One of the surest ways to ensure you eat healthy is to grow your own food. It doesn’t matter if you live in a small compound, there are plants that can grow in very tiny spaces. So, if you have limited outdoor space, look for plants you can grow indoors.
In addition to wanting plants for nutritional benefits, many people like living in green surrounding and grow plants thus. In this case even, choosing right plants is very important. Climatic condition, water availability, time, pests and health benefits are some important considerations you should keep in mind while selecting a plant for your garden. Few plants require more water as compared to others. While some are more climate tolerant than others.
Keeping this in mind, we have enlisted some plants such as Amaranth, Dandelion, Achocha and Cilantro that can grow in hot climates. These plants are with a lot of health benefits as they are rich in Vitamins and other nutritional quantities. Along with that, Amaranth can grow even in hot and dry climates. Achocha needs less care and can grow even when left unattended. Such is an appeal of these amazing plants.
Avoid the deceptive food labelling on most products and go for organic foods, veggies, and fruits. You can decide to only grow edible plants or to grow both edible and inedible plants–this post covers both. So, which rare plants should you grow in your home garden?
1: Amaranth
Amaranth is one of the rare greens that does well in hot and humid climates. This leafy, red-streaked vegetable has been around for more than 8,000 years. It’s an excellent alternative for spinach or kale that don’t do so well in warmer climates.
Amaranth has a high resistance to heat and can withstand higher temperatures–up to 70˚F. Its plume-like flowers come in a variety of colors, making it suitable for creating an edible landscape.
Amaranth is also easy to grow and takes about six weeks to germinate. But since it’s a warm-season plant, you’ll need to wait for the cold season to end before planting it outside.
Since this plant is high temperature tolerant, it can sustain in hot areas. Moat of the plants are very sensitive of high temperature and cannot survive in high temperature climates. Unlike them, Amaranth can survive in these strict conditions. That is why, this plant can easily be planted in areas like planes of Equator, Africa, South Asia, South East Asia Middle East and Amazon belt.
So, if you are living in hot and humid areas and are worried about plants, you can plant Amaranth. That is not only temperature tolerant, but also takes few weeks to germinate.
2: Dandelion
Many people have the misconception that dandelion is a useless plant and remove it from their gardens and lawns. But this highly beneficial plant has many health benefits–and is very strong, too! It thrives even when left unattended.
Here are some health benefits of dandelion:
- Produces bioactive compounds that help fight inflammation
- Rich in vitamins such as calcium
- Protects the skin against sunlight, acne, and aging effects
- Boosts the immune system
- Promotes healthy bones
- May help with weight loss
- Contains antioxidants that help neutralize the negative effects of free radicals in the body
People usually with jobs and other commitments can grow this plant in their kitchen. As it has already been said, this plant can survive for a long time even if left unattended. You can meet your daily office or household commitments not worrying about Dandelion. Moreover, contrary to misconception about this plant, this plant has many benefits. The list of merits of this plant mentioned above manifests this.
3: Achocha
Achocha is a rare plant from the cucurbit family. Its fruits taste like cucumbers when harvested early. The fruit was first grown in South Africa and shares the same family with squash and cucumber. However, Achocha is more immune to cucurbit pests such as vine borers and squash bugs.
The plant’s growth rate stagnates in hot climates and this may affect its typical maturity period (90 to 110 days). If this happens, you may need an irrigation system, especially if you have a large garden. You can quickly access title loans in Phoenix Online and get a small loan for your project.
As Achocha is water and hot climate sensitive, it is irrigation you need to take care of. It does not grow well in hot weather. If you are living in the area where climate is dry and hot, it can impact the overall health and growth of Achocha. For this to avoid, you should ensure irrigation of this plant. Moreover it can also survive cucumber pests comparatively more than other cucumber plants. So, you can plant Achocha in hot climates as well, but you have to water it with care.
4: Cilantro
Cilantro also known as coriander is rich in Vitamin A and also contains antifungal properties. The plant grows from coriander seeds and follows an easy process to grow. Coriander has numerous health benefits. It is a great source of manganese, iron, dietary fiber, and magnesium. The plant’s leaves are rich in protein, Vitamin K, and Vitamin C. They also contain potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and other beneficial minerals in small amounts.
It is easy to grow this plant because it takes a very short time in growing. Within weeks, it can become mature. Not only this, among others, Cilantro is with a number of health utilities. It is enriched with different type of vitamins and other dietary properties.
These four plants offer many nutritional benefits to humans. They don’t need plenty of space and take a short time to mature. They also take less time in growing. Along with that, they are capable of growing in hot climates. Some of them can be left uncared. Diversify your home gardening and start growing them. They will enhance your health.