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Author: Tan Xin Ni
Have you heard? Plants are the new pets now!
Whether you’re just jumping in on the hype or are actually looking to spruce up your home and reap the benefits of growing potted plants around your living area, the first thing you should keep in mind is that not all house plants would be suitable for you and your lifestyle.
If you’re an opportunist who enjoys making the most of every situation, then you might want to consider planting harvestable house plants.
While that might sound intimidating, especially to those new to gardening, it’s actually easier than it sounds. Here we’ve picked out some of the most beginner-friendly harvestable plants you could try your hand at.
#1 Kangkong (Water spinach)
A staple in many Southeast Asian dishes, kangkong (or also known as water spinach) is notoriously easy to grow. It’s a semi-aquatic plant that thrives in tropical weather, making it a perfect harvestable house plant in Malaysia.
Before you begin planting kangkong, you will want to prepare the following items:
A medium-sized pot (preferably around 12 inches or 30cm in depth and diameter)
Rich, loamy soil
For propagation, you can choose either of the following:
Kangkong Seeds
Kangkong Cuttings – these should be about 30 to 40cm long, taken from young kangkong plants.
While there’s not much difference between using kangkong seeds or cuttings, it should be noted that the seeds may take weeks to germinate, whereas cuttings typically start growing in a few days.
If you choose to use kangkong seeds, simply sow them onto the soil and keep them in a constant, moist condition for them to begin germinating. For cuttings, make sure that they are buried at least 15 cm into the soil for them to begin growing roots.
Once the plants have begun growing, you will need to water it every one or two days. Being semi-aquatic plants, it’s good to remember that kangkong thrives in moist conditions. Don’t worry however, if you do forget to water them occasionally, as these hardy plants can go days or even weeks without water.
Besides keeping your kangkong plant moist, you’ll also have to keep it in full or partial sunlight throughout the duration of their growth. No additional fertiliser would be needed for them to grow.
After four to six weeks, your kangkong would be ready for harvest! You can choose to cut just a few leaves or the entire plant, leaving around three inches to allow for regrowth.
Some main diseases and pests you would have to look out for include stem rot, black rot, leaf beetles, aphids and wire worm. As these problems may have different causes and would therefore require personalised solutions, do keep a close eye on your plant so you’d be able to detect them early.
One last thing to note is that kangkong is a highly invasive plant that grows very aggressively. To counter this, it’s best to harvest it before it flowers, to prevent the formation of seeds.
#2 Aloe Vera
Walk down the skincare aisle in any supermarket or pharmacy and you’ll almost always find scores of aloe vera products. Known for its medicinal properties, aloe vera gel is found in the “meat” of the plants’ leaves, and can be directly used to treat a range of skin conditions, from sunburn to eczema.
Before you begin planting aloe vera, you will want to prepare the following items:
A medium-sized pot that drains well – that is, one that has holes at the bottom to allow water to escape.
Well-draining soil, such as special cactus potting soil or a mix of perlite soil, moss, coarse sand and more.
Aloe vera offshoots – these should ideally have four leaves and stand at one and a half inches tall.
When planting the offshoot, it’s important to make sure that the root ball is completely covered and to let the plant have time to adjust to its new pot. Do not water your new aloe vera until the soil feels dry to the touch (this may take a few days).
In fact, you must remember to never overwater your aloe vera, as it is a succulent and cannot survive in humid conditions. Do water the plant regularly, but remember to check that the soil is dry every time before you water it, so as to ensure that all water has previously been completely drained away.
Additionally, the aloe vera would also need to be placed in indirect sunlight, such as a sunny window. Once again, no further fertiliser would be needed for the plant to thrive.
After six to seven months, your aloe vera would be ready for harvest! You can ascertain this when the leaves start growing a rosy tinge. Do note that this plant grows fairly slowly, so it’s best to not take too many leaves in a short period – and do focus on cutting only the upper larger, leaves.
#3 Curry Leaf Plant
And last but not least, the spicy, wildly flavourful, and well-loved curry leaf plant!
Native to Sri Lanka and India, the curry leaf is not a stranger to Malaysian cuisine, being famously used in curry stews and local pastries such as curry puffs. Furthermore, the leaves are also used to treat bruises and stomach issues.
There are several varieties of curry leaf plants, however, in this segment, we will be talking about the dwarf or Gamthi varieties, as these are smaller and can be grown .
Before you begin planting the curry leaf plant, you will want to prepare the following items:
A medium-sized pot from six inches wide and deep onwards (15 cm)
Loose, well-draining soil – this may include sand, organic compost, and other types of soil
Curry Cuttings – these should be a three to six inch (7 – 15 cm) cuttings, with at least three sets of leaves, and has been cut from a healthy plant
Rooting hormone powder
While it’s possible to plant a curry plant from its seeds, to grow harvestable curry leaves could take up to two years, and would take skills that a beginner may not possess yet. Therefore, it would be easier to just use a stem cutting.
Before planting the curry cutting, dip it into some rooting hormone powder then bury the stem about one inch (2.5 cm) into the potting mixture. Lightly mist the cutting every day until it takes root.
This is when you should start introducing your plant to direct sunlight, by gradually exposing it to the sun for more hours as time goes by until it’s able to withstand full sun for an entire day. Being native to a tropical country, curry plants are able to withstand high temperatures and, in contrast, are vulnerable to cold temperatures at around 40 degrees Fahrenheit (around 4 degrees Celsius).
Furthermore, do water your curry plant on a regular basis, at least once a week. Depending on the weather and the conditions your plant is growing in, you should water it when the soil is just barely drying out. These plants can withstand semi-draught conditions, so if you forget to water your curry plant once in a while, it’s likely it’ll survive.
As all the other plants above, the curry leaf plant does not require fertiliser, as it is self-fertilising. However, if the soil itself lacks the proper nutrients, fertilising about once a month would help sustain its growth.
By the end of the first year of curry leaf plant growing, you should be able to begin harvesting curry leaves. You would also notice that the harvestable leaves increase in volume every year, and the plant will be fully productive by its fifth year. The leaves may be cut off whenever necessary, but do leave at least half of the plant’s leaves so it may continue growing healthily.
And here we have it, three easy-to-plant, harvestable house plants awaiting you! From spices to be used to elevate your cooking to a low-cost skincare alternative, harvestable house plants are not only able to help you gain real-world skills, but also let you reap what you sow – literally.
Happy planting! 🌱
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