An urban container gardening lecture and workshop was recently conducted at Nova Tierra Covered Court last August 10 & 11, 2012 respectively, by Mr. Perfecto "Jojo” Rom. The lecturer is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at the Xavier University (Ateneo de Cagayan) year 2001, Major in Crop Science.

He is a strong advocate of this remarkable undertaking and practicing what he teaches. He had already conducted various lectures & workshops here and abroad.

The lecture and workshop was sponsored and funded by the Sangguniang Kabataan and was assisted by the Barangay Council and functionaries led by Punong Barangay Ralph O. Abella. This was attended by the youth, the elderly, members of the different religious denomination, homeowner association officers, disabled persons, staffs of City Councilor Marissa Abella (Green Team) and of course the barangay leaders numbering a total of around 120 people.

The lecture lasted for a day, but there was never a dull moment because the lecturer skillfully delivered the whole contents of his training module.

The following day was even more interesting because the participants were treated to a workshop - to immediately apply what they had learned during the lecture. The participants were divided into four groups and appointed among themselves a group leader, 4 implementers and a documenter.

The group leaders received instructions from the lecturer and relayed it to the implementers who will execute them while the other members of the group keenly observing the whole activity. There were series of activities starting from gathering all the materials needed until the finished products would be ready for planting including the innovative method of making garden implements made out of recyclable materials.

For Group 2 where I was assigned as the documenter, the following are the activities that we performed during the workshop – the same material I presented during the time of reporting at the end of the workshop;

The materials gathered by the implementers of each group (prepared in advance by the organizer) were as follows;

1 sack of Coco Coir

¼ sack chicken dung

1/8 sack charcoal

¼ sack top soil

Scissor

Pentel pen

4 pcs. plastic gloves

Soldering rod

1 black plastic pail 10 liters capacity

1 white plastic pail 20 liters capacity

2 mineral water container(Round & Angular)

1 dextrose tubing

Activity 1- Testing how the dextrose tubing could be used for Drip irrigation

To keep the water flowing, open the breather and turn the adjustment knob to regulate the desired amount of water.  When water will not flow due to clogging use a needle to de-clog and close it later on with vulcaseal.

Activity 2  - Preparing the plastic containers

a.     Angular plastic container as planting pot– Cut the top portion and punctured it with holes using a soldering rod.

b.    Coke Litro Plastic Container as self irrigating pot– Cut the top portion about 1/2 and punctured it with holes using a soldering rod.

c.     Absolute Mineral Water Plastic Container as Rounded Pot – Cut the top portion about 1/4 and punctured it with holes at all sides using a soldering rod.

         *Note: The level of holes should not be more than 50% of the height of each container or pot.

d.    Making a Sprinkler out of a mineral water container

e.    Making a Soil scoop using the silver swan toyo or vinegar plastic container

          Activity 3-  Filtering the coco coir using a screen wire with ¼ square inch eyelets. Separate the fine particles/dust and the coir.

          Activity 4 – Preparing the compost barrel using the white plastic pail (20 liters capacity).

Puncturing with holes at the sides and bottom of the white plastic pail container.

         Activity 5 – Mixing the Soil Components

                                                 Mixing Ratio:

                                                4 pails of coco dust

                                                2 pails of top soil

                                                1 pail chicken dung

                                                ½ pail charcoal            

          Actual Mixing of the Soil Components using the ratio above as   guide:

                                    8 canisters of coco dust                                             

                                    4 canisters top soil

                                    2 canisters chicken dung

                                    2 canisters charcoal

                                     Properly mix all the above components.         

            Activity 6 – Making a re-sealable pet screw sealer for storing seeds and seedlings.

Activity 7 – Filling Soil into the container pots.

Activity 8 – Reporting

Other Inputs:

·         Liquid Fertilizer composed of ½ liter of fish amino acid, 10 liters of Urine, Kinilis Ng Bigas, seepage of Kitchen waste in equal proportion.

·         Fish Amino Acid is derived from fish gills and intestines neutralized by Molasses on its foul odor and using the fermentation process.

·         For killing insects like ants and aphids, "pergasol” (perla, garlic solution) can be used which composed of blue perla soap rinse in water and added with garlic.

The whole activity was all worth it because when I arrived home, I feel to myself that I was already a scientist like Albert Einstein more so that I was able to make a soil scoop out of silver swan vinegar plastic container. So now I am very confident that with this knowledge I can grow vegetables right at the surroundings of my home. What is even more fascinating is that the vegetables which will be harvested are fresh and free from harmful synthetic pesticides and chemicals. Sec Red