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Can you grow parsley in Hong Kong?

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  1. #11

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    May 2007
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    Papayas can fruit in less than 2 years. And you can ‘bonsai’ them. Mine are kept at 6 ft.

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  2. #12

    Join Date
    Feb 2020
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    Quote Originally Posted by happy_camper:
    So far I just do basil, and that grows like mad. Just collect seeds from one plant that flowered and died.

    Are you using grow lights for your basil? I have no grow lights. How are you all growing basil so easily indoors? I bought one pot a month ago from a stall at the market on Graham Street (Central) and it started going brown after a week and completely died within 2 weeks. I place it on a bay window, put the pot over small rocks to ensure no wet feet, only water the soil when it looks dry on top and avoid wetting the leaves when I water. What's the secret?

    Mint, on the other hand, is very easy to grow indoors. I bought a mint plant (spearmint) along with the basil from the same seller and that thrived really well in the same bay window as the basil. It is going strong after 2 months with daily watering (including misting the leaves with water) and 2x major harvesting.

  3. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by hkgcat:
    What's the secret?
    There isn't one. Only the "babies" get the grow light. There are already a bit too large and I need to re-pot them ASAP. There are all from one plant I bought in Saikung for $25 last ear.

    When I cook with basil I use the leaves. I leave some small or ugly ones and put the cut off stem in water. It almost always start to root. The two trays are from seeds from that very single plant (it was 5 or so in the end).

    Left on is seeds I took out, 50-60 or so. It's quite tedious to get the seeds.So the right one is the leftover scruff mixed with soil. From the right tray I took already 50-100 out and re-pot them. They are on the balcony now.

    Sounds that your water management is good. I do use water with some 10-10-10 fertilizer added. That seems to give a boost.

    One damper, I do get pest issues from time to time, see pix:
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  4. #14

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    Feb 2020
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    Quote Originally Posted by happy_camper:
    The two trays are from seeds from that very single plant (it was 5 or so in the end).

    Left on is seeds I took out, 50-60 or so. It's quite tedious to get the seeds.So the right one is the leftover scruff mixed with soil. From the right tray I took already 50-100 out and re-pot them. They are on the balcony now.

    Sounds that your water management is good. I do use water with some 10-10-10 fertilizer added. That seems to give a boost.
    I’m collecting a basil plant today from the Central Star Ferry Sunday market by Kadoorie Farms. I ordered it a week ago. Hopefully this time it will thrive.

    You mentioned basil seeds from that one basil plant you got from Sai Kung - so it’s okay to let the basil flower to get the seeds? Thought it wasn’t a good idea to let it flower as it makes the existing plant taste more bitter? This is not from personal experience as my basil did not last longer than 2 weeks, let alone flower.

    Also, what do you mean by 10-10-10 fertilizer? How much and how often do you add this? Thx.

  5. #15

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    Basil from seed ready to separate and repot.

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  6. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by emx:
    Basil from seed ready to separate and repot.
    My error was to start with too way too small trays. I didn't expected to get maybe 5 plants, not 200+.

    One bit of advise, when one has Italian and Thai Basil in flower stage it's good to keep them separate. Otherwise due to cross-pollination you can get hybrids.

    Quote Originally Posted by hkgcat:
    so it’s okay to let the basil flower to get the seeds?
    If you want seed you need to let is flower. The plant was getting woody, thin and ugly. I also don't watch it every single day, so it happened... It wasn't really my plan.


    Quote Originally Posted by hkgcat:
    Also, what do you mean by 10-10-10 fertilizer? How much and how often do you add this? Thx.
    NPK 10-10-10, it's a balanced fertilizer. I got the green one and just mix 1ml with 1l of water and use it every time. Maybe I overdo it, I should read the Japanese instruction.

    https://www.merlinder.com.hk/product...nex-high-grade
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  7. #17

    Back to Parsley. I went today to one of those garden stores between Hebe Haven and Saikung. They had very healthy Parsley plants for $40

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  8. #18

    Join Date
    Feb 2020
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    Haha.. sorry to have sidetracked from your post with the basil questions. Good you found some good parsley plants. In case you find it useful, there are some FB gardening groups based in HK - Sai Kung Green Fingers, Hong Kong Gardening, Hong Kong Gardeners..

    happy_camper likes this.

  9. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by hkgcat:
    Haha.. sorry to have sidetracked from your post with the basil questions. Good you found some good parsley plants. In case you find it useful, there are some FB gardening groups based in HK - Sai Kung Green Fingers, Hong Kong Gardening, Hong Kong Gardeners..
    Perfectly fine. Have right now again issues with the Basil and little flies around it. Maybe I try those yellow sticky sheets - or I get a bigger grow light and move all indoors.