tailieunhanh - The vegetable garden in the tropics - Part 2

3 Which type of garden? There are several types of vegetable gardens and ways of growing vegetables. Each gardener must choose according to his or her circumstances. In the countryside the gathering of wild vegetables and mixed cultivation with field crops offer a good opportunity to practise gardening. | 3 Which type of garden There are several types of vegetable gardens and ways of growing vegetables. Each gardener must choose according to his or her circumstances. In the countryside the gathering of wild vegetables and mixed cultivation with field crops offer a good opportunity to practise gardening. A fence around the house helps to make a small garden with fruit trees and vegetables randomly mixed. When space is scarce as in the city intensive cultivation is better. A nearby city offers the possibility of commercial vegetable growing as a way of earning a living. Gathering wild fruits and vegetables Thousands of wild plants have edible parts. Some examples are the leaves of the monkey bread tree fresh or powdered the pulp in tamarind pods the fruit of the wild mango tree young bamboo shoots young leaves of many ferns the nuts of the shea butter tree the weed Portulaca purslane . Several weeds are cultivated for their leaves amaranth Black nightshade kangkong Bidens pilosa Spanish needle . On fallow land we can find plants that have become wild again banana plantain cassava and sweet potato leaves and tubers and several others. There are no general rules to distinguish the toxic species each region has its own edible species. Generally it is best to avoid plants with milky juice cook unknown plants very well before eating and throw away the liquid and to avoid unknown plants that are bitter after being cooked. Above all take good notice of the local knowledge. Vegetables in mixed cultivation with field crops Vegetables for personal use and for the market are often planted together with field crops . rice maize . In the rice fields of Asia you can find kang-kong. Banana cocoyam or taro are often planted between coffee and cocoa shrubs. The banana trees help by giving shade to the Which type of garden 11 young shrubs. In regions with shifting cultivation we are likely to find many vegetables in mixed cultivation with field crops. Gourds cucumbers and .