Anyone growing vegetables in their garden in Thailand? Advice needed

[advancebooking]

Im thinking of growing vegetables in my garden. In July raining season is this a good time to sow the seeds? 

 

Anyone know of a good youtube channel. Any advice is appreciated

[patman30]

depends on what you are growing
my advice plant a mango tree and some banana trees
they grow themselves
but for tips etc, check out Mark
https://www.youtube.com/@Selfsufficientme

[Maybole]

When I retired to just outside Chiang mai, I sent for a lot of vegetable seeds from a nursery in the South of england. I planted Runner Beans, Broad Beans, Peas, standard Cabbages and Brussels Sprouts et al just at the beginning of the cool season and watered them well . They all failed. They germinated, put out a good show of leaf and died. The beans and peas flowered but did not produce seed. I suspect that the local pollinating insects failed to recognise the strangers and ignored them.

If you go ahead make sure that they are suitable for your area.

[Pouatchee]

pumpkins do well and some cucumbers and lettuce. some people have had success with tomatoes, but not me. you have to find the right strain and close to pattaya is not the same weather as north... chiangmai weather from what i have read is much better for gardening...

 

all depends on where you live

[seajae]

have tried a few times, the hummidity seems to be the major problem, I get germination and things start to grow but die off quickly, pumpkins(thai variety) grow but jap etc dont, tomatoes are hopeless, some thai vine vegies do grow though as do chilli peppers & herbs

 

[drtreelove]

Vegetables are grown successfully all over Thailand.  But as with the nurturing of all living things, vegetables, trees, shrubs, grass, soil, as well as children and pets, the first attempts will be a learning experience. Don't give up, you learn as you go. 

Sowing seeds directly into the ground may not be the best idea, unless you know how to prepare the soil. Poor soil conditions are prevalent, seeds and seedlings need special nutritional support to germinate and get established. It's hard to find vegetable 'starts' (young plants) in Thailand, but not impossible. I recommend that you start seeds in small pots or flats, and while they are germinating and putting out new leaf surface and roots, you can start preparing the soil or obtaining some quality potting soil for containers. https://maruchubussan.co.th/

Start with some easy to grow veggies, like pole beans (yard-long beans, tua pak yao), Chinese kale (pak ka nah). 

Water management is all-important. 

YouTube is loaded with channels. Good luck sorting it all out. SelfSuffientMe that was mentioned is a good one. 

 

This book has some good guidelines on the comprehensive (multi-faceted) program it takes to be a successful grower: https://www.amazon.com/How-Grow-More-Vegetables-Ninth/dp/0399579184

[KhunLA]

Some are easy to grow, some not so easy.  Along with needing a greenhouse if not wanting to share with the squirrels and birds  And they're not big on sharing ... bastards.

 

Wife building her 2 bedroom / 2 baht Greenhouse 

 

 

 

[advancebooking]

On 7/17/2024 at 11:08 AM, KhunLA said:

Some are easy to grow, some not so easy.  Along with needing a greenhouse if not wanting to share with the squirrels and birds  And they're not big on sharing ... bastards.

 

Wife building her 2 bedroom / 2 baht Greenhouse 

 

 

 

Hi. did you buy that greenhouse pre made or pay someone to build it. What is the material covering it all? thanks

[Denim]

Make sure your drainage is good as in the rainy season water can fall in torrents and leave low areas under water , especially if like us , your soil has high clay content.

 

Easy things to grow are papayas , chillis and long beans which have always done well in our garden.

Small tomatoes and limes are worth trying then you have all the ingredients for som dtam. We had so many beans I made a very nice bean soup which stored well in the freezer. 

 

Herbs like Thai basil and pak chee are dead easy to grow as is pak boong if you have a damp area.

 

We put shading up instead of a greenhouse which was OK until a strong storm blew it down along with lots of trees in the area. Even telegraph poles came down blocking lots of people and their cars inside Big C for 3 hours.

 

If you don't do a greenhouse simple clouches work OK.

 

As for trees be careful. Our mango , jackfruit , coconut and teak tree got too big and created a mountain of dead leaves every day and put so much shade on the lawn that it partly killed it. Just had the teak tree cut down and it took me 2 weeks to burn off just the leaves.

 

Getting back to the vegetable garden we eventually  couldn't be bothered as although we grew a lot of things we never ate a fraction of it and had to give 90 percent of it away. Also the things that are easiest to grow are the cheapest to buy at the market so you don't  really save much. Nice hobby though

 

If anyone has any good bacon or sausage seeds that grow well here, PM  me please.

[KhunLA]

32 minutes ago, advancebooking said:

Hi. did you buy that greenhouse pre made or pay someone to build it. What is the material covering it all? thanks

Just like it says in the post ... "Wife building" ... that's her doing just about all of it.  She'd hire a helper for the days she needed.  That's actually her putting the roof sheeting on, in the one snap. 

 

Did all the welding and everything.  Her nephew taught her how to weld when he added the carport and some other things around the house.   Excellent builder himself.

 

Roof is some Poly ??? clear plastic stuff.   She can look it if need to know the exact material.  We're O&A now.  The whole thing is screened in, keeps the bugs, squirrels and birds out.  She even added a self watering system, since we're O&A a bit for a week or 2 at a time.

 

 

[Hummin]

There is different grow seasons for different vegetables, and new fruit trees is best planted after the first big reainfall in rainseason. It will need som trying and failing, but do not give up. Several youtube heroes who will guide you along if you just bother to search and find someone who fit your taste

[KhunLA]

@advancebooking Here's a snap of the water tanks, which collect rain water, then there's a gravity fed self watering system.   This way we can go O&A for a couple weeks and not worry about anything, garden wise.

 

[KhunLA]

Wife harvested some asparagus.  She does that about every 3 days and gets a nice size serving for 2.    Dragon fruit is starting to produce.  She said we might even have some grapes come February.

 

Figs have slowed down, although the Black Mission variety are showing fruit, as seem to produce the most of the varieties.

 

Lots of butternut squash, more than we can eat.   Spinach grows wild, so unlimited supply of that.

 

Bunch of lemons, finally and 'her fist' size, so may actually have some damn juice.  Waiting on more limes.

 

Grapefruit finally took, so maybe next year.   That would really be nice.  Had Passion fruit, though someone pinched half of them.  Got a sign hanging now on the wire, pointing out the CCTV now installed.

 

 

 

 

grapefruit ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KhunLA]

Cherry tomatoes plants are producing.   Wife is pruning the figs, and selling the sticks (5 for 100).  Nothing going to waste, along with more figs.

 

Honey ... When is the horse arriving ?

 

Because this JackAss ain't pulling no plow around. Now need that fishing rod, some chickens, maybe a cow and or goat or 2 for some fresh milk & cheese 

 

Buying 2 more neighboring lots ... wonder what she has planned for those.   Somethings that won't take a Greenhouse to protect from squirrels & birds 👍