Growing Herbs And Veggies Possible?

[Soulwy]

I would like to grow herbs and vegetables when I'm on KPG again. Is the ground good (not too salty?)or is it better in pots?

And what about the weather, not too hot?

Should I take seeds with me or can I buy them there?

How long will it take to harvest my greens?

Anyone with interest or experience with growing herbs and veggies in Thailand/ KPG, feel free to post!

[Pond Life]

Soulwy,

Dont take this the wrong way, but I think you'll find most of the answers you need are in old topics on this forum.

Have a good read of the previous post & if you still have questions Im sure someone will help you out.

If KPG is Ko pang gan then I dont see growing conditions will be any different from the rest of the south as long as you are away from direct salt spray.

Local seeds are the easiest way to start, see what the locals are growing.

good luck

[jandtaa]

Hi Soulwy

I agree with PondLife, there is a great deal of info in all the previous posts and it would be worth your while reading them. It is very difficult to answer "how long is a piece of string" type questions. Local conditions will vary on KPG depending whether you are on the coast or on a mountainside inland as do soil conditions from plot to plot. As PL suggested look for local varieties and find out when the locals plant them. Some plants do well in full sun and are heat tolerant, others require a degree of shade and some require a temperate climate and will not grow in the tropics. How long to harvest ??Days from sowing to harvest vary with each species of vegetable and indeed can vary between different varieties of the same species (as in potatoes 1st earlies, earlies, maincrop and late are all available) growing conditions such as weather, soil type, irrigation and fertiliser regime will also have an effect. Most seed companies give info on Days to Harvest on the seed packets or their websites which can be used as a guideline.

As you seem concerned about the effects of salinity I have put together the following guide on the salt tolerance of some common vegetables. A general indication of high salinity is the appearance of a white crust forming on the soil surface. It probably depends on whether you wish to grow for personal use or commercially as to whether it is worthwile testing, try to talk to locals to see if they experience any problems.

best of luck J   

Plant species vary in how well they tolerate salt-affected soils. Some plants will tolerate high levels of salinity while others can tolerate little or no salinity. The relative growth of plants in the presence of salinity is termed their salt tolerance. 

"Salt tolerances are usually given in terms of the stage of plant growth over a range of electrical conductivity (EC) levels. Electrical conductivity is the ability of a solution to transmit an electrical current. To determine soil salinity EC, an electrical current is imposed in a glass cell using two electrodes in a soil extract solution taken from the soil being measured (soil salinity). The units are usually given in deciSiemens per metre (dS/m). 

A high salt level interferes with the germination of new seeds. Salinity acts like drought on plants, preventing roots from performing their osmotic activity where water and nutrients move from an area of low concentration into an area of high concentration. Therefore, because of the salt levels in the soil, water and nutrients cannot move into the plant roots. 

As soil salinity levels increase, the stress on germinating seedlings also increases. Perennial plants seem to handle salinity better than annual plants. In some cases, salinity also has a toxic effect on plants because of the high concentration of certain salts in the soil. Salinity prevents the plants from taking up the proper balance of nutrients they require for healthy growth." 

Asparagus Asparagus officinalis 4.1  T

Bean Phaseolus vulgaris 1.0  S

Bean, mung Vigna radiata 1.8  S

Beet, red (h) Beta Vulgaris 4.0  MT

Broccoli Brassica oleracea botrytis 2.8   MS

Brussel Sprouts B. oleracea gemmifera -- -- MS*

Cabbage B. oleracea capitata 1.8  MS

Carrot Daucus carota 1.0  S

Cauliflower Brassica oleracea botrytis -- -- MS*

Celery Apium graveolens 1.8  MS

Corn, sweet Zea mays 1.7  MS

Cucumber Cucumis sativus 2.5  MS

Eggplant Solanum Melongena esculentum 1.1  MS

Kale Brassica oleracea acephala -- -- MS*

Kohlrabi B. oleracea gongylode -- -- MS*

Lettuce Lactuca sativa 1.3  MS

Muskmelon Cucumis Melo -- -- MS

Okra Abelmoschus esculentus -- -- S

Onion Allium Cepa 1.2  S

Parsnip Pastinaca sativa -- -- S*

Pea Pisum sativum -- -- S*

Pepper Capsicum annuum 1.5  MS

Potato Solanum tuberosum 1.7  MS

Pumpkin Cucurbita Pepo Pepo -- -- MS*

Radish Raphanus sativus 1.2  MS

Spinach Spinacia oleracea 2.0  MS

Squash, scallop Cucurbita Pepo Melopepo 3.2  MS

Squash, zucchini C. Pepo Melopepo 4.7  MT

Strawberry Fragaria sp. 1  S

Sweet potato Ipomoea Batatas 1.5  MS

Tomato Lycopersicon Lycopersicum 2.5  MS

Tomato, cherry L. esculentum var cerasiforme 1.7  MS

Turnip Brassica Rapa 0.9  S

Watermelon Citrullus lanatus -- -- MS*

T-Tolerant MT-Medium Tolerance MS-Medium Sensitivity S-Sensitive  *-estimated

Figures are expressed as dS/m

[Soulwy]

Soulwy,

Dont take this the wrong way, but I think you'll find most of the answers you need are in old topics on this forum.

Have a good read of the previous post & if you still have questions Im sure someone will help you out.

If KPG is Ko pang gan then I dont see growing conditions will be any different from the rest of the south as long as you are away from direct salt spray.

Local seeds are the easiest way to start, see what the locals are growing.

good luck

Hi Pond life, you are absolutely right. I put this on the subforum because I was focused on Koh Phangan and I wondered if the salty seawater would make any difference. I better have a chat with the local islanders.

Jandtaa, thank you so much for your information! I think I have to stay at least 2 months to see how fast different seeds grow with this climate.

Thank you again and happy growing!