Summary: Home Gardening Workshop dt. 26th Feb 2023
Summary of the training contents from the event
Home Gardening Workshop
Organized by Saahas along with Bhoomitra and Mico layout RWA on 26th Feb 2023 from 9:30 to 11:00AM @ Mico Layout Park, Stage 1, Arekere.
Brief of the workshop is provided in this blogpost as a reference for the participants and readers. It will provide a concise understanding of the basic principles and techniques required for starting and maintaining an organic food garden.
Overview
The participants were introduced to the importance of organic food gardening and learn t how to choose the right location, prepare the soil, select the right plants, provide the necessary water, fertilize, pest control, feeding nutrition, and timely harvesting.
Summary
During the workshop, a practical exercise to create a potting mix using compost was conducted. At the end of the workshop, the participants took away a working knowledge of how to start a food garden and maintain it organically using the compost they have created at home. The summary provided a recap of important points. The workshop was concluded with Q&A session
The following bullet points are to aid as a recap of the workshop for the participants:
1️⃣ Introduction to Organic Food Gardening
Why grow organic food in your garden?
Vegetables and fruits grown using toxic chemicals are available from a street vendor at much cheaper costs
Growing food at home only makes sense when it is chemical free!
Benefits of organic Food garden
Vitamin D
Tranquility
Meditation
Patience
Chemical free food!
2️⃣Basic Requirements for Starting an Organic Food Garden
🔸Choose the right location
👉🏼Factors to consider when choosing the location:
sunlight, water source, soil type, drainage, and accessibility
👉🏼Explanation of how to assess the location for suitability
🔸Prepare the right soil mix
🔸Selecting the right plants. Main Factors to consider when selecting plants;
👉🏼Top 5 most consumed
👉🏼Seasonal
👉🏼Sunlight requirements
🔸Watering and fertilization
👉🏼Understanding the importance of proper watering:
preventing over or under watering, and promoting healthy growth
👉🏼Techniques for watering: frequency, depth, and timing
🔸Understanding sunlight requirements
3️⃣How to create potting mix using kitchen waste compost
🔸Importance of composting:
reducing waste, improving soil fertility, and promoting healthy plants.
🔸Factors affecting the quality of compost:
carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, moisture, temperature, and aeration
🔸Composting methods (Aerobic, Vermicomposting, Anaerobic)
🔸Creating your own potting mix using compost (practical exercise)
4️⃣Planting and Growing
🔸Container Size
🔸Watering and feeding nutrition
🔸Harvesting – Understanding when to harvest fruits, greens or vegetables
5️⃣Pest control
🔸Understanding the different types of pests an their nature: insects, diseases
🔸Ant menace: Ants –> Pests –> Diseases
🔸Fruit-fly control (Pheromone trap, glue trap & bagging)
🔸Slugs and snails
🔸Always mix neem oil with liquid soap before spraying!
6️⃣Practical Exercise
🔸Create your own soil mix
(Redsoil, cocopeat, compost, nutritional supplements, bio-fertilizers)
🔸Compost proportions:
Food : Flower : Ornamental :: 40-50% : 25-30% : 15-20%
🔸Soil Mix proportions:
Redsoil : Cocopeat : Compost :: 1:1:2
(For food plants. Can vary based on inputs and plant varieties)
🔸Create your own soil mix
(Redsoil, cocopeat, compost, nutritional supplements, bio-fertilizers)
🔸Compost proportions:
Food : Flower : Ornamental :: 40-50% : 25-30% : 15-20%
🔸Soil Mix proportions:
Redsoil : Cocopeat : Compost :: 1:1:2
(For food plants. Can vary based on inputs and plant varieties)
7️⃣Summary and Q&A
