URBAN GARDENING TIPS FOR BEGINNERS FROM A BICOLANO CHEF

LABEL YOUR PLANTS.

To remember what you planted in which pot, make sure to label it using popsicle sticks, indicating the plant’s name and its date of sowing.

USE RECYCLABLE MATERIALS.

There are several materials you can upcycle as plant containers. Old paint buckets, plastic water bottles, egg trays, cans, or water gallons can be used to hold your plants. Just drill holes in the bottom of your containers to allow for proper drainage.

DON’T THROW AWAY YOUR AQUARIUM WATER!

A tip from Tan: if you have an aquarium at home, you can use the aquarium water to water your crops as fish manure is a good fertilizer for plants.

SOIL IS IMPORTANT.

To have a good soil mix, Tan recommends the soil be a mix of different types. A good soil mix would be a combination of garden soil, vermicast soil, and coco peat or carbonized rice hull (CRH). They must be of equal ratio: if you put a kilo of garden soil, you must also add a kilo of vermicast soil and coco peat or CRH to avoid overly compacted soil, which might suffocate roots and lead to root rot.

DON’T FORGET DRAINAGE.

Based on Tan’s experience, having this mix allows the roots to freely grow and the water to drain faster. If you will be out of town for days, soil with good drainage will help your plants thrive despite a sudden heavy rainfall. This is the importance of having enough holes for proper drainage. For instance, if upcycling a round water gallon, cut away its neck. Drill holes into the sides and the bottom of its body. Its holes must be as big as a five peso coin, Tan added.

SUNLIGHT IS ALSO KEY.

For immature plants, controlling the amount of sunlight they get is important. You must slowly expose them by setting a specified amount of sun exposure per day. Diffuse harsh sunlight with a cloth when needed, especially during summer. On the contrary, once the seedlings lack exposure to sunlight, it can result in leggy stems that signifies bad plant development.

HAVE FUN!

Enjoy the process. Gardening offers mental and physical support to those who practice it. It does not just give edible yields but can also provide healing power to one’s physical and mental well-being. For Tan, gardening is therapeutic. (Photos from Wilson Tan)

A Bicolano chef and urban grower named Wilson Tan produce food on his rooftop.

Planting in containers saves up space and maximizes use of soil for food production.

Container gardening does not just provide space-saving benefits but produce yields and maximizes the soil for food production.

A rooftop garden in Makati uses round water gallons for growing plants