With our ample backyards, JVT is a great community for gardening.

This is the time of year to get your plants in the ground. This season, I tried to nurture some little seeds and lost more than half my crop. After sowing, some sprouted rather quickly and either I overwatered them or I set them outside too early for the process called ‘hardening off’. I assumed that since we are going from cool A/C to hot outdoors, the process wouldn’t take as long as when you are trying to get the young seedlings accustomed to the cold weather. As well, I discovered that the birds feasted on a few soft sprouts before I realized that I should cover them to save them from these attacks!

I had to resort to buying a few already strong tomato and eggplant potted plants which have acclimated well to the garden over the last two weeks. In a few weeks more, I should be able to transfer the cucumbers, red peppers and green bean plants I started from seed.

Our bokashi composting bin has been giving us a nice rich soil. I do fear, however, that we don’t have enough pollinators to visit our garden due to the regular pesticide spraying around the village. Maybe we can get Nakheel to reduce the poison routine!

Here’s wishing all the gardening villagers a successful and delicious harvest in a few months time.

Share with us your JVT gardening stories or pictures!

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