When to Plant
Early Chinese farmers were quick to point out that
timing of the plantings is important to the success of the crop.
"Each vegetable has a season and it should not be missed," they
said. That is an important point to remember today. Rule one of good
gardening is learning when to plant the crops for the climate. Many
gardeners rely on seed packets for this information, but this may not be
always true.
A good source for planting dates is your local farmer or gardening
expert. They can give you
relatively accurate planting times and culture instructions.
What to Plant
In our modern world of mixed cultures, it is
sometimes difficult to determine what really encompasses Oriental crops.
Traditionally these have been the edible plants cultivated by gardeners of
Asian descent. But gardens of China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and
neighboring countries today include both the old and new world crops.
Plantings of Chinese cabbage, daikon and mizuna from Asia, grow
intermingled with peppers, eggplant, tomatoes and potatoes from the
Americas. All vegetables now grow in the Oriental garden; only the
varietal names may differ from one country to another.
It is helpful to know that most related crops--- including all
cabbages, broccoli and radishes--- are planted at the same time of the
year. You sow their seeds or transplant them in the late fall and winter
seasons. Many vegetable guides, however, list only popular crops and leave
out classic Oriental favorites. For instance, you will not find mizuna
listed in most guides. But as it is a type of mustard you can compare the
planting time with a comparable plant of the region.
This is not, however, a foolproof method. A few Asian crops can confuse
you with their common names. For example: the Chinese spinach that is
usually stir-fried or added to soups, is not a true spinach which thrives
in colder months. In fact, it is an amaranthus and needs the warm to hot
months to produce the tender leafy portions. Another vegetable, the winged
bean, does not follow traditional spring season planting; it prefers the
fall months of August through October. Your best bet, therefore, is to
plant smaller amounts of crops in stages and test for yourself which time
of the year suits the growing in your region.
Today's harvests are a mixture of vegetables from around the world but
some of the most popular planting techniques are totally of oriental
descent. "Gardeners are rediscovering the very ancient methods of
producing big yields in small spaces," says James Stephens, vegetable
specialist at the University of Florida in Gainesville."You can call
it square-foot or raised-bed culture, but it is really the century-old
method of Asian intensive gardening. Oriental farmers plant every square
inch of available space. They use square, block and patch designs to plant
their crops. It is an age-old gardening technique for modern times."
Garden Space and Architecture
Urban gardeners do not have a lot of room and they
are looking for an easy way to produce their crops. The size of the
average garden nationwide has shrunk from 600 to about 200 square feet.
Typical oriental gardens are three to four feet wide (just wide enough to
reach to the middle to plant, weed and harvest); and their lengths vary
depending on the available space. These small, compact gardens are ideal
for today's cramped backyards, patios, entrance areas and even for the
walkways between adjoining properties.
Oriental gardens are usually constructed by mounding soil to produce
six- inch (or higher) beds that ensure good drainage. The raised bed also
helps put the crops in easy reach. Many gardeners today add landscape
timbers to contain the mounded soil. The wide wooden edges keep the garden
neat and provide a place to sit while you work.
Other oriental gardens are constructed with a slightly concave bed, or
ridge of soil around the edge, to help contain water during irrigation.
This can be a valuable technique for local residents who find themselves
watering every three to four days throughout the growing season.
Gardening Method
Enriching the soil is critical to traditional
oriental gardens. The ground is prepared with lots of organic matter like
compost and manure, which provide the nutrients needed by most crops.
Often these gardens are produced without additional fertilizer throughout
the growing season. In the western hemisphere however is it recommended to
use fertilizer in small quantities.
Sandy soils benefit greatly from the addition of organic matter.
Decomposing plant portions and manure help hold moisture within the root
zone of developing crops. This moisture conservation is particularly
important during the drier times of the year, fall through spring.
Let's Start
After tilling the organic matter and fertilizer with
the soil, you are ready to plant. Oriental gardening techniques conserve
space by planting crops close together. Seldom are wide rows left between
vegetables --- instead plants are set next to each other with minimal
spacing.
Crops are often planted in blocks. A planting of Chinese cabbage set
eight to 12 inches apart may abut winter onions with one to two inches
between plants. Next to these crops might be plantings of edible pod peas
trained to a trellis, and then some mustard. There are no rows between the
crops, just between the beds.
Where possible, transplants are used to fill the beds. Starts of
cabbage, broccoli or eggplant are usually four to six weeks old when they
are set in the garden. They can be used to quickly fill a space vacated by
a recently harvested planting of winter melon, yard-long beans or peppers.
Using transplants helps keep the garden productive at all times.
Some crops are better seeded, either because they grow very quickly
from seed or because they are just difficult to transplant. You might
consider planting a block of carrots or radishes across the bed. Try to
give the seeds a spacing of a few inches but don't worry if they land
close together.
Carrots and radishes can be pulled for use when the roots begin to
swell. The first harvests serve to thin the crops. The remaining plants
should be left at a four- to six-inch spacing to produce the bigger roots
for later harvests.
Raising a garden to feed the family does take a little time. Plan to
spend at least five to ten minutes each day looking, tilling and guiding
plant growth. Keep the vining crops up off the ground and trained to a
trellis to conserve room. Also pull a few weeds and pick off the plant
feeding bugs. Then do not forget to harvest the crops as they ripen to
keep the crops producing.
More Tips
A few more tips to have a productive oriental garden
over the next nine months:
- Replant the garden as soon as one crop ends.
- Try companion plantings of beans and corn, or radishes and carrots to make maximum use of space.
- Keep tall or trellised crops to the north side of the garden.
- Allow the surface soil to only dry to the touch between waterings.
- Maintain a two- to three-inch mulch layer of hay, compost or leaves.
- Feed the garden monthly with manure or fertilizer.
- Use soaps and other natural controls for pests.
Feast in the East
Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia.
Maintaining a vegetarian diet while exploring the far flung
countries of the East can be a challenging experience, both physically and
mentally, as travel writer Jan Trewartha discovered.
Two weeks of fried rice and my guts had seized up. A real surprise in
Indonesia where a bout of Asian 'Delhi Belly' is a must on every
traveller's 'been there, done that' checklist. But roaming the Far East on
a vegetarian diet seems to result in these odd side effects. Next time
I'll pack the Ex-Lax. The world is shrinking and where we were once happy
With an annual fortnight in Margate, the exotic now entices. The Far East
is no longer so far: Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore are easily
reached and even Indonesia, from beneath its third world cloak, beckons us
to its most commercial island, Bali. But is it possible for vegetarians to
travel there and keep their health and sanity? In such places where the
treatment of animals excites the angst of animal welfare groups, what
chance does the vegetarian have.
The good news is that in most of the touristy areas there is very
little problem. Many travellers adopt a non-meat diet when in Asia, often
for health reasons but occasionally out of disgust at the condition of the
animals. The main cities and beauty spots, perhaps in response to that
demand, offer quite good choice for vegetarians; both local and
western-style food. The setbacks, once off the beaten track are either the
challenge of communication or the lack of alternatives to meat. Hence my
fortnight of enforced fried rice consumption in the eastern islands of
Indonesia; I was never so glad to see 'civilisation'. But that is a fair
price to pay for the joy of deviating from the well-Reeboked track.
Persistence and tact are often needed in such uncommercial spots; if
you want to eat well, it is no use being shy. In, for example, those
Indonesian backwoods, the main problem is the lack of fresh vegetables to
add to the inevitable nasi goreng mie moreng (fried
rice/noodles). Then dinner becomes a matter of sweet talking one's way
into steamy kitchens to hunt down a stray tin of mushrooms or corn and
then standing over the wok - smiling placatingly - to supervise the
cooking. All without offending the chef. Much praise of the meal and
plentiful 'thank yous' are then vital, especially if you hope to eat there
again.
The attitude with which such fussiness is greeted varies from country
to country, as does comprehension of the vegetarian ethic. Religion will
often play a part; devout Buddhists and Hindus will understand and respect
your wishes. Most people, however, are fairly helpful. If you try to speak
the language, and remember to smile, they will not let you go hungry.
Preparation before you leave England is useful. Get to grips with a
phrasebook - not so easy in, say, Thai with its alien alphabet - or pop
into the local restaurant and beg for help to translate and pronounce a
few phrases. I followed the advice of a traveller who headed into China
without phrase-book or map, simply "I am vegan" written on his
arm in Chinese by helpful Buddhist monks. "I was constantly
lost", he said, "and I couldn't wash my arm, but I ate like a
king." I opted for a notebook instead of skin..and still took my
phrasebooks.
Naturally, many travellers take a package tour and stick to the well
charted areas. Then, notifying the tour operator and double checking with
the hotel chef on arrival should ensure you a decent diet. Presuming that
you will have to track down at least one meal a day from local sources, it
is worth knowing a bit about the various countries.
HONG KONG
Let's start with Hong Kong. Raw on my first trip outside Europe I
expected the place to be much more British than it actually is. Hong Kong
teems with Chinese. The streets are packed with people and merchandise.
Food is for sale on every corner. The Chinese seem to go by the precept
"if it moves, eat it" and some of the snacks for sale are
unrecognizable to Westerners. Bamboo-caged chickens are displayed alive to
ensure freshness in the stifling heat; startled squawks followed by
strangled silence are common punctuations to the eternal hubbub of the
city. I saw young boys on a beach skewering baby crabs live and leaving
them thus in rock pools until enough had been collected for dinner.
It is difficult to ignore the attitude here and the excuse that Hong
Kong is overcrowded with too many mouths to feed to allow for a conscience
towards animals is still hard to swallow.
But there is another aspect to this society: Buddhism. The religion has
a healthy foothold here and the result is a fair number of vegetarian
restaurants: main street for the ex-patriots and businessmen, back street
hideaways for the general populace. Finding such an oasis once, a fellow
traveler and I stepped in. The noise stopped immediately as all eyes
focused on us through steam wafted over the rice pots. An anxious waitress
almost ran to us, making 'shooing' motions. "No meat, no meat,n she
cried. "Yes, vegetarian," we nodded, desperately using sign
language to explain. At last she threw her hands heavenwards in amazement
and the radiant approving smile she bestowed on us was copied by the
diners. We were led to a large round table to eat with the locals - the
best of compliments.
The alternatives to meat in Hong Kong are many. Tofu, gluten, seaweeds
and taro root form the basis of delicious dishes. Limitless vegetables,
silken fungi and a glut of exotic fruit make this country a good
destination for vegetarians. The large ex-pat contingent has also led to
everything from Weetabix to baked beans finding its way into the
supermarkets. You will not starve.
THAILAND
In Thailand the recognition of vegetarian needs seems to be more as a
concession to tourism than by religion although this is a strongly
Buddhist country. I found one pure 'health' cafe in the capital, serving
brown rice, a rarity in Asia and nectar to displaced veggie. There are
other vegetarian restaurants to be found but even in the ordinary eating
houses there's no problem. Excessive commercialism ensures a wide variety
of foods so whether you want eggs on toast or coconut vegetable curry,
it's available.
The main attractions of Thailand lie away from the city. Most people
get out as soon as possible and head either for the many isolated islands
or for the North to jungle trek. Many firms organising these treks through
the bush to visit the hill tribes, to ride elephants or to battle the
rivers on rickety, wooden rafts will undertake to provide vegetarian food
if pre-warned. On islands, even the least developed, there are invariably
piles of luscious fruit, fresh salads and aromatic vegetable dishes to
choose from. Thailand is a pleasant surprise for non-meat eaters, as far
as diet is concerned at least. As in other parts of this continent, the
constant sight of starving dogs and cats begging at tables can dull
tastebuds.
MALAYSIA
Moving south, Malaysia has a large Chinese population, along with the
native Malay people and a smaller number of Indians. It is the Indians and
the vegetarian Chinese who are the life-savers here. The latter have
perfected the art of simulating meat both soya and gluten substitutes. The
result is convincingly meat-like but 100 per cent vegetarian. I found it
almost too realistic to touch; after so many years of avoiding meat it was
a strange experience to have a plate of 'pork' and 'crackling' in front of
me. But it makes a pleasant change even if it is served with the
inevitable rice. The whole concept seems to be aimed at Chinese who are
non-meat eating by religion but who perhaps miss the taste; it had my
omnivorous travel companion almost fooled
The Indian restaurants are a delight. They are either pure veggie or
serve all kinds of food. The most original dinner is the 'banana leaf'. A
section of real banana leaf serves as a plate on to which is casually
dolloped rice, curry, dahl and spiced vegetables with a crowning popadom.
Eating with the fingers is the local way, but you can order a fork.
Heading away from the mainstream in Malaysia, for example to the
magnificent National Parks, does mean less choice of food. This is when
you will be glad of any emergency rations in your luggage.
SINGAPORE
Singapore, just over the bridge from Malaysia, is another world. Where
Malaysia is a riot of colour and variety, Singapore is sleeker and
wealthier. Renowned for its quality hotels, flush with international
restaurants and abounding with fruits and vegetables, Singapore poses
little problem for non-meat eaters.
As in Malaysia, the Indian contingent provides superb eating places
and, although it means hunting through the back streets of the atmospheric
Indian Quarter, you will find many a vegetarian 'banana leaf' lurking
there.
INDONESIA
A hop and skip over the water from Singapore lies the archipelago of
Indonesia; some 13,000 islands in all. Of these a dozen or so are commonly
visited by Westerners. In Jakarta, the capital, Yogyakarta, site of the
Borobodur temple, Kuta Beach in Bali and other highly commercialised spots
the vegetarian is more likely to die of delight than an empty stomach.
Seas of guacamole, mountains of corn chips, deep fried tofu, tempeh
'burgers' and exotic fruit salads are everywhere. In Kuta, Mecca of the
Australian package tourist, there is even a Mexican restaurant - what
else?
Heading out of town in Indonesia, you take your chances and your
emergency supplies. A few nuts and dried fruit go a long way. Occasionally
you will be very lucky. Arriving in a tiny hamlet in the centre of Lombock
Island, a group of us waited for the next battered 'bambo' (mini-van) to
take us on into the mountains. Food? Yes, a stone building, 12' by 8',
with wooden table and upturned crates; two large, smoke blackened pots
bubbling. I peered into the pots apprehensively, expecting God-knows-what.
One contained rice - surprise! The other nursed a rich dark black bean
soup. Such discoveries exorcise the ghost of fried rice.
Generally, such small food stalls offer the best of Asian food, no
matter where you are. It is possible to find vegetable dishes being
conjured up but usually the chef specialises in a traditional meat or fish
dish and is unwilling to alter his routine. But in Indonesia a 'gado gado'
merchant will serve you this delicious combination of steamed bean
sprouts, vegetables and spicy peanut sauce. In Thailand you may persuade a
stir fry chef to do the vegetables without meat - especially if you offer
to pay as much as the complete dish. In Malaysia the 'Roti' cooks will
make a spicy Indian flatbread with various fillings for just a few pence.
It has to be accepted that imposing limitations on our diet as we do,
we all find ourselves sometime, somewhere without food. Travelling in
these countries it make sense to carry spare food, and even vitamin
supplements. Go prepared in other ways; take a guide book that lists the
vegetarian possibilities - the Lonely Planet series is good in this
respect. The Vegetarian Society's Travel Guide also covers food outlets
and accommodation the world over.
Above all be patient. These people are usually gentle, unused to the
rush of Western life. A display of impatience or frustration is a loss of
face and bad manners. They might laugh at your attempt at the language, or
be amazed by your strange requests but they will try to help. And don't
forget the smile!
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