I have been longing to get bigger more durable containers to replace the sacks in my mini-garden.
The sacks do serve good purpose in growing some plants but they often get worn out and torn. The soil start pouring out especially with heavy rains.
This of course affects the growth of any plant growing in that torn sack. Recently, a tomato plant in my mini-garden that has been growing reasonably well suffered such fate- the sack got worn and torn and the soil poured away and the tomato plant lost it's vigour.
But hurray! Recently I got cash gifts for birthday. I really needed a treat - it's been a long time!. I took myself on a date to get tantalize!
After taking delightsome snacks and sugared drink, I brought out pen and paper- I remembered that though having a treat is good o, life is not all about enjoyment. So I included some key items for my gardening in my necessities shopping list.
Afterwards I set out for the market. Incidentally I took a different route from the one I usually take to get to that market.The new route I took led me to a place where lots and lots of plastic tanks, drums and other containers were being sold.
I didn't know the best entry there so I took a path and came across some guys, some of them smoking weeds -hemp, maybe to ward off the cold because it was cold due to incessant rains for days.
They looked at me with their terrorising eyes, I looked at them with my farming eyes -- farming activities on such a cold day could also have warded off the cold and yield meaningful results for them.
Should I tell them something they already know very well?
I passed by them and declared loudly that I wanted to buy an old tank for farming .
When the tank seller came, I negotiated the price and promised to return days later to purchase the tank.
Days later I purchased the tank and got a reliable artisan to cut it into two, place at strategic points in the garden premises and pour the soil from worn out sacks into the cut tank now two drums. I also went to pack more sand by the roadside.
In one of the tanks I transplanted the dying tomato crop, planted carrots, cabbage, spring onions,lemon grass, even flowers and would be planting green pepper also.
In the other drum - 2nd part of the tank, I mainly planted, actually transplanted one of the mango seedlings in the garden.
When I converted an old black tank into two drums and transplanted almond tree, same day I also transplanted a mango tree but the mango tree didn't do well- while the almond tree is thriving and has started fruiting, I had to cut that mango tree.
So the mango seedling- almost a tree I recently transplanted is different - at least I know this variety - it is those extra large size mangoes - I specifically planted it in a sack last year.
The use of these larger container i.e. the tank cut into two sure makes me feel I have new farmland! I have been able to plant more crops. The mini-garden even looks tidier and more space-efficient and less cumbersome than before for me to clean.
I intend to get more durable and bigger containers to replace the sacks. In urban farming or gardening, you just need to keep innovating to be able to continue.
#oldtankforfarming
#farmingwitholdtank
#pureagriculture
#agricutureversusgoodhealth
#minigardenresearch
#growingcornindryseason
#growingcornallyearround
#throughbredseeds
#purebredseeds
#agriculturalmedicine
#gardeningindryseason
#growingcropsindryseason
#growingcropsinsacks
#growingmaizeinsacks
#spaceconstrainedgarden
#gardeningincementedpremises
#gardeninginsacks
#growingplantsinsacks
#minigarden #urbangarden #urbangardening
#minigardening #integratedgardening #gardening #gardeninginsmallspaces #integratedgardeninginsmallspaces #spaceconstrainedurbangardening
#intercroppinginsoilsack.
No comments:
Post a Comment