Growing Vegetables in Indonesia
Hello Gardeners, we are back with a new topic and the topic is all about growing vegetables in Indonesia and the vegetable planting calendar of Indonesia. Do you live in Indonesia and do you want to grow your own vegetables? Well and then you will need to follow this complete article to grow vegetables in Indonesia. In this article, we will also mention all the requirements for growing vegetables in Indonesia.
Introduction to Growing Vegetables in Indonesia
If you are planning a vegetable garden, then you should be looking for easy-growing vegetables. Ultimately you will require to select the vegetable plants that are very best suited for your weather conditions. Excessive heat will stress many types of vegetable plants. Trying to grow a cool climate or weather condition vegetable such as Lettuce and occasional Spinach would be very exacting and the plants will most likely secure to seed before you have anything significant to harvest from them. Some vegetable plants, such as Cauliflower for example, just don’t like heat. In general, because of the high rainfall and humidity of the wet season condition, it is very best to grow most of your vegetables through the summer season, from March to September. The weather will be warm, the humidity condition will be low, and your seedlings and plants won’t get flooded by rains. Insects are also less of a problem during this period of the year.
A Step-by-Step Planting Guide for Growing Vegetables in Indonesia, and Planting Calendar
The exotic climate with plenty of water makes it possible for the same types of plants to be grown everywhere around the islands of Indonesia. Grow vegetables that like the dry heat and summer season. Tomatoes will grow very well during the summer season. Look for heat-allows varieties. Roma and Cherry Tomatoes are tougher than the larger varieties and may be very easier to grow for a first-timer. These vegetables are very easy to grow as Eggplants, Cucumbers, Shallots, Chillies, and Capsicums or Peppers will all grow well in the summer season climate. Cucumbers are quick-growing vegetables and they will survive in warm dry conditions as long as they are given sufficient moisture.
Zucchini and all varieties of Summer Squash are suitable for hot dry conditions. Zucchini especially flourish in hot conditions as long as you can retain the roots well supplied with moisture, you can grow it in the same way as a Cucumber. Both vegetable plants are very productive. Pumpkins will go well if you can keep on top of the mildew, whilst Sweet Potato is another easier choice, well suited to the climate condition. Exotic Beans like Snake Beans will also grow very well and easy to grow. Grown from direct seed, you can have Beans in as little as 6 to 7 weeks after planting. You can also try Beans grown as groundcover plants such as Mung Beans or even Soybeans.
Basic Things to Remember When Growing Vegetables in Indonesia
- Space matters
Plan the space of your vegetable garden to match the time you can commit to maintenance and available substances. Remember to start with small and limited space. If you are new to gardening a very good start is to design your vegetable garden into plots. A plot may vary in size but an easily manageable plot size is 6 x 1.2m. If you are keen to spend a together of hours a week maintaining your vegetable garden and want to harvest some bulk vegetables for your household, we suggested you begin with 4 plots. That will give you sufficient space to grow a variety of plants around the year. Observe your soil, is it light and fluffy, full of organic substance, or is it hard like a rock with poor drainage? When you have observed the best site for your vegetable garden you can start preparation.
- Sunlight requirement
Most vegetable plants require full-sun plants, between six and eight hours of direct sunlight per day. Morning sun is preferable, as the afternoon sun is hotter, and you don’t want your vegetable plants to overheat during the hottest part of the day.
- Plan your vegetable garden beds
Assuming you are gardening by hand, it’s usually very easier to grow in grounds narrow sufficient that you can reach into the center from both sides without having to step on the prepared soil. Compacting the well-drained soil by standing on it makes it harder for plant roots to make a hole in and seek out air, water, and nutrients. The length of your garden grounds is up to you, but if they are too long to walk around fastly you will soon observe yourself taking shortcuts across the soil. Raised beds are frequently suggested to the beginning gardener, but they are optional. One of the most important yet commonly forgotten substances of a vegetable garden is good pathways. Paths can be made of hard components such as slabs or gravel, surfaced with woodchip, sawdust, or other bulky organic substance which require occasional topping up, or just grass. Ensure paths are large sufficient to enable you to reach all grounds with a wheelbarrow on at least one side.
- Prepare your soil
At the heart of every successful vegetable garden is very good well-drained soil. The occasional way to prepare the well-drained soil is to weed thoroughly and dig it over, with the addition of organic compost or manure as you go. Water then covers with a 15cm thick layer of organic compost and or well-rotted manure. Cut holes to plant around, and keep an eye out for weeds sneaking out through the holes. Seeds of all but deep-rooting plants like parsnips can go straight into the growing medium without making holes. You can use boards through the corner to create a raised bed, but it’s not essential.
Instead, you add a fresh layer of organic manure on top of the well-drained soil at least once a year and let worms and other well-drained soil organisms do the shoving for you. This is quicker and easier than turning the well-drained soil annually and avoids disturbing the delicate of life beneath the well-drained soil surface that helps retain your vegetable garden healthy.
- Water Deeply
Apply water two to three times a week and water deeply each time as opposed to a brief, superficial watering every day. Watering deeply moistening the well-drained soil to a depth of six inches is perfect will supports the vegetable plants to send roots well into the garden ground. Deep roots help plants improve sustain stresses caused by hot and summer season weather.
- Harvesting
Most vegetable plants can be harvested several times if only the ready part is harvested. The quality of vegetables does not better after harvest so it is very important to gather plants at proper grown-up. At this point, vegetables are their highlight for flavor and nutrition. This is not always when a vegetable is at its largest growth stage. The ripe time varies with total vegetables. Tomatoes can be left on the vine until fully ripened or even taken off when partially ripened and placed on a windowsill to grown-up. Other vegetable plants such as Winter Squash and Eggplants are not ready until after they are fully developed.
How to Sow the Seeds Directly in Vegetable Garden?
Some things just don’t like to be transplanted such as Snapdragons, Nasturtiums, Spinach, Beets, Carrots, and Peas are examples of plants that like to begin and finish in the same place, mostly due to having a graceful root system. Things that are fast to germinate are great to begin from seed, like Radishes, Beans, Peas, Beets, and Turnips.
Starting plants from seed tolerates you more options in the variety that you grow. You can browse the seed catalog and select from the infinite choices, complete than being limited to growing whatever transplants your local gardener or garden center has to offer. Frequently, beginning from seed can be more cost-effective, extremely if you are growing something in significant quantity or plan to grow in succession.
Consider that direct sowing planting seeds right into your garden well-drained soil can be riskier than using transplants because those seeds have to contend with weather conditions hazards such as drought, flood, high wind, and weed pressure. Make sure you have a plan in place for giving your vegetable seeds the very best chance possible. Be prepared to thin your seedlings, which means pulling out a few vegetable plants as you go down the row to ensure your plants are spaced evenly. For example, you will want to ensure your Beet seedlings are rough 2 to 4 inches apart so that each plant has room to make an average-sized Beet. Crowded plants compete for light, water, and nutrients. Also, lack of airflow will supports diseases.
How to Transplant Seedlings?
Starting with baby vegetable plants can give you more control and expected results in the garden ground. Transplants give you enormous jump starts on the season because they will grown-up sooner and give you an earlier harvest.
Harvest with succession planting the same thing several times per season to ensure a continuous harvest. For example, you can begin your first Lettuce succession transplants and then directly sow lettuce seeds every 2 to 3 weeks into your garden ground.
Transplants can be more resistant to insect and other pest pressure because they are more grown-up and stronger when you first put them into your vegetable garden. Many insect pests just like teeny very small seedlings. Skipping that growth stage altogether and using transplants can save some vegetable loss. However, consider that transplants can introduce weeds and diseases into your vegetable garden. Most methods of transplants are very careful about this, especially regarding diseases, but it is not uncommon to get a little grass or other weed seed into your transplant pack now and then. You can pull weed seedlings out before planting if you find an unwanted straggler in your pack of veggie begins.
Make sure to harden off your transplants, which means exposing them to moderately cooler temperatures and some dry conditions before putting them out into your vegetable garden. Most transplants have been raised in specially controlled environments greenhouses, under very warm, favorable temperatures. They have also been spoiled with lots of water. If you set them right out into your garden, they may tolerate transplant shock, which is sag or sometimes death due to the sudden surprise of cooler night temperatures, lots of temperature fluctuation, or drier conditions. Well-drained soil blocks are pot-less soil cubes for beginning seeds in which tolerate plant roots to air-prune, avoiding plant stress.
Basic Vegetable Plants for Beginners to Grow in Indonesia
- Chilli
As Chilli is one of the most popular necessary food ingredients in Indonesia, growing it at home will be very useful for your household. Chillies are planted through seeds that can be applied from rotted Chillies. The harvest time of chilli is normally 2.5 to 3 months after planting.
- Tomato
The Tomato plant supplies fruits around the year and relatively very easy to grow by beginners. It also an ideal plant for warm weather conditions like in the urban cities of Indonesia. Besides, Tomatoes are plentiful in vitamins A and C, as well as accommodate high fiber and antioxidants. To grow Tomatoes, the steps are the same as Chilli which started by planting the dry seeds. You will require a wooden or bamboo stand, so the plant will grow upright, not increase sideways.
- Carrot
Carrot is another plant that is very easy to grow and fit the warm weather condition. It doesn’t need a certain skill, yet very valuable activities. You can buy the seeds package that also comes with a simple guide. Carrots grow the best in light, sandy soils, and full sunlight.
- Salad greens
Salad greens are probably the very easiest and fastest to grow in your limited space. A sunny window is the best location to put your salad greens container garden, preferably a south-facing window.
- Garlic greens
Growing garlic plants indoors is a very easy and flavourful way to have a healthy ingredient at your fingertips. The Garlic greens taste like scallions but with a total garlic flavor. You can use them in any recipe that roar for garlic or scallions. To grow tasty garlic plants, all you need is a 4-inch container or a gallon container with some drain holes poked in the bottom, a small bag of organic potting soil, and a saucer or tray to set the container on to catch drips.
Seasonal Vegetables to Grow in Indonesia
With an exotic climate, Indonesia has two seasons that is the summer season which is April to October, and another one is the monsoon season, which is November to March and enjoys hot and humid conditions temperatures all year. The exotic climate with a lot of rain makes it possible for the same types of plants to be grown everywhere around the islands of Indonesia.
#1 Celery
When cooking with Celery, people to be disposed to just discard the ends, but you can turn the scraps into brand-new stalks which you can use in soups, juices, or even just as-is.
What you’ll need: Celery with the root end, a bowl, a container, well-drained soil, slow-release fertilizer, and a sunny location that is shady during mid-day.
Time is taken to grow: About 3 months
To grow:
Cut off the total root base of the Celery bunch, throughout 2cm from the bottom.
Twig the cutting into a bowl of water. The water level should be increased and reach â…“ of the celery.
Change the water every day and replant in well-drained soil once new shoots appear in about 3 to 5 days.
Plant the celery in a mix of soil and slow-release fertilizer. Only the new trough should be above the soil.
Water every day and make sure the soil is damp, not wet.
To harvest:
The Celery stem should at least be 15cm in height before you harvest.
If the outer stems are ready before the inner ones, you can pluck those off first.
If the whole plant is ready, take the simpler route by uprooting the whole thing before beginning the process again for a new plant.
#2 Spring Onions
Spring Onions are one of the very easiest ways to start growing vegetables at home. Chop them up for salads, garnishes, or even roast them whole for a vigorous side for steak. Because of how quickly they grow, you will probably end up with sufficient to give away.
What you’ll need: Spring onions with roots, a bowl, a container, soil, and a location with at least 6 hours of strong sunlight.
Time is taken to grow: 5 to 7 days
To grow:
Cut the edge of the spring onions, leaving around 3cm from the roots.
To Place the ends in a bowl of water that should be changed regularly. The water level should only be moderately above the roots.
After a few days, you will see new green regrowth.
Once the Spring Onion has grown to about 10cm, you can plant it in the well-drained soil and make sure that it’s moist daily.
To harvest:
Snip off however much you require and they will keep growing back.
#3 Okra
Okra is also called a Lady’s finger is a subjective vegetable you either hate it or love it. Well, for those who want more of it, you can grow your own at home. Also known as Okra, this hardy vegetable goes well with strong flavours like curries and sambar since it’s completely bland on its own.
What you’ll need: Okra seeds, a large container of at least 25 cm well-drained deep, soil, slow-release fertilizer, a location with 5 to 6 hours of direct sunlight.
Time is taken to germinate: 4 to 5 days
Time is taken to grow: 55 to 65 days
To grow:
You need to plant seeds in potting soil with slow-release fertilizer and water regularly to retain the soil moisture.
Flowers should begin growing in 30 to 35 days and fruit will start to support after 3 to 5 more days.
To harvest:
Harvest when the Lady’s fingers are still to be disposed of, if not they will become too fibrous. A good approximation is when they grow to about 7 to 12cm long.
#4 Kailan
We are all super familiar with this dark green leafy vegetable almost all places have a stir-fried Kailandish on their menu.
What you’ll need: Kailan seeds, a container, well-drained soil, slow-release fertilizer, and a location with 5 to 6 hours of strong sunlight.
Time is taken to germinate: 10 to 15 days
Time is taken to grow: 60 to 70 days
To grow:
Plant the seeds in soil and water regularly; make sure the soil is moist.
Fertilize after 10 days when seedlings are stronger.
To harvest:
Harvest young stalks and leaves when the first flowers seem.
Cut off what you require at the stem and if your plant has enough nutrients, it will keep producing leaves sufficient for 2 to 3 more harvests.
#5 Baby Bok Choy
In case if you miss this: How To Grow Spinach In Greenhouse.
Smaller and sweeter than daily Bok Choy, Baby Bok Choy is a very easy vegetable to grow at home.
What you’ll need: Baby Bok Choy seeds, a container, well-drained soil, slow-release fertilizer, and a location with at least 6 hours of sunlight
Time is taken to germinate: about 5 to 7 days
Time is taken to harvest: 40 to 45 days
To grow:
Plant seeds in a combination of soil and slow-release fertilizer. Water regular to make sure soil is moist.
To harvest:
Harvest when the BabyBok Choy is about 15 cm tall.
Cut the plant off, leaving about 2 cm at the well-drained soil line, this should make sure re-sprouting and at least another harvest.
#6 Lemongrass
A refreshing scent that’s almost zingy, there’s no other exchange for Lemongrass. Make lemongrass tea, flavoured syrup for desserts, or flavourtom yam soup with it.
What you’ll need: Lemongrass stalks, a jar, a container, slow-release fertilizer, and a location with at least 5 hours of sunlight.
Time is taken to grow: 4 to 6 months
To grow:
Cut about 2 to 3 cm off the tops of the Lemongrass and place the stem in a jar of water for about 2 weeks. Change the water regularly.
When roots begin to appear stronger, plant the stalks in a combination of soil and slow-release fertilizer. Water regularly to make sure the well-drained soil is moist.
To harvest:
Harvest when the stem reaches around 30 cm and don’t uproot the plant, just cut off what you require.
Common Vegetables to Grow in Indonesia
#1 Potato
You may also check this: Easy growing Flowers In Apartments.
Potatoes are one of the very easiest vegetables to grow. Sometimes they are grown by themselves when you leave Potatoes for too extended. Simply conceal a whole Potato in some well-drained soil or a glass pot and wait. The Potato will tolerate root and a new plant will push through in no period.
#2 Pumpkins
Pumpkins can sprout out anywhere and are very easy to grow. You can also follow a similar process for Summer Squash. Just conceal the seeds from a Pumpkin in well-drained soil and the shoot will sprout in a few days.
#3 Basil
Basil is an extraordinary herb to have in the vegetable garden because of its adaptability. It can be grown anytime the whole year but take form nicely in summer. It can very easily regrow, so once you plant Basil you can cut the leaves and it will always have fresh Basil when you require it.
#4 Mushrooms
Simply decrease the caps of the Mushrooms and plant them in your vegetable garden. It requires the right period and environment to grow, but if you do it right, you will have fresh Mushrooms whenever you require them.
#5 Romaine Lettuce
As the substitute for throwing away the centre of the Lettuce after cutting the leaves, just put in some well-drained soil to grow new Lettuce. New leaves will start to shove through in a few days and you can grow them inside or outside. Also, you can repeat this process as many times as you like.
Vegetable Planting Calendar in Indonesia
Each vegetable plant has different requirements and growing more than one thing can be confusing. When to sow seeds? When to plant vegetables? When to harvest? So to help you, we have selected the ultimate, very easy-to-follow vegetable growing calendar. Keep in mind that this is conscious as a guide and the weather condition, your well-drained soil, and even where you live can affect how plants grow. But if something does not work, please don’t give up.
| Vegetables | Sowing Time | Harvesting |
| Chilli | February to April | July to October |
| Tomato | February to March | May to August |
| Carrot | April to June | July to October |
| Spinach | March to May | June to October |
| Garlic Greens | October to January | June to August |
| Celery | March to April | October to January |
| Courgette | April to May | July to October |
| Spring onions | March to July | June to October |
| Kale | March to June | December to April |
| Baby Bok Choy | April to July | May to October |
| Potatoes | March to May | June to September |
| Pumpkin | May to June | July to October |
| Swede | May to June | November to February |
| Sweet corn | April to May | July to September |
| Roman Lettuce | March-July | June-October |
| Beans | February-April | July-September |
| Chard | April-June | August-November |
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