The truth about Chinese vegetables is that they are always delicious and versatile and even though some Chinese vegetables are quite popular among many westerners, there are some Chinese vegetables as well that are quite difficult to find even among ethnic markets. The only way out of this issue is growing Chinese vegetables in gardens yourself. This is why we have decided to bring you this very interesting article as it would guide you towards growing several Chinese vegetables with less difficulty.
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Growing Chinese Vegetables In Gardens
Maybe you have family members that have spent some time living in China or you have good friends that come from China, you are already used to enjoying several several of their vegetable dishes and delicacies. It is a good thing for you to think about introducing these exciting delicacies back home to your own people and one of the ways you can get to do that is by growing them in your own garden. The truth is growing these Chinese vegetables isn’t as difficult as most people think it to be because they have similar requirements like that of the western region as well.
However, the only exemptions lies in the case of water vegetables and this is because the conditions for growing water vegetables in Asia isn’t found in the western region. There are lots of Chinese vegetable varieties that you can try out growing in the west and in your own garden.
Chinese Vegetable Varieties
When it comes to growing several Chinese vegetable varieties, there are Brassicas which consists of a diverse group of cool weather plants that tend to grow rapidly and vigorously. Brassicas are plants that are known for thriving in mild winters and summer climatic conditions and with proper and careful planning, you can end up growing the Brassica plant anywhere. These Chinese vegetable varieties includes;
- Bok Choy
- Napa Cabbage
- Chinese Broccoli
- Tatsoi
- Chinese Mustard
- Choy Sum
- Chinese Radishes
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Another Chinese vegetable varieties that are very easy to grow are the ones that belong to the plant legume family and they can be used in three forms such as the dried, shell and snap forms. All that they need to thrive is adequate warmth and this variety of plants include;
- Mung Beans
- Yard Long Beans
- Snow Peas
- Yam Beans
- Adzuki Beans
Just like plant legumes, the Curcubits also need warm weather to thrive and even though you are likely to find lots of Chinese vegetables in dwarf form, they still require lots of space for them to be able to sprawl. These Chinese vegetables include;
- Wax Gourd
- Winter Melon
- Hairy Melon
- Chinese Soyu Cucumbers
- Chinese Okra
- Bitter Melon
- picking Melon
Corms, bulbs, tubers and roots are plants which has edible parts and tend to grow downwards. These type of vegetables are quite diverse when it comes to nutrition, flavor and appearance. They include;
- Chinese Yam
- Taro
- Chinese Artichoke
- Rakkyo (Bakers Garlic)
- Oriental Bunching Onions
If you are truly keen on growing Chinese vegetables then you should also consider growing herbs like;
- Sesame
- Ginger
- Lemongrass
- Sichuan Pepper
You can also consider growing aquatic vegetables like water vegetables and this type of vegetables can be grown in containers that are capable of holding plants that are oxygenated with koi or goldfish so as to ensure that the water is free from pests and remains clean. They include;
- Watercress
- Water Chestnut
- Water Caltrop
- Water Celery
- Lotus Plants
- Kang Kong (water spinach or swamp cabbage)
Connecting to another culture can be done easily through food and a good way to connect foods is by growing them in your garden. Starting a Chinese vegetable garden can also help in the learning of new terms and words and at the end of the day, you can also learn some new gardening skills that you had no idea existed.
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