Melon
Cucumis melo
Melons are warm season annual vines and require a long, hot growing season. In temperate areas sow October - November, after all danger of frost; subtropical areas sow September - November; in tropical areas sow April - July, during the dry season. Sow directly where it is to grow 10 - 20mm deep, or start early in individual seedling pots, in cool areas bottom heat will be required. Seed germinates best at a soil temperature of 23 - 35°C. Seed will germinate in 4 - 10 days. Soil should be fertile, well-drained, with a pH 6 - 6.5. Space rows 1.5 m apart with 1m between plants on raised mounds. Pinch out the growing tip to encourage branching; when the fruit forms pinch back the vine to 2 leaves beyond the fruit. Melons can be grown vertically where space is limited but support the fruit with onion bags. Growing vertically also reduces the risk of fungal problems. Slide a flat piece of wood underneath ripening fruit on the ground to avoid rotting from contact with wet soil. Harvest when the melon slips easily from the stem.

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Bitter Melon H syn. Fu kwa, Balsam Pear or Bitter Gourd
Momordica charantia
A tropical climber with small, fragrant flowers produces a warty fruit. It produces prolifically but may need hand pollination in cool climates. Sow next to a trellis, after all danger of frost has passed, soil temperature min. 22ºC, 2.5 cm deep, 30 cm apart. Early plants can be sown in seedling pots for later transplanting. Prepare well-drained soil with compost and well-rotted manure. To avoid excessive bitterness, pick the green fruit when young. Fruit is peeled, rubbed with salt and left for an hour then rinsed and the central spongy pith discarded. Seeds should not be eaten. Alternatively it can be parboiled in salted water before use. Used as a cooked vegetable and in pickles and curries. Young leaves and shoots are edible. Days to harvest: 60 - 70.

Mustard syn. Chinese mustard; mustard greens; kaai tsoi, tua-chia (China); cai sin (Indonesia); karashina (Japan); sawi sawi (Malaysia); phak kwang tung khiao (Thai); cai be xanh (Vietnam)
Brassica juncea
Leaf mustards add zest to a salad mix; harvest small or full size. Leaf colour is best in temperate areas, it grows in the subtropics during winter. Mustards prefer a position in full sun with a rich, well-drained soil. A cool-weather crop, sow direct into rows 25 cm apart in late autumn. Sow 5-10 mm deep, cover with fine soil, firm down. It germinates well in cool, wet weather and thrives in these conditions. Sow every two weeks for successive crops. The flowers are highly attractive to beneficial insects.