Pets, pet plants, pet vegetables?
Wouldn't it be nice to have some edible plants close to you like companion plants and be able to pick them and eat straight away while fresh?
When we grow indoor plants at home, we try our best to make sure they are growing well and happy without getting sick with unconditional love, yet in return they purify the air and control humidity let alone pleasing your eyes and moods, so some people call them companion or pet plants. Considering they are always there near us for long time and giving us such a comfort, it makes sense. Needless to say, same goes to our pets. My guineas do.
I have a quite large, I mean by my own standard, vegetable patch at one corner of my garden. However, at this time of year the wind very often blows so hard that almost all the vegetables in the patch grow lying down. When a strong wind starts blowing, even large flower pots can fall over, so putting a windbreak around doesn't seem to be a good solution. Besides, it blocks a lot of sunlight and looks unattractive. They look miserable and I feel for them...
Late summer early fall, vegetable farming season 2
So, I have been growing some vegetables in large containers at another spaces that is less exposed to wind and receives more sunlight: in front of garage. This year, toward the end of summer, I tried growing cucumbers in Season 2, and their firm but juicy taste was a work of art. Not so much success with Tomato Season 2. These guys definitely need warmer temperature, tricky guys. We also planted green peppers and chilies, but we didn't end up eating as many green peppers as we thought, but my guinea pig enjoyed them. I get full just by watching you eat my dear guineas.
Unexpected discovery: green chilies
I'll be growing them outdoors this year as well, but I'm giving seedlings to the people around who want to grow them at their verandas. It could be indoor or outdoor. Literally they are being adopted as pet vegetables. There is so much to share. If you grow them on the veranda, as long as you pay a little attention to ventilation, they can survive the winter well and continue to give you fresh chilies next year. The ones in my house have been doing well for several years. It is said to be perennial. It's amazing.
I do not use either pesticides nor chemical fertilizers for my flower garden and vegetable garden including container pots. The only exception is when flowers start blooming heavily, I scatter some general fertilizers granules in the flower garden twice a year at most. Instead, nutrition is provided in many other organic ways. I also pull out weed, tear or cut them roughly by hand, and place them back right next to them to cover the soil as if mulching. This is because I believe the weeds not only mulch the soil to protect moisture and create an desirable environment for microorganisms underneath to grow well, but they eventually decompose and provide nutrients. The nutrients were taken by the weeds from the beginning, so they should spit them back out... What goes around comes around??
Organic growing
In fact, if you are going to grow vegetables using pesticides, it is economically more efficient to just buy them from a supermarket or market. Even farming in a small scale at home is not free. It comes with various costs and there must be good reasons to justify farming at home.
Of course, you start farming since you love doing it but gardening is actually a labor-intensive and time-consuming task. I plant mostly those vegetables difficult to buy at the market here, such as salad(green) onions and perilla leaves. Most promising candidates are either expensive to get organic or difficult to find. If a potato or sweet potato start sprouting without the owner's attention, the sprouted part is cut into pieces and planted here and there in the field, covering it well with soil. It grows well. I also enjoyed cucumbers, tomatoes, and pumpkin. Broccoli is a bit of a pain at the moment. From out of nowhere, bugs specializing in broccoli came along and ate them all only leaving skinny stems behind. I gave all the broccoli away to caterpillars this year. You all eat it up... but it's war starting next year. I declare war against them with neem oil and home made pesticide using egg yolk oil. Eat as much as you want this year. My house is a paradise for snails, and I don't mind sharing with them since they are slow....., but these bugs... wow... the skill and speed with which they devour leaves is truly formidable. It must taste heavenly sweet since there is not a single drop of pesticide!
Recycle large discarded containers into flower pots.
Anyway, becoming a farmer is easier than you think. Do I really need a fancy flower pot? Nope. Cheap large plastic flower pots will do the job. Or like I did, you can buy a very cheap basket(?) from a one-dollar-store or even get a large container someone threw away at recycling post, then drill some holes in the bottom. Even if you don't have a garden, you can do with limited space. In fact using big pots or containers can have some benefits. Actually it can be more handier since you can move it around to look for more sunny spots, or by putting planter saucer underneath them, you can control watering efficiently while saving water at the same time. On very hot summer days, you can reposition them to where it get exposed to sun only in the morning(Too strong afternoon sunshine can hurt them).
From my own experience, I think it would be really useful to have a pot of green chilis next you. If you don't have seeds, you can get them from one you purchased from the shop. Deseed them and dry for future use. Highly recommended Pet vegetable, green chili pot!
Being by my side always for a long time, receiving my unconditional love.. If that's what a companion means, they are my companion for sure~~
Reference
How Nutrient Loss Occurs In Fruits and Vegetables:https://thefooduntold.com/health/how-nutrient-loss-occurs-in-fruits-and-vegetables/
