I've grown full-size tomato plants (as in not dwarf varieties) and also eggplant and squash in containers, all with no problems. But as other people have pointed out, you need to make sure your pots are big enough. The ones I've used are BIG - 60 litre and 75 litre capacity, which would be about 15 and 20 US gallons respectively. Certainly for tomato and squash I wouldn't recommend going much smaller than 15 gallons. Eggplants you could get away with a bit smaller pot, but remember, the smaller the pot the more difficult it is to keep the potting mix from drying out in warm weather(unless you make a self-watering pot). This matters particularly for container tomatoes because uneven moisture will lead to blossom end rot. Blossom end rot can also occur in eggplant and squash but I've never encountered it personally. I think tomatoes are much more susceptible.

I just moved to Tujunga/Sunland, close to you San Fernando folks. Currently, we have about 2 Japanese sweet potato vines, the tubers should be about ready to harvest. Just planted some mizuna, daikon and napa cabbage, along with other salad greens. In florida, I grew red shiso (perilla), malabar spinach (basella alba) and asian winged bean. The malabar spinach and shiso should do OK in this climate, but not sure about the asian winged bean, as I am up in the foothills and we get frosts up here. Would be happy to trade malabar spinach or winged bean seeds for other asian vegetables. If I get the shiso established, then I can trade those seeds too.

Steve, I think knowledge is like anything else. If you're around the info, it seems easier. If you're not, then you need to see if you can find it. Sometimes it's a challenge but over the last few years, the exchange of information has become much easier and quicker as people migrate to those things in life that interest them. There are a handful of sources on and off line that are available. If you search the words books, source, or sources in this forum, you'll discover them in existing threads. If you haven't read the FAQ for this forum, please check it out - it is far from "impossible" to find the names you need. On the contrary, it is easier now then it ever was. In the case of Asian vegetables and your interest in them, it sounds like you're doing just fine and it is best to not rely on one source for information. If you like (Brassica juncea) also known as Chinese Mustard Cabbage or Gai Choy, and you like Choy Sum which is a common name for a few Chinese Leaf Cabbages which are different species of the same genus (Brassica) - then you should definitely try Gai Lan (Brassica alboglabra). I'm sure everyone here will agree, since many of us who frequent this forum were raised eating these vegetables. "Choy" simply means "vegetable". "Bok" means "white". So it's very generic. Many of us have been using the plant name database you refer to for a while here. I think part of your challenge is that you are much less likely to find Asian vegetables grouped by region which is what you're asking for. Is there any particular reason your interest is so specific? Did someone of Hmong origin introduce you to these or is this your nationality? Your best bet would be to visit that region of the world and get seeds. Otherwise, you're already getting seeds from the best Asian specific seed sources in the US. If you are near a Vietnamese or Thai grocer, there is a chance they may carry seeds of the Hmong region. The reason your variety of bok choy is more tender could be because Shanghai Bok Choy tolerates heat and cold more so than other varieties which can lead to it being less tender. And just about anyone who grew up with any bok choy knows to eat it when the flower buds have just formed. Are you looking for information on specific vegetables? or only all vegetables from the Hmong region?

Soaht, I used to live in California many, many years ago. Monterey. Used to drive up near San Jose in those days and hit the various roadside stands for all kinds of goodies. I'm also very familiar with the Fresno and Central Valley area. My cousin lives in the desert near Victorville and I have spent lots of time in Palm Springs and down in San Diego. I used to go to California at least once a year but have been too busy lately. I have been gardening and farming off and on for 30+ years. You don't have to be from California to grow a lot of cool things, we just can't grow it year round! ;o) My Asian friends have, over the years, introduced me to bitter melon, Asian chiles, Asian eggplants, spices, curry plant leaves (I have a 3-year old tree now...), basils, culantro, a host of things. Some of it, I have to start in the greenhouse as I have about a 180 day growing season that is reliable. I think Californians would be very surprised when they see what we are growing here in the Kansas City area. We have a large immigrant population now and some pretty nice Asian markets, Middle Eastern markets, Indian and Pakistani markets and now a new Burmese/Karen market near my neighborhood. Significant groups of people from Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia,Mexico, Central America, Cuba, South America, Haiti and the Caribbean have made my hometown, their hometown and with them, they have brought their culture and their cuisine and they are teaching us to grow some of the things they grow and eat some of the food they eat. I lived in Hawai'i, after I lived in California and that was a WONDERFUL experience with so many different island and Asian cultures. It really changed my life. You'll find a lot of interesting produce in the Kansas City farmers markets now as well as the ethnic markets that one would not have found 20 years ago. But yes, I still would enjoy visiting some open markets in California. When we were in Maui a few years ago, I stopped at the farmers market on the way into Kahului, evey morning. It was near Kihei. Anyway, thanks for your comments.