Materials
Pots 花盆
Soil 土壤
Plastic wrap 保鲜膜
Seeds 种子
Seeds available at Laitai Market
Basil 大叶罗勒
Japanese basil (Perilla) 紫叶苏
Chinese basil 七里香
Tomato 红果番茄
Lavender 小姑娘薰衣草
Mint 意大利薄荷
Thyme 百里香
Rosemary 迷迭香
Edible sunflower 法国食用葵
DIY Tips:
• With the exception of rosemary (which should not be moved), plants should be repotted into larger pots to allow the roots to grow. Frequency of repotting varies for each plant.
• All seeds need plenty of water and moist soil. Also, after planting the seeds, cover the pot with plastic wrap until they sprout.
• Be aware that some plants are best grown separately, while some benefit from growing in proximity of one another.
Basil
Varieties: 60
Exposure: Full sun
Soil: Moist
Difficulty level: Easy
• Requires direct sunlight and warmth.
• Loves heat: Daytime temperature should be around 21°C and nighttime temperature should be above 10°C.
• Requires rich soil, which should be kept moist.
• Can be grown indoors and outdoors.
• Feed monthly; leaves turn pale green when underfed.
• Grows well with tomatoes. Use three basil plants to each tomato plant.
• Repels flies and mosquitoes.
• Pinch off leaves to increase the plant’s production.
• Keep the plant under 15cm tall by removing leaves and stems.
• Plucking leaves will also help delay blooming. Once it blooms, the leaves are not as flavorful.
Thyme
Varieties: 300
Exposure: Full sunlight
Soil: Sandy, well-drained
Difficulty level: Easy
• Seeds can take up to 12 weeks to sprout.
• If growing from the seed, wait a few months before cutting.
• Avoid excess moisture, which will rot the plant.
• Grows well indoors by a bright, sunny window, but may need to be relocated outside for longer harvesting.
• Thrives when neglected. Poor soil and little water will actually help it grow better.
• Plant near cabbage, as thyme attracts bees and deters cabbage worm.
• Has a beneficial effect on plants growing nearby.
• Just before the plant blooms, cut sprigs and hang them upside down to dry. Then, strip the leaves and store in a jar.
• Harvest minimally during its first growing season.
• In late fall, mulch the plant, but be sure to remove the mulch in the spring.
Rosemary
Varieties: Over 50
Exposure: Full sun
Soil: Sandy, well-drained
Difficulty level: Moderately hard
• Start with a nursery grown plant if possible.
• Plant rosemary where you intend to keep it; do not disturb the roots.
• Requires full sun, good drainage and good air circulation.
• Needs six to eight hours of sunlight per day.
• Best grown in a clay pot.
• Keep the soil moist and mist the plant twice a week with warm water.
• Water only when the compost is completely dried out, keeping the soil moist but not wet.
• In spring and early summer, feed the plant some compost tea.
• April is the ideal time to plant rosemary outside.
• It can be difficult to grow indoors. If there is no danger of frost, it’s best to move the plant outdoors.
• If growing indoors, be careful the plant does not dry out in the summer.
Lavender
Varieties: 200
Exposure: Full sun (or partial shade)
Soil: Sandy, well-drained
Difficulty level: Moderately hard
• Growing from seeds can be difficult. Starting with the plant or from cuttings is recommended.
• Needs lots of sun and air circulation.
• Generally does not need fertilizing.
• Only water when the soil is dry.
• Avoid heavy soil, excess water and excess humidity.
• Attracts butterflies. Repels mice, ticks and moths.
• Best harvested when the plant blooms. Snip the stalks at the base.
• In the fall, prune the plant by one-third, which will help it grow fuller and will encourage blooming.
• Needs to be repotted into a larger pot every spring.
Mint
Varieties: Thousands
Exposure: Full sun (or partial shade)
Soil: Slightly dry
Difficulty level: Easy
• Likes full, hot sun.
• Water regularly and feed with fish emulsion each month.
• Growing from seeds is difficult and requires dedication. It is best to start with a mint plant.
• Thrives in a container. If growing outside, contain your mint plant in its own clay pot. Otherwise, it will take overtake other herbs in the garden.
• Repels fleas, ants and mice. Also repels cabbage butterfly, so grow near cabbage or tomatoes.
• When growing mint, keep the plant away from parsley.
• Keep the soil moist until the plant is established.
• Each spring, remove the stems to keep it bushy.
• Towards the end of the season, prune it down to ground level and cover with compost.
• Divide the plant every two to three years.
Edible Sunflower
Exposure: Full sun
Soil: Moist (rich, fertile)
Difficulty level: Easy
• Requires direct sunlight and rich, fertile soil.
• Seeds can be planted as early as February and as late as April.
• Plant the seeds 2.5cm deep and about 15cm apart.
• Most sunflowers face east.
• When the back of the bloom turns brown, it is ready to harvest. Cut the head off and rub the seeds out by hand. If the seeds are difficult to remove, they are not ready.
• Keep the seeds in a paper bag and store in a dry place.
• The seeds may be cooked, roasted or eaten raw.
• Sunflower seeds are packed with vitamin E, iron, zinc and B vitamins.• Cooking: Mix one cup seeds with two teaspoons of vegetable oil and a teaspoon of salt. Roast in a frying pan over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes or place in an oven at 140°C.
We found our supplies at:
Laitai Flower Market 莱太花卉市场
Has seeds, soil and pots.
Mon-Thu 9am-6pm, Fri-Sun 9am-6.30pm. Xin Da Flower Shop, Stall 105, Aisle 7 (135 2212 3403, Chinese only). 9 Maizidian Xilu, Chaoyang District (6463 6145) 朝阳区麦子店西路9号
Wal-Mart 沃尔玛超市
Sells full-grown mint plants, pre-planted lavender and sunflowers.Daily 7.30am-10.30pm. B1/F, Block B, Wanda Plaza, 93 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District (5960 3566) 朝阳区建国路93号万达广场B座 B1层
See directory under Supermarkets for more listings.
Find more gardening supplies at:
B&Q 百安居
Stocks hardware and tools.
Daily 8am-10pm. 31 Guangqu Lu, Chaoyang District (8776 8811)
朝阳区广渠路31号
Carrefour 家乐福
Stocks plants, pots, tools and more.
Daily 8.30am-10.30pm. 31 Guangqu Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区广渠路31号 (5190 9508) See directory under Supermarkets for more listings.
Ikea 宜家家居
Stocks a small range of plants and pots.
Daily 10am-10pm. 1 Taiyang Gonglu, Dongbahe (northwest corner of Siyuan Qiao), Chaoyang District 朝阳区东坝河太阳宫路1号（四元桥西北角）
Imart 创意市集
Stocks pre-planted pots.
Daily 10am-10pm. B1/F, Sanlitun Village South, 19 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District (6417 2275) 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯Village南区B1楼
Liangmahe Flower Market 亮马河花卉交易市场
Stocks plants, seeds and pots.
Daily 8.30am-6pm. B8 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District (6504 2443) 朝阳区东三环北路乙8号
Shilihe Tianjiao Wenhuacheng 十里河天娇文化城
Stocks flowers, seeds, pots, pets (rabbits, fish, birds, hamsters), and pet products.
Daily 9am-5pm. Shilihe Qiao South, Dongnan Sanhuan, Chaoyang District 朝阳区东南三环十里河桥南侧
Tianyi Market 天意市场
Stocks flowers, seeds, pots, and craft materials (ribbons, papers, scissors, glitter).
Daily 7.30am-5.30pm. 1/F west bldg, 2/F east bldg, 259 Fuchengmenwai Dajie, Xicheng District (6832 9332) 西城区阜成门外大街259号
