Container Gardening - Herbs, Chili, Watercress (Update)

Remember towards the end of last summer, I gave a little <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2014/08/container-gardening-herbs-chili.html">update on our vegetables, fruits, and herbs</a>? It has been a year (plus a month)! We are now in fall/autumn.<br /><br />Some plants e.g. <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2015/08/container-gardening-chinese-watercress.html">Chinese watercress</a> survived through last winter while others e.g. chili, basil did not.<br /><br />However, in every gardening project, no matter how minuscule, we learn and improve - from choosing the correct vegetables, herbs and fruits to grow; to picking the platform to grow them e.g. raised bed and container gardening, and especially with California drought conditions - how to create a water-smart garden.<br /><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/295/18450851873_46a359445c.jpg" /><br /><br /><b>Chinese watercress 西洋菜</b><br />August last year, we planted <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2015/08/container-gardening-chinese-watercress.html">Chinese watercress</a> from rooting store-bought Chinese watercress in the City-Picker container (see photo) and it was a success. We have already had at least five harvest from last August batch. With fresh home-grown watercress, I usually cook them in soups e.g. <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2012/05/chinese-watercress-gojiberry-soup.html">Chinese Watercress Soup</a> and rice congee/porridge.<br /><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/387/18448978104_e3ae4b0aec.jpg" /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chinese Watercress</span></i><br /><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=anestofo-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B0049PLETI&asins=B0049PLETI&linkId=&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 120px;"></iframe>The <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2014/08/container-gardening-herbs-chili.html"><b>Thai Dragon Chili and Thai (Bird's Eye) Chili</b></a>, unfortunately, did not make it through last winter due to the chilling temperatures. Although they were kept in the greenhouse during winter, the pots/containers were placed directly on the ground during winter and the roots probably could not survive the low soil temperatures (conduction from the cold ground to the soil in the pot) during winter.<br /><br />The <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2014/08/container-gardening-herbs-chili.html"><b>Serrano Chili</b></a> somehow got lucky and survived! Luckily, before winter last year, all the chili were put to good use either through pickling (<a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2015/09/pickled-hatch-chili.html">Pickled Chili</a> - pairs well with <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2012/12/vegetables-noodles-stir-fry.html">Stir-Fry Noodles</a>) or making chili sauce (<a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2015/10/vegetarian-garlic-chili-sauce.html">Garlic Chili Sauce</a> - perfect condiment with <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2015/10/homemade-chicken-rice.html">homemade chicken rice</a>).<br /><br /><a name="more"></a>Undeterred by the "death" of our favorite chili plants, we bought a few more chili plant seedlings (Super Chili, Jalapeno, and more Serrano) when they were on sale in the local nursery. We were very happy when we saw Super Chili plant seedlings which resembles the Thai Bird's Eye Chili. <br /><br /><b>Super Chili </b> - new! bought this year! <br /><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/560/18882682770_8a2bd6712f_o.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Super Chili plant</i></span><br /><br />No matter how small the gardening project, every drop of water counts. We have been using <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2013/08/edible-raised-beds-and-container.html">DIY drip-irrigation</a> since day one we started our planting projects, and still do. In addition, we have also made careful choices by selected drought-tolerant plants such as Pineapple Guava, and Pomegranate which happened to be good for container gardening as well.<br /><br /><b>Pomegranate - <i>Parfianka </i>Variet</b>y<br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3677/18447888014_9227a844af_o.jpg" /><br /><br /><b>Pineapple Guava</b><br /><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/425/19073627451_5f28ec622f_o.jpg" /><br /><br />There are no flowers to-date for the pomegranate and pineapple guava. <br /><br />Sharing with <a href="http://www.21stcenturyhousewife.com/">Hearth and Soul</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 85%;">Tag: </span><span style="font-size: 85%;"><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/gardening" rel="tag">gardening</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/grow+food" rel="tag">grow food</a> </span><br /><script src="http://static.ak.connect.facebook.com/js/api_lib/v0.4/FeatureLoader.js.php/en_US" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript">FB.init("ea808497442c6dbff6ecc79cee2b6ebd"); </script><fb:fan connections="0" logobar="0" profile_id="225194391877" stream="0" width="300"></fb:fan><br /><div style="font-size: 8px; padding-left: 2px;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/An-Escape-to-Food/225194391877">An Escape to Food</a> on Facebook</div>

Container Gardening - Herbs, Chili, Watercress (Update)

Remember towards the end of last summer, I gave a little update on our vegetables, fruits, and herbs ? It has been a year (plus a month)! We...

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Container Gardening - Chinese Watercress 种植西洋菜

With spider mites "visiting" every summer and a planter-bed in a part-shade location, we did not have much good success in growing leafy vegetables such as <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2013/08/edible-raised-beds-and-container.html">kale</a> and <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2013/08/edible-raised-beds-and-container.html">Swiss chard</a>. Most importantly, how much we grew could not satisfy our rate of consumption.<br /><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/275/19073625391_902e12d737_z.jpg" /> <br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Top: Aug 2014; Bottom; Feb 2015, in the<a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2013/08/edible-raised-beds-and-container.html"> City-Picker</a></span></i><br /><br />Just last fall/autumn, we found this shade-tolerant vegetable that has been flourishing beyond our expectations. August last year, we <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2014/08/container-gardening-herbs-chili.html">planted Chinese watercress by rooting some store-bought Chinese watercress</a> in the <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2013/08/edible-raised-beds-and-container.html">City-Picker container</a> and it was a success. We have already had at least five harvest from last August batch!<br /><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/474/19064802312_4b61624b9c_z.jpg" /><br /><br /><a name="more"></a><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=anestofo-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B0076NOGPY&asins=B0076NOGPY&linkId=LQNBODMLM4IJLPF6&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 120px;"></iframe><a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2010/06/watercress-soup.html">Chinese watercress</a> is considered a "cooling" vegetable (more "cooling" than other vegetables such as <i>Bok Choy</i>, spinach, even broccoli), therefore it is usually cooked (boiled/simmered for long hours ~1hr+) with jujubes/red dates in soups to neutralize its cooling property. For the same "cooling" reason, it is not advisable to have it everyday unless one has a hyper-heaty (<i>"yang"</i>) body system.<br /><br />With this reasoning, it limits the consumption rate at home and fits the generation-consumption equation perfectly. Once every 3 months, I cook the home-grown fresh watercress in soups e.g. <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2012/05/chinese-watercress-gojiberry-soup.html">Chinese Watercress Soup</a> or in rice congee/porridge. I have also stir-fried the young tender leaves with garlic, whilst the more fibrous stems are boiled and simmered for long hours in soups.<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3714/18449720193_5f3371ecfa_z.jpg" /> <br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Top: Oct 2014; Bottom: Feb 2015, in the raised planter-bed</i></span><br /><br /><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=anestofo-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B0049PLETI&asins=B0049PLETI&linkId=&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Chinese Watercress is easy to grow or <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2014/08/container-gardening-herbs-chili.html">root from store-bought watercress</a>. Buy a bunch for about $1 in Chinese or Korean grocery store, give it sufficient water and you have watercress perpetually (almost, at least till summer). As a pervasive plant, we recommend container growing and the <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2013/08/edible-raised-beds-and-container.html">City-Picker</a> is perfect.<br /><br />Good things do not last forever, including the pervasive watercress. At this time (summer June-August), last year's crop is already showing signs of aging - turning yellow and rotting dried roots. Perhaps it has to do with lack of rain in California (and because we depend on <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2013/08/edible-raised-beds-and-container.html">drip-irrigation</a> or controlled watering). We might possibly remove the old crop and start the <a href="http://teczcape.blogspot.com/2013/08/edible-raised-beds-and-container.html">City-Picker</a> again by rooting some good watercress plants in late September, so that the container is started anew with strong plants, then hopefully to welcome another year of fresh watercress.<br /><br />Sharing with <a href="http://www.21stcenturyhousewife.com/">Hearth and Soul</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 85%;">Tag: </span><span style="font-size: 85%;"><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/chinese+watercress" rel="tag">chinese watercress</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/growing+watercress" rel="tag">growing watercress</a> </span><br /><script src="http://static.ak.connect.facebook.com/js/api_lib/v0.4/FeatureLoader.js.php/en_US" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript">FB.init("ea808497442c6dbff6ecc79cee2b6ebd"); </script><fb:fan connections="0" logobar="0" profile_id="225194391877" stream="0" width="300"></fb:fan><br /><div style="font-size: 8px; padding-left: 2px;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/An-Escape-to-Food/225194391877">An Escape to Food</a> on Facebook</div>

Container Gardening - Chinese Watercress 种植西洋菜

With spider mites "visiting" every summer and a planter-bed in a part-shade location, we did not have much good success in growing...

Read more »