How to Plant Kangkong Seeds

Part2 Planting Kangkong in the Ground

1. Wait until nighttime temperatures rise above 50 °F (10 °C). This plant thrives in a temperature of 75 to 85 °F (24 to 29 °C). However, it can be damaged if the temperatures drop below 50 °F (10 °C). Make sure your area has warmed up enough before you move your plants outside.
   
   • Tip 1 : Definitely wait until several weeks after the last frost before taking these plants outside.
   • Tip 2 : Don't plant your kangkong until the nighttime temperature remains well above 50 °F (10 °C).
2. Dig a small hole with a spade or your hand. The hole should be just big enough to fit the seedling or cutting. You can just use your hand with a gardening glove if the ground is soft enough. If it's not, you'll need to use a small spade to make the hole.
   • Do not put plants closer than about 6 inches (15 cm) apart.
3. Plant the seedlings or cuttings. Put the seedling in the hole you've just dug. Fill in the hole with dirt, and pat down the top of the soil. Make sure the plant is solidly in the ground before moving on to the next one.
4. Water the plants thoroughly. These plants thrive on water, so once you get them in the ground, provide enough water to soak the ground. You want to get them well established with plenty of water.
   • You should irrigate this crop every 1-2 days.
5. Sow seeds outside if you prefer. Start with rows that are 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) wide. For every 1 foot (30 cm), plant 6-10 seeds, spreading them out evenly along the row, spacing them out side-to-side as well as lengthwise along the row. Plant the seeds about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) deep, and cover them with soil.
   • Wait until the daytime temperature is consistently over 75 °F (24 °C).

Part3 Settling Kangkong in Water

1. Choose a large pot or basin for your kangkong. Kangkong can grow in a pot of water. You can choose as large a pot as you want. However, keep in mind that you need to be able to reach to the middle of the pot to harvest your plants, so keep it under 4–5 feet (1.2–1.5 m).
   • You'll also want to be able to inspect your plants for diseases, so make sure the pot is small enough for that purpose.
2. Set a steel mesh into the top of the pot. This mesh will hold the cuttings just under the water. That way, they won't sink to the bottom, but they'll still get plenty of water.
   • You can find steel mesh online or at home improvement stores. You'll need enough to stretch across your pot, so measure ahead of time.
   • If your mesh is fine enough, you can actually germinate the seeds on top of the mesh. However, if it's not very fine, you'll need to use cuttings.
3. Wait until your cuttings have well-established roots. Before putting them in your main growing pot, grow the roots in a cup or pitcher of water. That way, they'll start out happier and healthier in your large pot.
   • Your roots should have about 9 days of growth on them.
4. Place the cuttings on top of the mesh. Set the cuttings in the top of the container. You can prop the cuttings up against each other or even lightly tie a piece of string around them. Eventually, they will stand up on their own when their roots start sinking into the mesh below.
   • Make sure the leaves are above the surface.
5. Fertilize the water. Since you're not growing this plant in the soil, you'll need to provide nutrients. Select a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen. Use about 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the garden fertilizer per gallon of water in the container.
   • If you're not using liquid fertilizer, mix the fertilizer with a little water before pouring it into the container.