Method of cultivation in roof top
1. Trough / Benches
In the open roof top, based on the bearing load, cement benches of convenient length and depth can be constructed and the soil mixture (2 parts of red soil + 1 part of sand + 1 part of compost) filled up and utilized for growing the fruit or vegetable crops. Leave 1” space at the rim, to facilitate irrigation.
1. Trough / Benches
In the open roof top, based on the bearing load, cement benches of convenient length and depth can be constructed and the soil mixture (2 parts of red soil + 1 part of sand + 1 part of compost) filled up and utilized for growing the fruit or vegetable crops. Leave 1” space at the rim, to facilitate irrigation.
2. Trough (For newly build houses)
For efficient utilization of roof spaces, an inward trough is formed in the unutilized spaces of roof top i.e., like sunkened trough. The length and depth of trough may be designed as per the requirement. The available area is properly coated with water-proofing materials to avoid the seepage of water into the roof area. The inner side is designed with a gradual slope to facilitate the drainage. The drainage hole is covered with wire mesh and gravel for ensured drainage. Finally the entire area is laid with geo-textile material and finally filled up with the soil mixture for raising fruits and vegetable.
For efficient utilization of roof spaces, an inward trough is formed in the unutilized spaces of roof top i.e., like sunkened trough. The length and depth of trough may be designed as per the requirement. The available area is properly coated with water-proofing materials to avoid the seepage of water into the roof area. The inner side is designed with a gradual slope to facilitate the drainage. The drainage hole is covered with wire mesh and gravel for ensured drainage. Finally the entire area is laid with geo-textile material and finally filled up with the soil mixture for raising fruits and vegetable.
Bearing of Brinjal
3. Pots / Containers :Pots and Containers can be used for raising the fruits and vegetables.
Types of containers
Types of containers
- Cement pots
- Earthen pots
- Plastic barrels
- Wooden barrels
- Boxes
- Crates
- Paws
- Plastic jars
- Damaged buckets
- Tin boxes
- Drums and different sizes
- Plastic covers
- Cement / Fertilizer bags
- Damaged sink / wash basin
- Damaged bowls / water tanks
- Unused water cans
Seed pan and seed boxes
Seed pans are shallow earthen pots about 10cm high and 35cm in diameter with a drainage hole at the bottom. Seed boxes are made of wood, porcelain and earthen pots of 40cm wide and 60cm long and 10cm deep, with 6-8 properly spaced holes drilled in the bottom. Against each holes a crock is placed with its concave side down. Some large pieces of crock are put over it and also by the side of this crock, some coarse sand 2 or 3 handfull is sprinkled on the crock pieces forming a thin layer to prevent fine soil from clogging the drainage hole. Over this, required soil mixture is added and kept in open sunlight for raising the vegetables.
Seed pans are shallow earthen pots about 10cm high and 35cm in diameter with a drainage hole at the bottom. Seed boxes are made of wood, porcelain and earthen pots of 40cm wide and 60cm long and 10cm deep, with 6-8 properly spaced holes drilled in the bottom. Against each holes a crock is placed with its concave side down. Some large pieces of crock are put over it and also by the side of this crock, some coarse sand 2 or 3 handfull is sprinkled on the crock pieces forming a thin layer to prevent fine soil from clogging the drainage hole. Over this, required soil mixture is added and kept in open sunlight for raising the vegetables.
Earthen pots
Earthen pots made of burnt porous clay in various sizes to hold enough quantity of soil and roof space for cultivating different kinds of plants. They have straight sides and are made wider at the top than at the bottom to hold the greatest bulk of compost and also to facilitate easy removal of soil, intact with roots (ball of earth) at the time of planting or repotting.
In our country, pots of varying sizes viz., tube pots, ¼ size, ½ size, ¾ size and ‘thali’ are used commonly. Tube pots are used to raise the rootstocks of mango and sapota for grafting purposes. ¼ size pots are used for potting singly very small seedlings during first transplanting and also for layering in plants like West Indian Cherry and Guava. ½ size pots are extensively employed for growing well rooted cuttings of several kinds of plants and small plants of all kinds. ¾ size pots are preferred for growing Dahlia, Cannas, Palms, Shrubs, Roses etc. In addition to the above, the earthen pots were filled with soil mixture and used for raising vegetable crops. Apart from the above, the soil mixture is filled in polythene covers and used for the cultivation of vegetables like tomato, brinjal, chilli, turmeric, coriander, amaranthus etc.,
Earthen pots made of burnt porous clay in various sizes to hold enough quantity of soil and roof space for cultivating different kinds of plants. They have straight sides and are made wider at the top than at the bottom to hold the greatest bulk of compost and also to facilitate easy removal of soil, intact with roots (ball of earth) at the time of planting or repotting.
In our country, pots of varying sizes viz., tube pots, ¼ size, ½ size, ¾ size and ‘thali’ are used commonly. Tube pots are used to raise the rootstocks of mango and sapota for grafting purposes. ¼ size pots are used for potting singly very small seedlings during first transplanting and also for layering in plants like West Indian Cherry and Guava. ½ size pots are extensively employed for growing well rooted cuttings of several kinds of plants and small plants of all kinds. ¾ size pots are preferred for growing Dahlia, Cannas, Palms, Shrubs, Roses etc. In addition to the above, the earthen pots were filled with soil mixture and used for raising vegetable crops. Apart from the above, the soil mixture is filled in polythene covers and used for the cultivation of vegetables like tomato, brinjal, chilli, turmeric, coriander, amaranthus etc.,
Polythene bags
Small polythene bags with punched holes at the bottom for drainage and filled with a porous rooting medium are used for propagation of cuttings like jasmine, duranta, crotons etc., in the mist chamber. Some times, young seedlings which are raised in the nursery are subsequently transplanted in these polythene bags are kept there till they attain required growth for transplanting them to the main field (e.g., papaya, curry leaf etc).
Small polythene bags with punched holes at the bottom for drainage and filled with a porous rooting medium are used for propagation of cuttings like jasmine, duranta, crotons etc., in the mist chamber. Some times, young seedlings which are raised in the nursery are subsequently transplanted in these polythene bags are kept there till they attain required growth for transplanting them to the main field (e.g., papaya, curry leaf etc).
Plastic pots: Plastic pots, round and square are used to keep mostly indoor plants. They are reusable, light weight, non-porous and they require only little storage space.
Fibre pots: These are available in small size varying from 5-10 cm width and are either round or square in shape. They are bio non-degradable and last longer periods with the soil and plants inside.
Paraffined paper or Styrofoam cups
They look like ice-cream cups with drainage holes. They serve satisfactory as temporary containers for growing and transferring young plants on a large seed bed. They are light, cheap and require little space. Recently, thermocole molded pots have been gaining popularity as they are light weight and attractive.
They look like ice-cream cups with drainage holes. They serve satisfactory as temporary containers for growing and transferring young plants on a large seed bed. They are light, cheap and require little space. Recently, thermocole molded pots have been gaining popularity as they are light weight and attractive.
Tools
- Hand hoe
- Spade / showel
- Rose can
- Hand sprayer
- Gardening hose with sprinkler
- Bamboo stakes and jute strings
Other inputs
- Quality seeds from reliable sources like Agricultural University and Research Stations and National Seed Corporation.
- Good soil free from stones, weeds and other undecomposable materials
- Well decomposed organic manure (compost / FYM / leaf compost / digested coir compost)
- River bed sand
- Chemical fertilizers
- Insecticides
- Fungicide
- Organic inputs (Neem oil, Neem seed kernel extract, Panchakavya)
How to start
- Wash the container thoroughly and make drainage holes at the bottom
- Mix soil, compost and sand with the help of hand hoe and shovel.
- Fill the containers loosely with a gentle tap. The soil should settle, bearing one inch head space at the top for irrigation.
- a). For the transplanted vegetables, where nursery has to be raised, shallow pans and troughs can be filled with the fine mixture of soil, sand and compost (1:1:1) and the seeds should be sown. The container should be irrigated immediately after sowing. A layer of dry grass or straw is spread on top of the soil till the seedlings emerge, and thereafter it is removed. Most of the seedlings are ready for transplanting with one month of sowing. Recently, protrays are employed for raising vegetable seedlings. Protrays are the plug trays of 2-3’’ depth with a drainage hole. Initially ¼ portion of plug are filled with compost and one seed is sown in each plug and cover the remaining portion with compost or sand mixed compost. The watering and other operations are similarly to the above method.b)The seeds of certain vegetable crops which can be sown directly, should be sown in the selected pots/ polythene bags etc., The depth of the seed sowing should be about two and a half times of the seed size. Most of the vegetables are raised by sowing their seeds directly in containers. The seedlings of brinjal, chilli, tomato, capsicum and onion are transplanted in containers / pots after 30-40 days of germination. Their seedlings can also be raised in earthen pot or pans. A single healthy seedling may be transplanted in each container. Several seedlings, each of onion and knolkhol, and can be transplanted in a container of the same size. Two or three seeds are sown directly in such containers and later thinned out retaining healthy seedlings. The number of plants per pot may be varied with shape and size.
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