A large chunk of land is what will come to most people’s minds when one talks about farming. Little do we know that farming can be done anywhere at the front of the house, on the verandah and in the backyard, among other areas of the home. This is commonly referred to as backyard gardening where you grow your own food and improve your health.
Last Saturday I joined the members of the Rotary Roses Fellowship to a backyard gardening visit at the home of Cream Rose Rachael Ddungu Lubowa in Buziga. When it comes to gardening, I am all thumbs, and not the green kind but this visit inspired me to try my hand at backyard gardening. I got to understand that growing your own food is very simple and not rocket science.
Rachael’s home garden has a mixed cropping system that encompasses vegetables, fruits, plantation crops, spices, herbs, ornamental and medicinal plants.
Our host gave us helpful hints for starting your own backyard garden. In her welcome remarks, she told us that growing your own food has many health benefits among which was to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. “Backyard gardening can inspire you to take an interest in the origins of your food and make better choices about what you put on your plate. When you grow your own food, you savor it more because of the effort it took to get to the table. It also gives you control to decide on what fertilizers and pesticides to use and when to harvest your food” said Rachael. “If you’re interested in growing food in your backyard, you need to start small and plant things you would really like to eat. You will be amazed by how much fun gardening can be, and the pride you take in sharing healthy food nurtured by your own efforts”, she said. She also encouraged us to be patient as we cultivate our relationship with our garden to reap the benefits.
As Rotary Roses, let us consider backyard gardening as one of those activities every household should try out. Like any other type of farming, a lot can be grown in backyard — from assorted ornamental flowers to specific herbs and edible vegetables. However before establishing a backyard garden, put into consideration things like, size of the garden, orientation to the sun and shade, future crop rotation plus prediction of future trees. For those with smaller backyards consider growing vegetables and other plants in recyclable containers, sacks and polythene bags so as to create more space for gardening. You can hang on a deck or balcony. Besides making a home look attractive, backyard gardening comes with a lot more paybacks.
Looking forward to yet another Rotary Roses informative visit on Baking!
Purple Rose Julie Kamuzze Musoke
Rotary Club of Kasangati