If you want to find an effortless veggie that is easy to grow in sunny areas in Indonesia, then water spinach is the best choice. In fact, even for organic garden options.
Water spinach is also called kangkung / kangkong in my city. Maybe you have different name to call this green veggie, in your city?
Water spinach has always been my favorite vegetable to grow in the garden because they are easy to grow and can be quickly harvested even when cared for organically. With easy maintenance, the price of a water spinach is relatively cheap.
With this cheap price, water spinach is a favorite among people in Indonesia. We can easily find water spinach menus in various cafes and restaurants. Especially, stir-fried water spinach served with seafood.
Growing Your Own Vegetables Is Better
Water spinach has indeed been cared for, but in fact most commercial farmers use chemical fertilizers to keep the surface of the leaves pest-free and not visible with holes caused by insect bites.
That's why for me it is better to grow water spinach in my way. Even if my water spinach has to be eaten by insects (most often grasshoppers) then that is no problem at all. After all, grasshoppers are also living creatures that need to eat, right?
Indeed, insects will not damage water spinach at all like insects that damage chili plants. It's just that chemical fertilizers are usually applied to obtain larger water spinach stems, as well as a prettier leaf surface appearance without holes.
In organic way, the water spinach in my garden looks smaller even though it has entered harvest time. It doesn't matter at all because it still tastes delicious no matter what. It's not a matter of size, but the most important thing is that my water spinach remains fresh and delicious when cooked later. :)
Time to Harvest Water Spinach
Unconsciously, 30 days after planting have passed. Time really flies very quickly. Do you guys feel that way too? Well, now is the time for me to harvest water spinach.
I will harvest the water spinach gradually. Also, only use the method of cutting at the bottom of their stems, not removing them down to the roots. This method of harvesting by simply cutting will make the water spinach grow again and again. So, we can save energy to not sowing seeds from the beginning again.
Today I just harvested a little water spinach to share with my mother-in-law and my neighbors. The next day and the next, I can harvest again to keep them fresh.
I have also told my neighbors that they can take their own water spinach in my garden without a fence. I love being able to share vegetables that I grow organically.
After cutting the stems of the water spinach, I took a rope to tie them. I did this tying so that the water spinach looks neat when distributed.
Indeed, what I share may not be much. But I hope I can contribute to strengthening friendship between neighbors by sharing the produce of my garden. I hope that in the future I will have more harvests so that I can share more often with my neighbors and my family.
Well, what vegetables are easy to care for in your area? If you have the opportunity to grow something in a small plot of land next to your house, don't feel that it will be a waste. No matter how small our harvest, it also teaches us to be grateful for what nature has given us. Until next on my garden stories :)
Thank you for reading my blog and reblog if you want my blog this time worthy of reading by others.
Best Regards,
Anggrek Lestari
Anggrek Lestari is an Indonesian fiction writer who has published two major books. Now She is a full-time content creator. She has a goal to share life, poem, and food content that makes others happy and can get inspiration.
Contact Person: authoranggreklestari@gmail.com
Discord: anggreklestari#3009
