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| Pechay is just one Philippine vegetable grown in the home garden. |
Philippine cooking relies on a variety of exotic vegetables
paired with more commonplace vegetable varieties. Paliya or bitter melon is
eaten with meat and other vegetables. Pechay or pak choi, which is a mild
flavored cabbage, is served in stews and soups. Sitaw, a type of long string
bean, and Talong, a type of eggplant, are commonly eaten with meat, fish and
other vegetables. Other Philippine vegetables include squash, taro, sweet
potatoes, spinach and white radish. Start growing Philippine vegetables by
obtaining seeds or starter plants.
Tips
1
Choose a location for the garden in an area with at least
eight hours of direct sunlight. Many Philippine vegetables like full sun
exposure like talong (Solanum melongena), which grows best in temperatures
above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The soil must have good drainage. Flat areas are
best, but vegetables survive well on sloping areas if the rows run across the
slope to reduce rain runoff and soil erosion.
2
Dig up the soil to the depth of 12 to 18 inches with a
shovel. Break up dirt clods with a garden hoe. Do not work the soil while it is
wet. Add a 2- to 4-inch layer of organic material like compost or well-rotted
manure to the soil. Work it into the top 6 to 12 inches and rake the surface
smooth.
3
Plant the seeds and starter plants in the prepared soil.
Locate tall or trellised vegetable varieties on the north side of the garden so
the shade these plants cast falls outside the planting area. Both bitter melon
(Mormodica charantia) and sitaw (Vigna unguiculata sesquipedalis) grow best on
supports like trellises or fences. Use the recommended spacing on the packages
for each vegetable variety. For example, the ideal spacing for sitaw or
yard-long beans is 6 to 12 inches apart with rows 4 to 5 feet apart.
4
Water the garden whenever the soil starts to dry out. Do not
let the soil become bone dry or stay too waterlogged. Water the garden in the
morning so the leaves have time to dry out before evening. Water the soil
deeply to encourage the development of strong roots, which helps the vegetables
withstand drought conditions.
5
Spread mulch around the seedling when they are a couple of
inches tall. This reduces moisture evaporation from the soil and weed growth.
Use clean organic mulch, which gives the plants a source of slow-release
nutrients.
6
Weed around the vegetables so the plants do not have to
compete for moisture and nutrients. Hand pull or chop down with a hoe before
the weeds develop seeds. Without the spread of weed seeds, the weed population
falls.
7
Examine the vegetable plants for garden pest infestations.
Many Philippine vegetables belong to the tomato and cucumber family, which are
favorite foods of garden pests. Hand pick any large bugs like cucumber beetles
and drop them into a jar of soapy water to drown. Spray smaller pests like
aphids off with a strong jet of water. Release beneficial insects, which eat
garden pests, in the infested area.
8
Pick the vegetables as they become ripe. Sitaw takes only
nine days to go from flower to harvestable bean. Talong fruit can be picked
when small or mature-sized. Harvesting most vegetables encourages the plant to
make more vegetables. Once root crops are harvested, they are done for the
season. Some Philippine vegetables can be reseeded for a continuous harvest for
most of the year in a mild winter area.
9
Clean up the summer garden by removing plant debris. Most of
the odd and ends left over compost well, but do not compost vegetation infected
by plant disease or infested with pests. In the fall after harvest, plant the
cool weather crops like pechay (Brassica rapa var chinensis). Plant these crops
in full sunlight with wind protection.
10
Don't get discouraged..Just keep trying
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