Every Living Green thrives
in the Verti-Gro Pots – e.g., broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower,
Chinese cabbage, collard, endive, escarole, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, spinach,
Swiss chard, tak soi (tsai tsai) and turnip. Spinach seed is slow to germinate
– soak the seeds in warm water overnight. Small varieties of celery and
egg plant also do well. All lettuce varieties grow beautifully – picking
is easy and quick, no need to bend over much or work on the ground. Pick
outer leaves only and your lettuce carries on growing for three months!
Wild Weeds – highest
in nutrients, our true heirlooms! – e.g., burdock, chickweed, chicory
(wild endive), clover, dandelion, lambsquarter (goosefoot), mallow (malva), peppergrass,
purslane, sheep sorrel, shepherd's purse, watercress and wild rose.
Herbs – turn your salads
into a gastronomic delight! – e.g., anise, arugula (rocket), basil,
caraway, chives, cilantro, dill, fennel, hops, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano,
mints, mustard, myrrh, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and
thyme. The fresh small leaves are the most nutritional and taste the best.
Pick continuously on all herbs for 2-3 months. It's best to pull out old
plants and start new ones every three months. Enjoy fresh mint and lemon
balm tea!
Peppers – smaller varieties
such as chili peppers and banana peppers are the best. The plant for bell
peppers grows quite large – pinching the plant after two sets of blooms
will keep the size reasonable. The quality of peppers in your Verti-Gro
is excellent.
Tomatoes – smaller varieties
and bush type cherry tomatoes do very well and are tasty and nutritional.
If the plant gets too big simply cut the growing tip off and force it to
bush. Keep in mind that the root is being fed perfectly in the small pot.
Strawberries – have a
small root system, but are not the easiest to grow. They are perennials,
prefer cooler weather and a lot of sun.
Root crops – Scallions
grow well, but onions, carrots, radishes, potatoes are not recommended.
Flowers – enjoy edible
flowers such as nasturtiums, violas and pansies, in salads and as vitamin
supplements. All flowers up to a height of 12 inches do well, such as begonias,
miniature carnations and snapdragons. Plant one pot with flowers for their
color, fragrance, beauty and food value.
Regular size tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, zucchini, squashes
and other vine-type plants such as melons, peas and beans can be planted
in the bottom pot and allowed to grow along the ground. Or grow them in
a higher pot and support outside the stack on a pole. Check
your organic seed catalogs for dwarf or bushy plants.
Note – tomatoes, peppers, and strawberries need to be pollinated by
bees, wind or by hand. |