Horticulture Management Systems: Report For Theorganic Farming
Introduction
Organic Production in a social situation is the production small scale farming by following the standard set operated by the USDA-AMS. The scale organic production inclusive of not only the use of natural resources, but to practice ways that enhance their management plans too. Moreover, globally standards are set that apply these practices according to Nutrient BMP, GAP, GHP, HACCP, etc. Ideally, any organic system plans include appropriate individual operation such as Organic Farm plan, organic livestock plan, and organic handling plan. Each component broken into sections that would correspond to the complete form during the organic production course. Furthermore, at commercial level the organic certification is required to handle the production and planning the strategies systematically. However, at lower level different social situations can help with the organic production, where small areas can be utilized for small-scale farming/ organic production such as such families growing fruits/vegetables in pots/rooftops, students utilizing flats rooftops, while community members utilizing the available areas.
How families can plan organic production on rooftop of their houses?
Rooftop farming is gaining interest around the globe and are driving people to follow the urban agriculture tradition. The rooftop farming, also a type urban agriculture practice on rooftops gained popularity for it has been included in the policy making planning especially in US.
In the highly dense/populated urban areas the rooftops rare considered as new source for food cultivation, utilizing the space in best way possible. Among the rooftop farming the most popular is open-air rooftop farming which is less complex than rooftop greenhouse farming and is more economical in comparison to the indoor farming, that’s demands more energy and investments. The urban agriculture including the rooftop farming supports sustainability and linked to more benefits. The opportunities provided by rooftop farming will boost community empowerment, social cohesion and inclusion respectively, with environmental performances.
Production Area
Farming can be done on rooftop of the homes in populated cities by using green roof, hydroponics, organic, aeroponics or container gardens. The rooftop farming can be utilized in house not more than 200m2. The roof can used as gardening and growing vegetables where, family members: mother, father or teenage children can easily co-operate and work to invest in their own urban agriculture program. Some of the items required for successful organic production on rooftop of homes include seeds, potting soil, mulch, tools, fertilizer orcompost for organic production. The pest can be problem for small scale farmers/gardeners, while most insecticides can be harmful at initial level. The items purchased must meet the standards for the Organic Materials Review Institute’s (OMRI) list of approved substances that because the inert ingredient could be toxic when farmed. The precaution must be taken for the soil, fertilizers and pots too. The farming the fertilizer can simply be utilized from the simple kitchens ‘compost. The other strategic plan for organic production on rooftop includes the crop rotation practice. If standard organic protocols are followed major pests problems can easily be avoided. A garden is just like a mini farm, crop rotation and proper control of disease and insects is not very important.
Organic seeds and organic sources should be preferred and old railroad, utility poles and pressure treated wooden should be avoided as the pesticides could leach put of these sources. On the other hand, rot-resistant and untreated wood should be used.
Rooftop farming design
In the designing of the rooftop garden, eco-efficiency is set as highest priority for the soil production and fruit vegetables. However leafy plants/crops are referred in areas that face the water scarcity, making this practice as most water-efficient option. When applying hydroponic systems (e. g. nutrient film technique, floating), precautions are taken to use minimize the energy consumption and reduce the consumption of local and endogenous water sources (e. g. rainwater). Thus, designers and practitioners can use various cultivation techniques depending on the specific such availability of water, area and the food requirements of the users.
In some mono culture practices are utilized to make use of resources and have a high yield, while community farming for commercial initiative make use of polyculture farming to meet the demands of the people and to minimize the food waste. However, for indoor or roof top farming monoculture farming are best suitable. In some case studies, it was observed monoculture practice limited the efficiency of some crops, therefore, crop rotation is preferred. Moreover, the shadowing of other building can also affect the rooftop farming Johnson et al. (2015) quantified that “decrease in crop yield of urban gardens due to light attenuation from building shadows was of 3. 5 % in a case study in Vancouver (Canada)”. So, the placement of roof design in houses must of considered if located on commercial sites.
What can be produced on the roof top?
Crops grown on the rooftop should ideally be durable, somehow resistant to winds and other intemperate conditions. Crisp stem or thin plants should be avoided. The well-suited vegetable production for rooftops at homes include carrots, beets, turnips, and rutebegas, these plants does not contain thin stem and they grow slowly. Plants with thicker roots help them to anchor to the soil or ground more firmly, providing resistance to the plant. Similarly, slow growing spinach and lettuce are also well-suited for the roof-top farming, while climbing beans can also withstand the wind exposure. Rooftop gardening is best for vegetables grow, vegetables must be grown flat containers under screens or netting, this will prevent the drying out of the soil. Upon the transplanting the thin layer of mulch should be spread around the plant and plants should be provided with adequate water and organic content. These measures help maintain enough moisture content and plants should be kept/grown in larger containers in order to prevent sun and heat shocks.
Harvesting of the crops
On rooftop mainly flowers and guava trees are grown, but vegetables including “Tomato, Brinjal, Bean, Lady’s Finger, Chili, Capsicum, Cabbage, Gourd, Spinach etc. , are also grown. Some fruits grown on house rooftop include Guava, Wood Apple, Sweetsop, Lemon etc”. For winters the vegetables include “Tomato, Brinjal, Bean, Cabbage etc. , other vegetables grown in winter include- Brinjal, Bean, Cabbage”. However, Chili and Guava plants are grown in the garden all the year round. The crops can be grown are harvested seasonally, such as in summers and winters and with crop rotation providing the soil enough time to recover and using the suitable fertilizers or compost at house as well. The seasonal crops usually take 3-4 months to grow and then are harvested. However, some vegetables can be grown whole year around easily and harvested when matured.
How much will be produced?
About 60 varieties of vegetables can be grown on the roof-top. An individual growing vegetables and fruits on the house roof-top can harvest at least 400 grams of vegetables per week depending on type of crop he chooses to plant, making an output of 1. 6 kg of vegetables monthly and 19. 2 kg of vegetables annual production.
Risk factors/ Challenges involved in rooftop farming
There are several benefits of rooftop farming at house, however it does involve some of the challenges as well that include the slope of the roof, capacity/ load bearing area of the house. The designing of the rooftop needed to be considered carefully before starting of the project. It is important not to overlook the structure or designing of the rooftop garden, not making it too sloppy. Moreover, the roof garden can increase the weight of roof as much as 30–950 kg per square meter. The weigh is dependent on the depth of soil when rain falls on it, making it very saturated thus increasing the weigh as well. Maintaining the soil texture and keeping it in healthy state is also one of the challenges as rooftop soil can vary from ground-bed soils.
High winds and high temperatures such as heat shocks are also problematic. It is necessary that plants grown on rooftop are wind resistant and heat-tolerant. Organic farming is best to avoid the pesticide use. Many times, people are untrained in the organic farming especially in the rooftop that leads to negative or frustrating outcomes, making families to avoid initiating such projects. Apart from the environmental challenges, the other physical challenge that affect the crop production on roof top include crop diseases such as Anthracnose( in which vegetables and fruits like tomato and water melon become sunken and shrink to small size), Bacterial Leaf Spot (appearance of dark spot on leaves, Club Root (for cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower) and the other most common roof top crop disease is Wilt where vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and melons turn yellow in color.
Preventative measure
The disease of the roof-top crops can be prevented by taking curative measures such as use of disease-resistant seeds, irrigating the culture well, the purpose of irrigation is to keep leaves dry from bottom as much possible. Moreover, crop needed to be rotated seasonally and transplanted in a row. Cover the rows well to prevent the transmission of diseases from plant to plant. Lastly, the plant debris need to be cleaned up seasonally.
Conclusion
Organic Production in a social situation is the production small scale farming by following the standard set operated by the USDA-AMS. The organic certification is required to handle the production and planning the strategies systematically.
Farming can be done on rooftop of the homes in populated cities by using green roof, hydroponics, organic, aeroponics or container gardens. The rooftop farming can be utilized in house not more than 200m2.
The seasonal crops usually take 3-4 months to grow and then are harvested. However, some vegetables can be grown whole year around easily and harvested when matured. There are several benefits of rooftop farming at house, however it does involve some of the challenges are saturation of soil when rainfall occur, wind and heat shocks. Therefore, plants with thicker stem and roots must be utilized providing plants to anchor to the soil or ground more firmly, providing resistance more to the plant from outside harsh environment and crop must be disease-resistance to generate maximum output for production.
