convince myself to do these and not be disappointed if I fail to grow anything. So, now is the best time pala…hmmm…Thank you.
Happy Birthday Alex!
Julie, the one at QMC, she’s a reader of Pinoy Cook. They also sell free range chicken. Forgot which entry it was but I remember they have a lot of organic products but they’re only there on Sundays.
Re Alex. Thanks. It was a great party. Small but enjoyable. I’m still digesting the food. LOL
I just wish that sellers of veggie seed would put out more info on when to plant the seeds, if it’s ok to plant it during rainy season or should it be planted on the dry season. also, it would be good it they give out info on crop rotation or what should be best planted after your pechay dies, to maintain the nutrients on the soil.
Connie, i was able to find a kaffir lime tree at Manila Seedling for P300.Just in case you haven’t found any yet.
Happy Birthday Alex!
We’ll go next week, peterb. Thanks. Cooking pa rin dito sa bahay hehehe
If anyone is interested, I sell estabablished kaffir lime plants for P1,000 per plant.
Youmay contact me at 09174711249. I also sell dried kaggir lime leaves at P70/pack.
Thanks
Thanks for the info, Michelle. P1000 is a bit high for me. P300 per plant at Manila Seedling Bank. I think I’ll go there.
I have been wanting to replace my ornamental plants with vegetables and fruit-bearing trees. At least, even if I have to water them I know they will somehow benefit my family other than just ornamental. Most of my plants died this summer because I thought of conserving water. This should be a good time to start.
I have tried planting tomatoes, okra and other vegetables before but were not successful at all. I wonder if there is a seminar I can attend or someone who can teach me the basics of vegetable gardening.