I started my farm from basically ground zero without any formal training or education in botany, horticulture or agriculture but I wanted to plan for my retirement. Along the way, I have discovered many things, experienced the wonders of nature and developed a better understanding of the connectivity between the various forms on earth.
1. Plant for the climate
We are often trying to plant things that aren't suitable for our climate without making adjustments and this includes flowering and fruiting plants. If we do not take climate and environmental factors, we are setting ourselves up for failure and disappointment. Hence, I would always encourage newbies to plant local plants for their initial. We have an abundance of local plants covering a wide array of taste so let us set ourselves up for success as we learn and gain knowledge. Just looking at what we can plant for vegetables, there is so many to choose from. For initial quick success, try planting one that you can harvest within 30-45 days. It may seem like a long time when you first start out but as you observe the progress, you will find that time just flies by.
2. There are no guarantees
Life is filled with the unexpected and challenges and it is applicable to when we try to grow plants too. Even if you follow step-by-step directions, it doesn't guarantee you will get the same outcome every time because the natural factors are fluid. However, if you start with good soil conditions, you have increased your probability of success. The soil for the plants need to be suited for the plant we want to grow. For example, if you are planting orchids, you need a soil composition that allows for quick drying of water as it doesn't tolerate soggy soil conditions well. On the other hand, if you are planting vegetables, you need a soil composition that allows the soil to remain moist longer but not soggy to provide water to the roots throughout the day especially during the hottest part of the day. Hence, if you plant in unsuitable soil composition, you can end up with unhealthy plants or dead plants in spite of you attempts at fertilising, watering and pest control efforts.
3. Army of underground soldiers
Many are not aware of the army of underground soldiers that contribute to the health and welfare of you plants. The smallest size ones are beneficial microbes which amongst its function is to make the nutrients in the soil bioavailable to the plants. In human terms, it is like you preparing and cooking the chicken before you consume it. You need to do that before you can eat it so your body can
process it to extract nutrients for your body. Similarly, these microbes will breakdown the complex form of the nutrients into a form that can be assimilated by the plants for it nutrient. The planting soil lacking these can result in the plants not being able to absorb sufficient nutrients it needs so although you may be putting fertilisers aplenty, the plant may not be getting the benefits because it isn't in a form the plant can "eat".
Another soldier that we want aplenty in our planting soil is earthworms. They help loosen the soil and aerate it as well as process the raw soil producing nutrients that can be "eaten" by the plants. Hence, in recent years the rise of vermicompost and vermicast as well as the use of worms to process organic waster to produce food for plants in the form of vermicast and vermicompost.
However not all these underground live forms are friendly so you need to get rid of the unfriendlies.
4. Army of aboveground soldiers
If you have a fruiting garden, these aboveground soldiers are important as they help in the pollination process hence you need to consider having flowering plants that encourage these friendly soldiers to visit your garden. Bees and ladybirds are my favourites for effective pollination. If you do not get regular visits from these friendlies, you may find that your fruiting garden doesn't produce fruits in spite of it flowering boundlessly and this includes fruits like cucumber, melons and various other non self pollinating plants. Hence some people find that they need to resort to hand pollination i.e. personally mimicking the activity of these pollinating insects such as using light brush strokes from the male flower to the female flower.
5. Food for plants and trees
Different plants and trees need different types of food but the basic separation is between leaves only and flowering/fruiting plants. The basic nutrients we often see mentioned is Nitrogen(N), Phosphorous(P) and Potassium (K). This is the starting point. From then on, to have a bountiful plant, there are additional nutrients that will help and support the plant development. Fruiting plants need magnesium to help support the development of fruits. Calcium also support certain aspects of the plant development. Then you also have fish amino acids. There are so many different types of fertilisers that at times it boggles the mind and sometimes, we can get carried away with purchasing fertilisers because we have heard that it is good without thinking if it is useful or practical for our own usage. Some we end up with bottle of fertilisers and at times also cause over-fertilising which inadvertently kills the plants. Just think of it similar to humans bulking up on a certain nutrient or supplement and getting a toxic reaction to it which could also lead to organ failure and death. It is easier to cause death by over-fertilisation using chemical fertilisers than natural organic fertilisers so I always opt for the latter. Over the years I have narrowed down my fertilisers to 3 kinds: (1) fish amino acid based fertiliser (2) goat manure based fertiliser and (3) enzyme based fertiliser. I find that applying them at appropriate times gives me the results that I want and it has helped me "declutter" the fertilisers.
6. All live forms need water
Water is important to our plants and it is essential that we understand their needs. Some thrive in abundance of water while others will drown to death. Some thrive in just "touching" water whilst others will die of thirst. Some just want regular watering and some want to have moisture available all the time. Select the plant you want to grow based on your water "availability". This way, you can reduce your chances of killing a plant. The right type of water can also affect your plants. Some plants can tolerated slightly acidic water whilst others may get sick. To be safe, try to water with "clean" water. If you capture rain water and you are living in the city where there is significant traffic pollution, you might want to consider letting the water "sit" for a couple of days after capture so that the acids have a chance to dissipate from the water.
These are some of the basics that I live by now but then again, it is not the end. I continue to encounter new discoveries and gain new knowledge that it keeps me mentally challenged and physically active. To this end, I can see it as an activity that I can continue to do in she Allah till the day I die and continue to have a fruitful, contributing life.
