Since classes haven’t started yet, he decided to plant in a vacant lot next to their house as a way to relieve his boredom. He was able to get free seeds and seedlings from the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) through his colleague. A government program called “Tayo ang Kalikasan” that provides seminars and garden competitions also urged him more to start gardening.
FRUITS OF LABOR
Since his elementary days, planting has always been his hobby. He gained knowledge and experience from his parents, who contributed a major influence to his love and interest in food production. Alivia enhanced this knowledge through modern devices. He gets ideas, tips, and techniques via an online video streaming website that serves as a guide to improve his plants.
Crops in his garden include okra, cassava, sweet potato, yard long bean, tomato, eggplant, papaya, river spinach, corn, bitter gourd, patola, Malabar spinach, mustasa, cucumber, squash, chili and bell pepper, saluyot, cabbages, and some medicinal plants such as sambong, lemongrass, oregano, and damong maria (Artemisia).
The said vacant lot measures 300 square meters wide. He planted cassava on its sides that functions as a fence. In over three months, he was able to plant an estimated number of 200+ pieces of okras, 34 papayas, 100+ eggplants, 100+ chili pepper, 150 pieces of white corn, six cucumbers, 20 pieces of squash, 10 pieces of ampalaya, and 60 pieces of sitaw. Presently, he was able to harvest cabbages, mustasas, cucumbers, eggplants, okras, chili peppers, and ampalayas.
This story is from the September - October 2020 edition of Agriculture.
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This story is from the September - October 2020 edition of Agriculture.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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