This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
For many people, growing crops on a small piece of land is not abusiness. For them, a home garden may be an important part of afamily’s food supply. Or it is simply an enjoyable activity. Thisweek, we will look at ways to grow and improve home gardens.
Sunlight is a garden’s most basic need. A garden with unblockedsun from the south is best.
A good place for a garden must have at least six hours ofsunlight a day. Eight to ten hours is best. If the garden does notreceive at least six hours of light during the growing season, itwill not produce a good crop.
The garden should not be near the base of a hill or near a wall.These will block sunlight. They also block fresh air that helpsraise the temperature of the soil early in the growing season.
Even if the soil of your garden is not too good, it can beimproved. Excellent fertilizer can be made by using the method ofcomposting. Composted food waste and other organic material can makepoor soil dark and rich.
Good garden soil must drain well. That means water does not buildup and leave the soil too wet to support plants. Turning the soiland adding composted material helps with drainage and permits air toenter the soil.
A garden must receive a good amount of water every week. Toolittle can, of course, be as harmful as too much. So the garden mustbe close to water pipes or a natural supply of water.
After choosing the best place, and improved the soil by turningit and adding compost, you can prepare to plant.
In the northern half of the world, planting season starts inMarch. In the southern half, it begins in November.
Planting season is also a good time to add fertilizer to thesoil. This will help the growth of seeds or young plants. Compost isitself a fertilizer. Experts at the North Carolina State UniversityCooperative Extension say fertilizer should be turned into the soilto a depth of eight to ten centimeters. This tilling permits rootingseeds or plants to use the nutrients immediately.
Next week, we will look at how to plant seeds and how to aid thegrowth and development of crops.
Is there an agricultural subject you would like to hear about?Tell us. Write to special@voanews.com or VOA Special English,Washington DC 20237 USA.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by MarioRitter.