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Does anyone know of the ultimate ‘Growing vegetables in Containers’- book to read, or any additional information?
I’d appreciate tips from people’s that’s done it before.
Also, which vegetables to grow when, in TAIWAN.
I’m interested as well.
I wanted to grow tomato but was told that is a bad idea in Taiwan. I’d like more detail. I’d like to grow all the Italian eating vegetables and herbs. I have grown to dislike Chinese food with its emphasis on salt, oil and no raw salad type parts at all, not to mention its heavy sugar component and almost no sugar in deserts…rant…finish.
Italian reins supreme. Fresh NOT SUGARY wholemeal bread with balsamic vinegar and good olive oil.
Considering human fertiliser may be used on vegies it would be good to grow your own.
Patti:
Yesterday, I planted some broccoli. I had a tomato plant years ago, but I was away for a day and a half and couldn’t get home to save it before a typhoon blew it over and dragged it all over the place. I know a guy who grows lavender, grapes, fennel, oregano, garlic, and loads of other things. I have recently become interested in growing things again and want to ask him for advice. Patti, relay your questions to me, if you like, and I’ll ask him.
I don’t know of any books on this, but I’m sure there are plenty. Go to a bookstore that you feel may have English books and ask for books on 園藝 “yuan yi.” (second tone, and then fourth tone). That is “horticulture” or “gardening”. Another resource is your local plant store. I don’t know your Chinese language level and I don’t know your location, so I can’t help a lot with that. If you live in that crap-hole called Taipei, a good place to look around and ask might be the Ban Qiao flower market. I don’t know if they sell potted vegetables, but you can ask about growing things and probably learn a lot (if you speak Chinese). Take the subway Bannan Line to the very end (Xinpu) and then exit 2 or 3 and beneath the freeway viaduct is the BanQiao flower market. (Sunday may be a good day for this.)
Ironman:
Why did someone say growing tomato in Taiwan is a bad idea? I totally agree with your distaste for Taiwanese food (not Chinese). In order to be Taiwanese food it HAS to be a little sweet and NO other flavor, minus a few exceptions of course. (I’ve had the birthday cake that tastes like styrofoam and bitten into a handful of sweet popcorn and all the other Taiwanese culinary blasphemies. There are some Taiwanese treats that I love, but that’s not relevant to this post).
Have you tried Costco’s whole grain bread that is sold in sliced loaves? That’s good for sandwiches, but you may not like it for dipping in olive oil. Tesco sells those cricket-bat shaped “baguettes” that they call “French bread”, which are not bad.
Human fertilizer? I’ve tried that before, but get a trowel and bury it to keep flies away. With your “Location:” saying that you’re pissing on a corner, I think it seems you really don’t like bathrooms, do you, Ironman? 
Don’t know too much but will let you know what little I do know.
For containers or any plants here, netting is your friend. Netting keeps out the worst of the insects.
Watch the PH of your soil, some plants like acidic, some don’t. Also be sure to add some sand and small rocks for drainage.
If you can grow it well in the US or Europe it will grow well here in late Fall, winter, and early spring. At any other time, grow what Taiwanese grow. If you need salad during summer and don’t want to pay a lot for it, get heat resistant/bolt resistant strains. How you get these is on you. 
Water often, make sure your soil drains well, and keep the area moist, but not damp. Spider mites suck(pun intended) and they like dry conditions.
Good luck,
Okami
Bad idea, bad. :s
[quote=“Ironman”]
I have grown to dislike Chinese food with its emphasis on salt, oil and no raw salad type parts at all, not to mention its heavy sugar component and almost no sugar in deserts…rant…finish.
Italian reins supreme. Fresh NOT SUGARY wholemeal bread with balsamic vinegar and good olive oil.
.[/quote]
i feel the same as you ironman. taiwan food is getting too greasy for me and the only thing that satisfies is italian and western good stuff.
well my friend, i’m growing some real italian basil (not the chinese stuff) and real italian parsely (hard to find and it ain’t cilantro). i got the seeds from the States.
one thing i’ve found is, these packaged seed varieties don’t do well outside. you need a window which has sunlight but is still in the cool of the house. they wilt in the heat and no amount of water will fix the problem. you’ll give them water rot in a minute and it’ll never leave(parsely just needs a few sprays, but basil needs a drink, but you can’t put too much or it’ll rot). i moved mine inside and they’re doing better.
now the million dollar question: do homegrown herbs do that much for your cooking?
oh yeah.
You’ve got to read up about hydroponics, but I’m not sure if this is the best website or not.
I’ve got to go!