HOME GARDENING:OPTIONS FOR CITY DWELLERS

Olanrewaju Rukayat

Home gardening is a great way to grow what you eat and ensure that you have a steady supply of fresh food at home. As an urban dweller, you wonder how you can grow your own vegetable garden when you have little or no space not to talk of a backyard. Be rest assured that nature can be manipulated to give us our every need. There is always an option. Below are several options for raising vegetable gardens for urban dwellers with little space.

Tower Garden

This is a raised structure for the cultivation of vegetables.

 Image source: pinterest.com

Construction of a Tower Garden

Materials needed to construct a food tower include: Wire or plastic mesh, wooden poles, saw, nails, hammer, wire mesh cutter, stones (small to medium), nails, manure/compost mixed with topsoil, ash, shovel, polythene, seedlings for planting, watering can.

Steps to Constructing a Tower Garden

• Identify a level ground in your backyard where you can construct your food tower.
• Make a small circle of 10cm radius in the centre on the ground using ash, then mark another outer circle of 100cm radius from the centre of the smaller circle using ash.
• Cut the wooden poles using a saw into pieces of 1.5m, cut about 10-12 poles. The more the poles the stronger the food tower is. Also, cut five 1m length poles, sharpen one side of each wooden pole.
• Make 5 even spaced holes around the circumference of the inner circle that was marked with ash and 10-12 evenly spaced holes along the outer circle.
• Tie a piece of polythene to cover the 10-15cm on the sharpened end of each pole. Place the 1m high poles in the holes of the inner circle. Hit with a hammer to bury the poles firmly into the ground. Do the same for the 1.5m high poles in the outer circle but angle it slightly inwards towards the inner poles but at an even distance away from them.
• The role a double layer of wire or plastic mesh around the entire circumference of the inner circle outside the poles and cut it using a wire cutter. Fasten it with nails along the length of the poles using a hammer. Do the same along the circumference of the outer poles.
• Pour stones in the middle of the inner circle within the wire mesh up to the brim. The stones are meant to improve drainage and water distribution in the food tower. Shovel topsoil mixed with manure into the area between the outer and inner mesh up to the brim.
• Plant your crops on your food tower, both on top and on the sides of the wire mesh in between the poles while leaving appropriate spacing. Water the crops immediately after planting them using a watering can.
• Cover the top of the food tower with dry grass to preserve moisture, avoid soil erosion and compaction.

Tip

To increase productivity, ensure that the soil is thoroughly mixed with manure before it is placed in the tower. Also, regular manuring helps maintain soil fertility.

Sack/Bag Garden

The use of sacks in home gardening is simply ideal in situations where there is an acute lack of space or the gardener has to relocate often. Bag or sack gardens are tall sacks filled with soil in which vegetables can be grown. In this system, the bags serve as the bed. They can be made in various sizes by doubling or tripling polythene bags or sacks. If you want a bigger sack garden, you can sew different sacks together horizontally and at the edges. You can also plant on the sides of the sacks.

Constructing a Sack Garden

To construct your sack garden you will need the following materials;

• Sacks or polythene bags
• Manure or organic compost mixed with topsoil
• A round container (9-12 inches in diameter) with the top0 and bottom cut out
• A knife
• Stones (small to medium-sized)
• A shovel
• Seedlings ready for planting
• Watering can

Steps in Constructing the Sack Garden

• Place the sack or polythene bag on even ground and put a small layer of soil (about 4 inches) at the bottom.
• Insert the round container (with the bottom and top cut out), just in the center of the sack/polythene.
• Fill the container with stones up to the brim. The stones are for water distribution in the bag garden.
• Shovel the soil around the container that you have filled with gravel. Fill the container to the brim. When the soil reaches the top of the container, lift the container slowly, leaving the stones in the center, add more stones in the container and top up the soil.
• Repeat the same process until the sack is full. The center should have the center comprised of gravel/stones only.
• Plant crops on your sack. You can also cut horizontal slashes on the bag and plant on the sides too. Water the crops immediately after planting them.
• Mulch the top of the sack with grass to retain water in the sack.
• Follow these steps to make as many bag gardens as you need.

Tip

Always water your sack garden every morning before 9:00 am and every evening after 5:00 pm. Pour water through the stones in each sack. You can also pour water on the sides of each sack around the plants growing on the side.

Container Garden

Containers such as buckets, pots, jerry cans, plastic bottles and woven baskets can also be used to plant. They can be of different shapes and sizes depending on one’s preference and the space available. 

Constructing a Container Garden

To construct your container garden you would need the following materials;

• Any container that can support vegetable growth  (can allow at least 25cm depth of soil- for the root system)
• Stones (Small to medium-sized)
• Manure or organic compost mixed with topsoil
• A knife
• A shovel
• Wood (preferably flat), polythene sheet, a hammer, and nails (in case of a wooden box)
• Seedlings ready for planting.
• Watering can

Steps in Constructing your Container Garden

• Choose a sunlit area to place the container. This may be your veranda or balcony.
• Place the container on even ground.
• Put a small layer of stones (about 3-5 inches) at its bottom. This is meant to improve drainage.
• On top of the stones, add good soil that has been mixed with manure up to its brim.
• Plant the desired seedlings in your container.
• Water the crops well immediately after planting them.
• You may mulch the soil with grass to retain water in the container.
• Space your containers well for easy movement when watering.

Hanging Gardens

These are gardens that are suspended in the air or are not directly supported by the ground. It is usually practiced by those who totally lack where to grow vegetables but still have the interest. Different containers e.g. baskets, bottles, and buckets can be used.

Steps in Constructing a Hanging Garden

• Start with a small hanging pot, some potting soil, a hook, gardening supplies, and your choice of plants. Opt for resilient and vibrant annual vegetables.
• Clear your balcony and select a good area to hang the garden.
• Drill the hook in the desired spot. Make sure it is well fastened and secure.
• Fill up the container/basket with good loam soil. This should be well manured, not too clayey or too sandy.
• Plant the seedlings you desire to grow and water them sufficiently well. Avoid pouring too much water since all the excess water might drop to the ground in case of the basket.
• Hang up the container/basket on the hook in the desired spot.

Enhance your life, start home gardening today, and take control of what you eat. Choose any of the above options that suit your circumstance or interest and you are good to go.

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References

Mugisa I.O., Molly A., Muyinda M. et. al. (2016). A farmer’s guide to home gardening how to establish and manage home gardens.

The World Vegetable Center. Sustainable home gardening: Training course guide. 41pgs.