Top 13 Easy-to-Grow Vegetables for Your Rooftop Garden

Cilantro is an essential herb in many meals, and it's often favored by mothers for its freshness. However, cilantro tends to wilt quickly if left in the sun or even in the fridge. So, how can you have fresh cilantro ready for your morning salad or soup? It's simple – just grow it yourself!

How to Grow:

• Buy more cilantro than you need for the day. Place the leftover cilantro stems in a cup of cold water. The roots will begin to grow rapidly when exposed to water.
• Once the roots reach the bottom of the cup, it's time to transplant them into a pot with soil.
• Place the pot near a sunny window, water regularly, and within 30 days, your cilantro will be ready for harvest.

Western countries have a deep fondness for this leafy vegetable due to its health benefits. Spinach thrives in mild climates, so you can place the pot near an air-conditioned room or sow it during the colder months like September, October, November, December, or early January.

How to Grow:

• Choose high-quality seeds from plant stores or supermarkets, and soak them in warm water for 3 to 4 hours.
• Plant them in a well-tilled potting mix. Water no more than twice a day.
• After 15 days, till the soil again and remove any weeds while adding fertilizer to promote growth.
• In 50 to 60 days, your spinach will be ready for harvest.

If your family enjoys climbing plants and shade-providing greenery, cucumbers are the perfect choice. Growing cucumbers at home not only provides you with fresh produce for healthy meals but also creates a shaded area to cool off during hot afternoons. How convenient is that?

How to Grow:

• Soak cucumber seeds in a cup of warm water (2 parts boiling water, 3 parts cold) for 4 to 5 hours.
• After soaking, place the seeds in a damp cloth and set them in an empty pot, covering it with a plastic bag. In 2 to 3 days, the seeds will begin to sprout.
• Transfer the sprouted seeds to a well-prepared pot with soil. You can buy a bag of organic compost at any gardening store as it works well with most plant varieties.
• Once the seedlings emerge and strengthen, insert a support stick for the plant to climb. It will quickly create a vine and bear fruit for you to harvest.

It would be a shame to grow cilantro and overlook spring onions. These two ingredients go hand in hand in every meal. Like cilantro, spring onions are easy to grow at home and can even be used as decorative plants. You can start a mini spring onion garden by simply using the leftover roots. Here's how you can do it:

How to Grow:

Measure about 5 cm from the root to the base of the stem. Use the edible part of the onion for your dishes, and place the root and bulb in a small cup of water, ensuring it gets plenty of sunlight. Keep the water level just above the roots to prevent the plant from rotting.

After 3 days, fresh shoots will start to emerge. You can snip them for use in cooking or transplant them into soil to grow even more plants.

These days, young mothers often consider growing tomatoes as a way to decorate their kitchens in a smart and functional way. Tomatoes can be grown in plastic bags, foam containers, or ceramic pots. With just a few minutes each day for watering, you can create a colorful and charming garden right at home.

How to Grow:

• Plant tomato seeds in loose, well-drained soil. Maintain a distance of 3 to 5 cm between seeds, and cover them with a thin layer of sawdust.
• Water the plants twice a day and remove any weeds that appear.
• When the seedlings begin to emerge, set up a frame or purchase one from a garden shop. The frame will help keep the tomato plants neat and orderly. Since tomatoes have deep roots, only plant one or two seedlings in a pot with a diameter of 30 cm.

Chili peppers are not only an essential spice but also add vibrant color, making them a popular ornamental plant for many households. Let’s take a look at how to grow these charming pepper plants.

How to Grow:

• Select the chili variety you wish to grow, pick the seeds, and dry them.
• Soak the seeds in warm water for 2 to 3 hours.
• Plant the soaked seeds in loose, well-drained soil.
• Water regularly, and after 20 days, you can start fertilizing to encourage faster growth.
• After 30 to 45 days, your first batch of chili peppers will be ready to harvest.

Celery is a straight-stemmed plant with a pleasant aroma and prickly leaves. It's not only a fantastic seasoning for dishes but also makes an ideal ornamental plant for your work desk. Growing celery is incredibly simple!

How to Grow:

• Cut the celery to about 5 to 7 cm from the root.
• Soak the root part in warm water with the cut end facing upward.
• Once new green shoots begin to appear and small leaves start to grow, transfer the plant to a small pot or garden bed.
• Celery does not attract pests, so you can safely place it on your desk as a decorative plant.

This vegetable is a constant presence at family meals, especially during hot summer days when water spinach soup with sour tamarind offers a refreshing relief for the body.

How to Grow:

• Spread soil evenly on the surface of the pot, then sow the seeds in rows, spaced about 5 cm apart.
• Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil, then water to keep the pot moist. Placing the pot in a well-ventilated spot will help the seeds germinate faster.
• After about a week, the seeds will begin to sprout. When the seedlings have 4-5 leaves, you can move them outside to a spot with direct sunlight. Continue watering regularly to encourage growth.

Vietnamese coriander is a fragrant herb often used fresh in dishes. It's easy to grow and care for, which makes it perfect for home gardening, whether you have bottles, plastic containers, or styrofoam boxes.

How to Grow:

• The seeds of this herb are quick to sprout, so you can sow them directly into the soil as soon as you buy them.
• Cover with rice husks or straw and water regularly to keep the seeds moist for optimal germination.
• Once the plants start growing, remove some of the straw to allow the plants to receive more light and grow faster.

Perilla is an essential herb in many households and is also a valuable medicinal plant. With its simple cultivation method, even home gardeners can easily grow it at home.

How to Grow:

• Prepare a flat container filled with soil before sowing the seeds.
• Add a thin layer of soil, about 1cm, and cover it with coconut fiber (or a thin layer of nutrient-rich soil as an alternative).
• When the plants have 5-6 leaves, usually after 30 to 35 days, it's time to thin them out.

Carrots are not only a beauty booster, packed with essential Vitamin A for eye health, but they are also a favorite ingredient in many kitchens due to their versatility. They can be used in soups, smoothies, curries, and more.

How to Grow:

• Trim about 3cm off the top of the carrot, leaving the rest for planting.
• Soak the top of the carrot in a plastic tray, submerging it up to 1/4 of the carrot’s body. Leave it in a well-lit spot for 3 to 5 days. Once the first green shoots appear, transfer the carrot to the soil.

Note: Avoid using aluminum or metal trays for soaking the carrots. Prolonged contact with water can cause mold and rust to form on metal trays, inhibiting the growth of the shoots.

Lettuce is now relatively expensive in the market as it tends to wilt quickly after harvesting. To avoid buying vegetables treated with preservatives, follow Mytour’s guide on how to easily grow lettuce at home.

How to Grow:

• Cut off the base of the lettuce. Use the leaves and stem as usual for your dishes, and save the base to regrow.
• Place the base in a cup of water, with the water level just halfway up the base to prevent drowning.
• After 10 days, when new leaves begin to grow, transfer the lettuce to a pot or garden for further growth.

The sweet and adorable love story film 'She Was Pretty' sparked a trend of onion planting among young people. Don’t dismiss it as just a kids’ activity; you can even apply it to grow a full garden of onions, ensuring plenty for your family to enjoy.

How to plant:

• Keep the onion whole or cut it in half, placing the root end in a glass of water. Make sure the water level doesn’t exceed half the onion, as it will drown the plant.
• After 7 to 15 days, green leaves will begin to sprout from the top of the onion, signaling that it is starting to grow.
• Once the plant has sturdy leaves, transplant it into soil to continue growing until new bulbs form. Onions will grow very quickly when placed in the ground.