How to start a small or medium size Organic Garden in your backyard in the UAE
We live in a society where being organically conscious of what we consume is the norm these days. Homeowners globally are looking at ways to grow basic herbs such as Parsley, Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, Chives, Sage, Thyme and Coriander in their backyards. Organic gardening starts as a hobby but it transitions into a habit. Let’s look at simple steps we can take to start our own organic garden.
In United Arab Emirates, we need to make sure that the soil where we plan on growing our herbs is fertile and the Ph levels are friendly for planting. You can buy a Ph levels readers from any garden center in Satwa in Dubai, Your soil Ph levels should be in the range of 5.5 to 7.0. If it acidity of your soil is too high you can add some fresh sweet soil which again can be purchased from Satwa or ask your landscape contractor to assist you.
Once your soil is ready you now need to look for some organic fertilizer as this is the key to healthy organic agriculture without the use of harmful chemicals. The seeds for your herbs are easily available at all garden centers. The Planting medium you should follow to plant your seeds for each herbs will be in parallel rows, so they are watered and fertilized accordingly while keeping a distance of about 20 cm from each plantation. Majority of the herbs grow throughout the year in UAE. The ideal time to plant seeds in your organic garden would be the months of February and March. It preferred to take the advice of a qualified horticultural engineer who is familiar with the agricultural environment of the UAE. They would advise you on the ideal location, watering cycles and fertilization process for your organic garden.
In order for your organic garden to adapt to the hot summer days, you need to use garden nets which reduce the direct negative effect of the strong sunlight on your herbs and are not expensive. As your organic garden grows and matures you will develop a better understanding of the process and it will prepare you to go to the next level of an organic garden, where you start growing your own organic vegetables. Let’s teach our children how to grow and eat organic.
