asian greens
D
ark green leafy vegetables pack a powerful punch, and many of the lesser-
known Asian types are no exception. Apart from a high concentration of
vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and beneficial bioactive compounds, leafy Asian
greens also have a diversity of flavors, ranging from the mild to hot and spicy
with a few other surprising tastes and textures in between. While not as common
as lettuce and arugula, gourmet and baby Asian greens are
increasingly being grown hydroponically as the recognition
and popularity of these versatile products grows. It also helps
they’re well-suited to hydro growing; most are small, compact
plants that mature quickly and can also be grown as micro
greens or baby leaf versions. Growers with limited space also
have the advantage of selecting some of the newer mini or
highly compact hybrid varieties.
Growing Asian greens hydroponically is relatively simple.
In fact, it’s similar to growing some more familiar crops.
Many varieties happily intercrop with lettuce, herbs, and
other vegetative crops as they can use the same nutrient
formulation and environmental conditions. Most Asian greens
like a moderate level of light and a fairly wide temperature
range of 54-79˚F, though bolting is common under excessively
warm conditions. They are well-
suited to hydroponic systems like
nutrient film technique (NFT),
aeroponics, media beds, and
solution cultures such as raft, pond,
float, and deep flow technique (DFT).
“Leafy asian greens
also have a diversity
of flavors, ranging
from the mild to hot and spicy
with a few other surprising tastes
and textures in between.”
kangkong
Kangkong is a sub-tropical plant well-suited
to hydroponics. Shungiku provide a unique flavor to
Asian dishes.
Kangkong (Ipomoea aquatica) Shungiku (Chrysanthemum coronar-
ium) also known as chrysanthemum
greens, edible chrysanthemum, and
chop suey greens. It has a distinctive
mild flavor that becomes stronger and
more aromatic as the plant matures.
It can be used as a cooked vegetable,
in salads, as a pickle component, and
in sushi. There are several types of
shungiku, all of which produce well
with hydroponics. No matter the variety,
plants should ideally be spaced six
to eight inches apart and grown in
temperatures of 64-75˚F with an electri-
cal conductivity (EC) of 1.8-2 to prevent
plants becoming elongated and leggy.
It should also be harvested while still
young and tender (when they reach a
height of five to eight inches). While
this crop can be raised from seed,
shungiku can also be grown on a “cut
and regrow” system like most Asian
greens. Growers can take cuttings of
the shoots every seven days under good
growing conditions.
is known by a few other names,
including water spinach, water
convolvulus, and ong choy. It has a
mild flavor more like lettuce than
traditional spinach and can be
eaten raw or cooked. There are a
couple of different types to choose
from, including the bamboo-leaved
and broad-leaved varieties. Being a
sub-tropical plant, kangkong prefers
warmer conditions above 77˚F. Given
these warm temperatures, kangkong
grows extremely fast, particularly in
hydroponics. It produces succulent,
almost swollen stems and large
leaves about three weeks after
planting out in an aquatic hydroponic
system. It also produces well in NFT,
DFT, and raft or float systems.
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grow cycle
shungiku