Vegetable gardening has been increasing in popularity, possibly because of the increasing interest in whole food, organic food, and “clean eating.” Then there are those of us who have always grown a vegetable garden, no matter how small.
Some of the most widely grown vegetables in the home garden are potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, beans, peas, red beets, radishes and lettuce. Many gardeners also grow peppers, cabbage, cauliflower, Swiss chard, broccoli, turnips, parsnips and squash, including zucchini and pumpkins.
It appears that not many gardeners are aware that several Asian vegetables grow well here. We have already feasted on bok choy, and my Chinese cabbage is starting to form heads. There are several other Asian greens like tatsoi, and other vegetables, even edamame, which are soybeans eaten when they are still green.
Snow peas and sugar snap peas are Asian varieties familiar to most gardeners. They are cool season crops which can be planted early, and which will provide an early harvest, much earlier than regular peas. They grow in ordinary garden soil and require netting to climb. There are several varieties, varying in height and size of pods. There is even a yellow snow pea, with lovely purple flowers. Taller varieties produce for a longer time.
Soybeans, like regular beans, need a warmer soil to germinate. They can be seeded when day temperatures are at least 16 degrees Celsius. If desired, soybeans can be started indoors about four weeks before planting out. Select a short season variety like “Beer Friend” or “Envy.” Soybeans grow like regular bush beans, and are ready to harvest when the hairy pods are filled but still green.
Chinese cabbage can be started indoors or direct seeded and thinned to about a foot apart. Select an early season variety, especially if direct seeding. Use row cover to protect seedlings and young plants from flea beetles. These tiny, black jumping beetles can destroy entire young plants. Older plants will show damaged leaves with a shot hole appearance.
This spring we had the worst plague of flea beetles I have ever seen. They even attacked my kale and broccoli, feeding on the thinner margin of leaves. These plants have thicker leaves which are not usually bothered by flea beetles. Once susceptible plants are larger, the row cover can be removed and the flea beetles can be controlled with insecticidal soap. Harvest Chinese cabbage when the plants have firm heads.
Bok choy and other greens require the same growing conditions and treatment as the Chinese cabbage. The varieties of dwarf bok choy can mature in as few as 35 days, allowing for at least two crops in a season. Why not give some of these vegetables a try in your garden?
