Identify a Suitable Area to Plant around the Home

So what do I do first if I want to set up a Home Garden?

There are two (2) main steps to Setting up Your Home Garden.

Planning
The Fun Part-Using a pen and paper do a simple diagram to mark where some features are on your property, e.g. +6 hrs. Sun, Shade, Wet, Dry, electricity lines, drain.

Designing
Plan the layout of the crops.
Now add to your sketch and put plants into spots that are suitable for them.

Video – Places to Plant at Home

https://www.facebook.com/103936031246037/videos/2680567035500675/

Information courtesy the Extension Training and Information Services (ETIS) Division

Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries

Characteristics of Healthy Planting Material

So now you know how to select healthy seedlings for the home garden, but did you know there are many other ways to grow plants in your home garden.

Here is some of the information on how to select and collect seeds for future use in your home garden.

Factors to consider when Selecting Seeds
• Seeds should be viable
• Seeds should be clean (No spots, cracks, holes, growths)
• Seeds should be taken from mature, healthy fruits
• Do not use seeds from diseased plants
• Do not use from plants that did not perform properly
• Dry seeds properly before storing (air dry)

Factors to consider when Purchasing Seeds
• Properly labeled
• Sold in doubled sealed packages
• Did not expire
• Displayed in a cool area
• Have a high germination percentage

Video – Selecting of Planting Material Part 1

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Information courtesy the Extension Training and Information Services (ETIS) Division

Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries

seed initiative
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Requirements for Healthy Plant Growth

Plants need:
1. Air
2. Water
3. Sunlight
4. Drainage & Irrigation
5. Balanced nutrition
6. A suitable growing medium
7. Proper Weed control
8. Proper Pest control
9. Proper Disease control
10. Good management

Once all these things have been provided for the plant and proper management is adhered to, your plant can grow and produce.

Please see the link below for the accompanying factsheet
https://agriculture.gov.tt/publi…/requirements-growth-plant/

Video Requirements for Growth of a Plant

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Information courtesy the Extension Training and Information Services (ETIS) Division

Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries

Land Preparation

Land Preparation for Your Home Garden

Now that we have covered how to prepare the growing medium, those of you with containers can get started.

If you are planting in the soil you will have a few additional steps:

Step 1
• Determine the Soil Type
– Sandy
– Clay
– Loam

Step 2
• Clear the selected area of everything you don’t need
– Remove weeds ( by hoe, weed wacker, brushing cutlass)
– Remove undesirable materials
– Do not remove by burning ( as this destroys organic matter, kills of beneficial soil organisms and results in soil erosion)

Step 3
• Observed the drainage pattern of the area cleared
– This helps determine the orientation of the beds
– Prevent soil erosion

Step 4
• Prepare the planting area to ensure adequate drainage, aeration and space for root growth

Step 5
Determine if you are planting in individual holes or on beds
• Individual Holes
– Make a Planting hole
– Add and mix sharp sand, organic matter and limestone to the soil removed from the planting hole
– Place the mixture in the planting hole
• Beds
– Prepare the planting area by tilling or loosening the soil
– Spread the mixture of sharp sand, organic matter, and limestone evenly over the entire area and incorporate in the soil
– Form beds- size of beds depends on the crop chosen
– The bed can be any length but should allow you to reach the center of the bed

Step 6
• Make drains at least 20 cm deep to allow excess run –off water from the beds to flow into the main drains

Step 7
• Plant you seedling or sapling

Video– Land Preparation

https://www.facebook.com/103936031246037/videos/1103313843348739/

Information courtesy the Extension Training and Information Services (ETIS) Division

Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries

grow_trinbago

Preparation of Media for Container Planting

Preparing the Growing Medium for your Home Garden

What is the Growing Medium?

The growing medium is defined as the material in which plants are cultivated.

They are generally either:

Soil Based
• Contains Soil

Soil Less
• Sharp sand/ Gravel
• Potting Soil Mixture/Peat moss
• Coco Coir
• Water
• Air

Soil Based Growing Media Contain
• Inorganic Material – Sharp sand
• Organic Material – Soil, Manure, Compost, Peat Moss
• Additives – Fertilizer, Limestone

In a Soil Less medium e.g. sharp sand
• There are no substantial nutrients,
• So fertilizers have to be added to provide the nutrients
required for the plant to grow.

It is made of a mixture of different components which:
• Facilitate proper root growth and development
• Be friable ( easily crumbled)
• Provide good aeration and drainage
• Retain sufficient moisture for the use by plants
• Supply nutrients needed for good plant growth and yields

Be as free as possible of pests and diseases organisms
• Have a pH range of around 6-7

In your Home Garden your media will be made up of a mix of
• 2 parts Soil: 1 part Sharp Sand: 1 part Cured Manure
• Limestone
• A Rooting Fertilizer e.g. TSP or 12.24.12 + TE

⚠️Note: Limestone must be added Pre planting especially for Solaneceous crops e.g. Tomatoes, Peppers

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Video -How to Prepare the Growing Medium

https://www.facebook.com/103936031246037/videos/237883434025414/

Information courtesy the Extension Training and Information Services (ETIS) Division

Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries

Factsheets

A STEP BY STEP PROCESS TO HOME GARDENING

Table of Contents

Please click on Link to Visit Page

Selection of Planting Material, Planting Transplanting and Watering

Does it seem like you are doomed to have a brown thumb?

How many times have you brought home a seedling and happily planted it and the next morning it was dead.
What if I told you that sometimes this can be avoided just by simply choosing good quality planting materials.

Types of Planting Materials
• Seeds (seasoning herbs, legumes, corn)
• Seedlings ( most vegetable crops)
• Cuttings ( cassava, potato, yam, ginger, dasheen, tannia, eddoes)
• Suckers ( banana, plantain)
• Budded/ grafted plants (fruit trees)

Certain Factors need to be considered when you are choosing planting matter or seedlings from nurseries or plant shops.

Environmental Factors
• The surroundings should be free from overgrown bushes, generally clean, no waterlogged conditions
• Seedlings should be in conditions that are free from excess shade. If seedlings have too much shade they do not “harden off” and they have difficulties when they are transplanted.

Seedling Characteristics
The seedlings should:
1. Be of the appropriate age (seedlings with 4-6 healthy green leaves)
2. Be free from pests and diseases
3. Have healthy white roots (good root development, with no balling of roots)
4. Show vigorous, healthy growth
5. Be of uniform appearance
6. Have the proper Shoot to Root ratio (2:1)

Video – How to Choose a Good Quality Seedling

https://www.facebook.com/103936031246037/videos/546707249592718/

Information courtesy the Extension Training and Information Services (ETIS) Division

Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries

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