Plants
Herbs love plenty of sunlight, so whether you are growing inside or out, make sure that they are placed in an area that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. If you can't manage this, then choose herbs that can do well with less light (including mint, coriander/cilantro, parsley, and chives). One other convenient and very easy to use solution is to find a grow light or a hydroponic herb kit (with built in light) from Taobao. Most herbs will generally grow well in water and do well in these hydroponic kits.
All herbs can be started from seed, or by cutting. However with so many living starter plants readily available in supermarkets and online you may find these to be the easier and less time-consuming option.
Give herbs good drainage. The best way to ruin most herbs is to let them sit in water so the roots will rot.
Clay/terracotta pots help with drainage, but they also allow the soil inside to dry out very quickly. If you are growing herbs indoors during winter, or outside during Shanghai's brutally hot summers, try a glazed or plastic container that won’t dry out as quickly as a terracotta one.
Basil (罗勒, Luólè)
Basil is the perfect herb for beginners. It’s a quick grower and it can handle a little over and underwatering abuse while you are figuring things out. Basil loves warm soil and full sunshine, and if you are growing outside from seed the best and quickest germination happens when temperatures are around 25 degrees, so sow your seeds in May. In July and August when temperatures are extreme, outdoor basil struggles to retain moisture in its leaves and will often wilt. It is important to increase watering during these months if your plant is to survive. Luckily, after watering the plants bounce back very quickly.
Basil however does not tolerate the cold at all, and if you are growing outside you will notice your plants beginning to die off in late October/November. Indoor basil given plenty of light and warmth should survive winter.
Cilantro/Coriander (香菜, Xiāngcài)
Coriander grows well in Shanghai, especially over the cooler winter months if grown outdoors. I like to plant it outside in September/October. It will give tasty aromatic leaves from then until late spring or early summer, when the heat will cause the plant to bolt, or try to flower and go to seed. At the point when coriander bolts the leaves become thin and don't have much flavour. I usually pull it out then and wait until the early autumn to resow.
You can also sow the seeds or plant a seedling in early spring, although the growing season is much shorter.
You can successfully grow coriander indoors as long as you can give it enough direct sunlight - at least 4 or 5 hours every day.
Chives (韭菜, Jiǔcài)
Chives are very easy to look after. Sow seeds in spring and keep the soil moist by watering regularly, especially during dry periods in summer. To keep the plants productive remove flowers as they form or cut the leaves when young. When chives die back in late autumn, clear away all dead leaves and any other debris. Chives prefer full sun, with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, and rich, well-draining soil. However, they can tolerate as little as 4 hours of sunlight, as well as less than ideal soil, though they will grow more slowly and produce fewer blooms.
Dividing plants every two to four years further promotes growth. Generally, the best time to divide is in late winter to early spring, with autumn being the next best time.
Lavender (薰衣草, Xūnyīcǎo)
Originating from hot, dry climates like those in Italy, France and Spain, Lavender loves dry heat, hates water, needs space and wants a well-draining soil. At first glance then it would seem that Shanghai's climate is not well-suited to growing lavender. This is true, frankly, but it's not impossible.
There is not much to be done here about Shanghai's humidity, and my own attempts to grow lavender indoors have all ended in spider-mite infestations and rot. However outdoors lavender has done well, when situated in a sunny place with good access to a breeze. During the plum rain and typhoon seasons lavender plants will suffer from the extra moisture but generally they will survive ok. In the autumn cut them back and leave them to come away again. It's a good idea to cut back your lavender plant whenever it has finished flowering. Besides their bright, beautiful blossoms and attractive fragrance, lavender plants will bring the pollinating insects to your garden, which depending on what else you are growing can be very useful indeed!
With lavender plants available to buy everywhere in the city, it makes sense to start with one of these rather than from seed, as starting from seed takes some work. However, if you'd like to try, then best to start outdoors in May or indoors if your temperatures are consistently around 25 degrees celcius. Seeds may take up to 3 weeks to germinate.
English lavender is most commonly found here. It blooms in late spring or early summer and flowers with shades of purple. The plant itself has leaves that are a grayish-green color.
French lavender has deeper, richer purple coloured flowers than English lavender, but it is not as fragrant. It flowers from early summer to early autumn.
Lemongrass (柠檬草, Níngméng cǎo)
Lemongrass is typically propagated from cuttings, although it can easily be grown from seed too. If starting from cuttings, select the freshest stalks from the market, bring home, remove any dead looking leaves and place into a cup of water in the sun. Change the water every few days until roots start to form. When the roots are 1-2 inches long, the lemon grass can be planted into pots. The plants will then continue to grow and produce more stalks.
If starting from seeds, begin in Spring once the weather has begun to feel more mild, in Shanghai usually after the end of April.
Lemongrass loves the heat, full sunshine, and a steady supply of water. Take care not to overwater though as the roots may rot. If planted outside, consider bringing it inside in autumn, or placing in a warm and sheltered spot outside away from the worst of the winter cold. Lemongrass will not tolerate the cold at all.
Marigold (金盏花, Jīn zhǎn huā)
Sow marigold seeds 1cm deep and 5 cm apart in mid to late April or in May, when the temperature is at least around 20 degrees. Marigolds do not tolerate the cold well and may not germinate in temperatures below this.
Marigolds are one of the easiest and most beautiful flowers to grow. They are not fussy and will tolerate a wide range of soil and climate conditions, though most of all, they prefer the heat. Though they are considered an annual, I've had marigolds that have lived for several years when the winters have been mild. However, the Plum Rain season of 2020 brought record amounts of rainfall to the garden, and only 2 out of 8 of the marigold plants survived. If you are able to protect your plants from excessive moisture they will certainly be a lot happier! You do not need to water marigolds regularly unless the weather is unusually dry. During the hottest days of summer, you will need to increase watering to ensure that your marigolds are receiving enough moisture as they will dry out quickly.
Besides being very pretty to look at, marigolds will attract bees and other beneficial insects like ladybugs to your garden, and will repel unwanted insects such as aphids, so it's definitely worth having them around!
Mint (薄荷 Bòhé)
Very easy to grow but if you are lucky enough to have an outdoor garden space it's still better to plant into a pot to prevent it from spreading everywhere. Its roots are incredibly invasive.
In May or June the leaves tend to develop mildew from all the humidity, which is easily dealt with by cutting the plant back down to a 3 inch stalk. It will come away again very quickly. By the end of summer the plant is usually huge again, and it may or may not have more mildew. It can be cut back again in the autumn and left to grow slowly over the winter.
Indoors, growing mint is also very easy as it tolerates both direct sunlight and indirect sunlight well. Direct morning sunlight, or partially shaded afternoon sunlight is best. In the summer when it is particularly hot, move mint away from the direct sunlight of south facing windows if there is a danger of being scorched, and keep an eye on the soil so it doesn't completely dry out. Mint likes the soil to be moist, but be careful not to leave mint sitting directly in water as that will create problems too.
Nasturtium (金莲花, Jīn liánhuā)
Sow outside in April when the weather has begun to warm. Nasturtiums love warm soil and planting too early when the soil is cold will result in very poor germination. Nasturtium grow quickly, preferring well draining and poorer soils. There is no need to fertilise, as this will encourage larger leaf growth at the expense of the beautiful flowers. Nasturtium will survive Shanghai's scorching summers, though they will suffer from heat stress. You can help them along if you have them in pots by moving them out of direct afternoon sun. Trim off any dead flowers to encourage new growth and extend the blooming season. Nasturtium flowers are a delight in any garden, but especially for vegetable growers as often aphids prefer them to the other plants. As such they make excellent companion plants for any plants in the squash/pumpkin/zucchini family, as well as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, kohlrabi, tomatoes, and potato. And the flowers are delicious, with a mild peppery flavour.
Rosemary (迷迭香, Mí dié xiāng)
Rosemary plants can be purchased all over Shanghai, or you can start your own by taking a cutting from an existing plant. To do this, in the Spring, select the new fresh green flexible shoots from the mother plant. Avoid the hard brown woody stems. Make cuttings at least 6cm long and remove the leaves from the bottom 2/3rds. Plant into pots, and keep moist until you see new growth developing.
Cuttings can also be made in the autumn with the brown woody stems, in which case choose stems that are at least 20cm long and follow the same procedure as in the spring. The only difference between the two times of the year is that the rooting success rate will be higher in the spring as weather and daylight conditions are more favourable, but it's almost as easy to do in the autumn as in the Spring.
A third method in Spring is to place your green cuttings into water to grow roots. A lot of people opt for this method as you can control the conditions more minutely and it is lots of fun to see the roots forming. However I think it is an unnecessary extra step and your plants will grow faster planted directly into soil.
Once established, Rosemary plants prefer to be on the drier side, so thoroughly water them when the soil is dry to the touch and allow them to dry out in between watering. Even indoors, rosemary plants will require lots of light, at least six hours, so place the plant in a suitable location free of drafts.
Sunflowers (向日葵, Xiàng rì kuí)
If you are growing sunflowers in pots, make sure you have seeds for the dwarf varieties, which grow to around 50 or 60cm high as non-dwarf varieties can easily reach 2m high (and can be easily blown over in a pot). The smaller varieties are very quick to flower, while the tall varieties take around 12 weeks.
Seeds can be sown in April and May. Watch out for slugs, snails and birds if starting directly outside as they love to snack on the baby seedlings. If possible try to cover the seedlings to protect them while they are getting started.
Thyme (百里香, Bǎilǐxiāng)
Small pots of thyme can be bought from plant sellers all over Shanghai, and it is much easier to start this way than to start from seed. Thyme plants thrive in full sunlight, so grow best planted in a sunny, exposed spot in the garden, or indoors on a sunny windowsill. A pot is best so that they can be moved out of cold winds and rain in the winter. Thyme prefers sandy quick-draining soil and can grow quickly if given these conditions. Water when the soil is completely dry, then water to saturation, allowing it to dry out again. In winter this may be hardly ever. Thyme is very drought-resistant, and can survive a few days without water even in a Shanghai summer! If the winter happens to be a very cold one thyme will actually go dormant and come away again in the spring. Cut back your plant after it flowers.
Tumeric (姜黄, Jiānghuáng)
Turmeric is a tropical plant, native to India. Therefore, it requires full sun, warm temperatures, and regular water. One of the trickiest parts of growing turmeric is that is has an extremely long growing season. Turmeric requires 8 to 10 months of frost-free growing, from planting to harvest. Therefore in Shanghai, to harvest around Christmas time, it's best to plant in the spring, between March and May. Place the tumeric rhizomes into pots in the warmest place you can find (30-35 degrees is ideal). In spring this will be in a sunny window indoors. Sprouting at lower temperatures will be very slow and your rhizomes may even rot rather than sprout. If you have nowhere this warm in the spring time, it is possible to plant directly outdoors in June or July. In this case the harvest will be later, in either late winter or early spring. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy and do not let the soil dry out, which will reduce your final harvest. The turmeric is ready to harvest when the leaves and stems start to turn brown and dry. Remove the plants and shake the soil off the fresh turmeric. Cut the stems off an inch or so above the mass of rhizomes and wash the rhizomes well.