Green leafy vegetables are very easy to grow, easy to care for, and yield high harvests, making them a popular choice for many women to cultivate at home in foam boxes.
Green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamins A, B, C, D, carotenoids, albumin, nicotinic acid, and are highly recommended by nutritionists for regular consumption to protect health and prevent diseases.
The method of growing green leafy vegetables is quite simple. Follow the article below to learn how to grow green leafy vegetables in foam boxes.
Biological Characteristics of Green Leafy Vegetables
Green leafy vegetables are herbaceous plants. They are primarily concentrated in temperate regions and prefer cooler climates, although some varieties tolerate heat quite well.
These vegetables have shallow root systems, alternate leaves that are well-developed and nutrient-rich, broad but delicate, making them susceptible to drought and pests.
Preparing Tools for Growing Vegetables
- Foam boxes
- Seeds: You can buy them at markets or supermarkets.
- High-quality soil: Bagged soil or compressed clean soil
- Organic fertilizers
- Crushed coconut coir that has been soaked and treated to remove bitterness
- Shovel, knife, bricks, covering fabric.
How to Grow Clean Vegetables at Home
Seeding Time
For the winter-spring season: Sow seeds in August, September, and October. After 25 to 30 days, when the plants have 3 to 4 true leaves, they are best suited for transplanting.
Soil Preparation
- Prepare the soil thoroughly, making it loose and crumbly. Apply agricultural lime and allow it to sunbathe for at least 7-10 days before planting to eliminate pathogens such as larvae, pupae, fungi…
- Dissolve Trichoderma fungus in water and spray it on the soil before planting to eradicate disease spores.
- Add fertilizers for one foam box (about 30-50 kg of soil): about 2 kg of earthworm fertilizer or well-rotted manure: 3-5 kg per box; composted fish fertilizer. If unavailable, you can replace it with bio-fertilizer, using about 2-5 kg per box.
- The foam box used for planting must have good drainage.
Sowing Seeds
To ensure good seed germination, follow these steps:
- Before sowing, soak the seeds in hot water (approximately 40 degrees Celsius) for 2-5 hours.
- Remove and rinse thoroughly, then let them dry.
- Sow directly into prepared soil or seedling pots. After a few days, the seeds will germinate.
Planting with Seedlings
- Dig holes spaced 20-30 cm apart, each hole about 10-15 cm deep.
- Put a handful of well-rotted manure or earthworm fertilizer into each hole.
- Plant 4-6 seedlings in each foam box.
Care
Watering
Water twice daily, in the early morning and late evening.
Water immediately after planting; water once or twice daily, preferably directly at the base, until the plants establish roots and start to green. After that, water only when the soil feels dry. Note: Excessive watering can lead to diseases.
Fertilizing
After about 10 days of planting, when the plants have greened and need nutrients, apply the first round of fertilization using cow dung, chicken manure, fish fertilizer, goat manure, earthworm fertilizer, or organic fertilizer. Repeat every 7 days for subsequent applications.
After 12-15 days post-planting, when the plants have greened and need nutrients, apply the first round of fertilization:
Supplement with more well-rotted manure for optimal growth, and you can also add inorganic fertilizers in the ratio of 2 phosphorus: 0.5 nitrogen: 0.5 potassium. Mix 2 teaspoons of super phosphate, 0.5 teaspoon of nitrogen, and 0.5 teaspoon of potassium with 20 liters of water. Water each foam box with about 300-500 ml each time.
If you are concerned about using inorganic fertilizers, you can soak phosphorus in urine for a week, then dilute it to water the plants as well.
When the plants spread their leaves, apply the second round of fertilization. Before fertilizing, loosen the surface of the foam box and mound the base of the leafy greens to prevent them from falling over and to remove weeds.
Throughout the growth process of leafy greens, you should fertilize 5-7 times depending on the growth rate and color of the leaves, adjusting the amount of fertilizer accordingly.
You can harvest leafy greens by trimming the leaves or cutting the whole plant at once. Wishing you success with the method of growing green leafy vegetables above!
