Growing Specialty Ethnic Crops for a South Asian Market in the Northeast

Created with SARE support
David Vigil, Kendra Ellis | 2017 | 15 pages

This guide, written by David Vigil and Kendra Ellis of East New York Farms!, provides information on growing three types of South Asian specialty crops--beans, vining gourds and greens. A general description, planting and care considerations, harvesting tips, and varieties and seed sources are included for each of the following crops.

  • Beans
    • Winged Beans (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus)
    • Long Beans (Vigna unguiculata)
    • Seim Beans (Lablab purpureus)
  • Gourds
    • Snake Gourd (Trichosanthes anguina)
    • Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia)
    • Luffa
    • Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria)
  • Greens
    • Jute (Corchorus olitorious L.)
    • Dasheen (Colocasia esculenta)
    • Malabar spinach (Basella alba)
    • Lamb’s quarters (Chenopodium Album)

Want more information? See the related SARE grant:

This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.