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Harvesting leafy vegetables – cut the stem or pick the leaves?

Peter Barber, Co-Founder & CEO of ComCrop

The methods of harvest depend largely on the type of leafy vegetables, and the amount of space you are working with.

Plants like kale are slow-growing and hence benefit from just harvesting the leaves to allow the plant to continue growing.
Fast-growing plants like Chinese spinach and kang kong can be harvested as a whole, because it doesn't take too long to grow a new batch.
Herbs are typically trimmed from the top because they sprout new growth below the cutting.

Additionally, if the growing area is small, it might be better to harvest more aggressively so that the plants and roots do not grow too large and cause overcrowding.

Peter Barber, Co-Founder & CEO of ComCrop

Managing Your Growing Medium (Sponge)

The size of a growing medium, e.g. sponge, soil, or other media, should correspond to the root capacity of the plant. In general, the bigger the root zone of the plant, the bigger the medium should be. Therefore, it is better to start with a bigger sponge and keep to the same medium throughout.

Lim Jia Hui, Senior Crop Scientist at Archisen

Different Plants Require Different Mixes of Soil

Typically, leafy vegetables prefer rich and loamy soil that contains more nutrients and holds water.
Plants that are used to drier conditions, like rosemary and succulents, prefer sandy soil that drains quickly.
It is always best to read more about the specific plants to adopt the right conditions for them.

Peter Barber, Co-Founder & CEO of ComCrop

Used or New?

Peter Barber, Co-Founder & CEO of ComCrop

This is a matter of personal preference, though some people are worried about possible pests or diseases in used soil from previous batches.

Nonetheless, it is always necessary to ensure the renewal of nutrients in soil. Be it new or reused soil, it is more important to check that the planting medium has enough nutrients. This can be done by adding compost, or broken-down fruit scraps, to ensure a healthy soil system.

Peter Barber, Co-Founder & CEO of ComCrop

Preparing for wheatgrass and pea sprout growth in soil

See Jen Chuan, Senior Farm Manager at Kin Yan

Soak the seeds for 6 hours at minimum.
Spread the seeds on the soil (do remember the compost) and cover the pot with a damp cloth to retain moisture.
Keep it away from the sun to prevent overexposure.

See Jen Chuan, Senior Farm Manager at Kin Yan

You can grow green fingers too

Harvesting leafy vegetables – cut the stem or pick the leaves?

Managing Your Growing Medium (Sponge)

Different Plants Require Different Mixes of Soil

Used or New?

Preparing for wheatgrass and pea sprout growth in soil

SG Farmers

Champions of tomorrow – supporting local farmers

SG Farms

SG Farmers

Champions of tomorrow – supporting local farmers

You can grow green fingers too

Harvesting leafy vegetables – cut the stem or pick the leaves?

Managing Your Growing Medium (Sponge)

Different Plants Require Different Mixes of Soil

Used or New?

Preparing for wheatgrass and pea sprout growth in soil

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Champions of tomorrow – supporting local farmers