India: ‘I Started a Community Garden in Chennai to Grow Vegetables & Fruits Organically’
Samyuktha Kannan, a resident of Chennai, Tamil Nadu started a community garden in her locality after witnessing its success abroad. They grow a variety of flowering plants, vegetables, fruits and herbs.
By Roshini Muthukumar
The Better India
September 23, 2021
Excerpt:
In 2019, the team had planted saplings of fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, spinach, and a variety of herbs. To keep the costs minimum, the team used whatever was available around them to maintain the garden. For mulching, they used dried fallen leaves in their locality. The compost was provided for free by one of the residents too.
After a few months, the team harvested spinach and herbs. But the tomatoes and other vegetables were destroyed by pests.
“Before we replanted the vegetables, the team was forced to take a break owing to the lockdowns. However, a few months ago, we resumed the work and made many corrections to our farming approach,” says Samyuktha.
The volunteers took help from experienced terrace gardeners in the locality to understand ways to improve soil fertility. They also put up fences and planted different crops to repel pests.
Now the garden is young, but the plants have started to grow and the volunteers are prepared to nurture them patiently. However, Samyuktha hopes to work along with local businesses and governments to help fund the community garden.
