Tropical countries tend to have wet and dry seasons. From where I live, the rainy season begins in late May and continues through November (sometimes even longer than December). This season will be quite tough for the vegetable grower, as only those with thicker stems will remain at the end of the season. In addition, there are many flowers and vegetables that grow well during this season, but only when properly prepared and when placed against a wall to protect them from strong winds.
A helpful tip (probably, because what works for me may not work for others) is to plant vegetables upright in recycled containers and cans so you can easily relocate them when a typhoon hits. Last February, I grew some tomatoes in the ground, but they immediately damaged me because I placed them in an open space. Also, they had bacterial spots on the sheet that looked like the one you see when you click the link at the end of the article. The reason for this was probably because I was too excited to plant tomato seeds in February that I didn’t bake the soil much. As a result, the bad microorganisms left in the soil took over my food!
I just have to have those perfect tomatoes and that’s why I try again. If anything, gardening has taught me to be patient and to grow things in containers so I can easily move them wherever I want. Also, some plant species are better contained and separated from the rest. A good example of this is bell pepper, which is actually very toxic to other plants. Another advantage of vegetables planted in cans is that you can move them to catch the sunlight during the rainy season.
Where I live, when there is a typhoon, the house becomes so cold, humid and misty inside. Flowers love this type of climate, but only if their roots are not soaked with water. The same goes for vegetables, I think. Here are the types of seeds I plan to sow today in two separate 20x15x4 inch containers: aurugula and lettuce, which depending on the package, grow well when the temperature is cold. I have successfully grown each of them in February, although they had thin leaves and stems, which was probably because I used a soilless medium rather than, uhm, well … soil. I don’t think there is a problem with having too much sunlight. On the contrary, my aurugulas must have loved the sunlight as they came out long before the suggested period on the package.
Another thing I learned from my experience in February was to plant only one or two seeds (even if they are very small) in a hole and stop saving space and follow the recommended spacing between seeds. This will allow the seeds to grow properly. Aside from the aurugula and lettuce, I plan to say goodbye to my sick tomatoes and try again. This time, I am buying “barren” land to grow my tomatoes. Oh, and maybe I’ll plant three more peppers too. I love red veggies! I will grow them in cans that I have collected since my baby was born. Six months of cans! Woot!
Bacterial spots right here.