Improving Household Agriculture with Roof-Harvested Rainwater: A Case Study in Sydney and Nairobi

The production and distribution of a sufficient quantity of food and water of satisfactory quality is at the heart of sustainable development. At the small domestic scale, roof-harvested rainwater can make a significant contribution to food supply and distribution systems (production, handling, storage, and transportation). In this paper, we compare the potential crop production of a small garden plot using three methods of watering: (1) rainfed only with no irrigation; (2) irrigated with the ideal amount of water; and (3) rainwater tanks of various sizes installed and used to irrigate the plot. Yield was determined on the basis of the yield calculation method presented in FAO 33. It was found that yields can be increased considerably by installing a correctly managed rainwater storage system (RSS). A 3 kL RSS connected to a 120 m2 roof can increase yields in Nairobi from 40 kg to 96 kg. In Sydney, a larger roof of 200 m2 can increase yields from 66 kg to 143 kg. This study makes an important contribution to water and food security-related sustainable development goals.

Effect of Potassium Carbonate used to Improve Phytosanitary and Agronomic Parameters of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Crops

Aims: The present study aims to evaluate the effect of potassium carbonate (58 p.c) on agronomic and phytosanitary parameters in tomato crops. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out from May to September 2020 at N'gattakro, a village near the international airport in the city of Yamoussoukro, center region of Côte d’Ivoire. Methodology: Five doses of potassium carbonate (PC:T1= 2 Kg/ha; T2 = 3 Kg/ha; T3 = 4 Kg/ha; T4 = 5 Kg/ha; T5 = 6 Kg/ha), a reference control (TR1= IVORY (mancozeb 80%) and an untreated control were tested in a Fisher's complete block design with 4 replicates in a commercial garden plot. Results: As results T4 and T5 potassium carbonate improved the tomato yield. These doses promoted the yield of 5.02±0.09 and 6.92±0.16 t/ha compared to the control (3.405±0.1 t/ha). Moreover, at these doses, there was a low manifestation of toxicity. In addition, 6kg/ha of PC showed a fusarium wilt infection rate of 1.38±0.71% compared to 3.62±0.90% for the control. Conclusion: Potassium carbonate (58%) at 6 kg/ha can be an alternative solution to chemical control of fungal diseases in tomato cropping.

Landscaping Project for a Private Garden Plot in the City of Zaporizhzhia

Landscaped areas provide individual, distinctive features and play an important role in shaping the environment of a private garden plot. The authors of the present study developed a landscaping project for a private garden plot at 80 Izmailivska Street, city of Zaporizhzhia. One of the main points of the works was to conduct an inventory of the available plantings. The authors identified the species composition of trees and shrubs located on the landscaping territory. In the project territory, the largest area is occupied by herbaceous cover and is 32.5%, while the smallest area is allocated for tree plantations – only 1.9%. The area under paving and flower beds will be increased at the expense of the territory that is not occupied in the reconstruction project. In the project area, most woody plants require only pruning and are in good condition. Pruning is planned for 10 black mulberry trees (Mórus nígra L.), remnants of a privet hedge (Ligústrum vulgáre), one bush of Vanhoutt Spiraea (Spiraea × vanhouttei (Briot) Zabel.) and one bush of rosehip corymbose (Rosa corymbifera), which have lost their decorative appeal. The formation of plantings in this study aims to create an orderly shape of the crowns of trees and shrubs, which will give them a geometric shape. For decorative purposes, it is also planned to plant the following plants: boxwood tree (Buxus sempervirens var.), iris brazenberry (Iris L. brazenberry), moss phlox (Phlox subulata L.). On the site located to the east of the outbuilding, it is proposed to set up a flower garden from groundcover and flowering plants in a peculiar geometric shape that would follow the shape of the path. On the north-western side of the plot, it is planned to replace the fence with a modular gabion wall covered with rambling vine. The colour of elements of this style should be made in cool, grey tones, white, blue and purple colours are well combined. As a result, it is planned to set up a decorative pond near the arbour, the contour of which will be decorated with smooth stones. The rest of the area is to be covered with a rolled lawn. As a result, an individual and beautiful style of landscape design will be selected for the project area

Consumer-Ready Insect Hotels: An Assessment of Arthropod Visitation and Nesting Success

Insect nesting boxes and hotels have the potential to provide shelter and overwintering sites for beneficial insect communities such as pollinating bees, wasps, earwigs, and other predatory arthropods. This study evaluated beneficial arthropod visitation to consumer-ready, commercially available nesting boxes over a 2-yr period. Insect hotels were placed on mature river birch (Betula nigra L.) and crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica L.) in garden plots established with floral resources for pollinators and other beneficial insects. Paper and thread-waisted wasps, soldier flies, predatory ants, and spiders were observed visiting the boxes. Boxes located in garden plot treatments (with floral resources) had the greatest numbers and diversity of pollinator and beneficial insect taxa compared to control plot treatments (naturalized areas away from floral resources) in 2016. Insect hotels placed on B. nigra had a higher number of thread-waisted wasps in 2016 and spiders and total beneficial insects in 2017. Higher numbers of predatory ants and total beneficial arthropods were found in boxes placed on L. indica in 2016. During the study, bamboo stems and drilled tunnels in the insect boxes were evaluated for arthropod inhabitance. Largest counts of occupied stems and tunnels were observed in boxes placed in proximity to floral resources and on L. indica trees.

Benefits of Gardening Activities for Cognitive Function According to Measurement of Brain Nerve Growth Factor Levels

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of gardening activities in senior individuals on brain nerve growth factors related to cognitive function. Forty-one senior individuals (age 76.6 ± 6.0 years) were recruited from the local community in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea. A 20-min low-to-moderate intensity gardening activity intervention, making a vegetable garden, was performed by the subjects in a garden plot located on the Konkuk University (Seoul, South Korea) campus. The gardening involved six activities including cleaning a garden plot, digging, fertilizing, raking, planting/transplanting, and watering. To determine the effects of the gardening activities on brain nerve growth factors related to memory, blood samples were drawn twice from each subject before and after the gardening activity by professional nurses. The levels of brain nerve growth factors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), were analyzed. Levels of BDNF and PDGF were significantly increased after the gardening activity. This study revealed a potential benefit of gardening activities for cognitive function in senior individuals.

Becoming Garden

This paper is composed of a series of moments that evolved from an inquiry with our community garden plot. This inquiry involved children’s, educators’, and families’ experimentations and processes of “coming to know” the garden. We attempt to grapple with the messiness of a “garden” and the assemblages and binaries that exist within it. We experiment with sitting in our garden as a space not yet defined. Through this process, we found that a community garden is open to a plurality of possibilities. This entangled process of coming to know speaks to the imaginary and involves layers of touching, hearing, seeing, drawing, talking, writing, and storying our garden.

PERAN WAKAF DALAM PEREKONOMIAN (STUDI WAKAF TUNAI TERHADAP PEMBANGUNAN EKONOMI)

Waqf is an instrument for the welfare of the people who first performed by Umar ibn Al Khatthab permission of the Prophet. At that time, Umar had a garden plot of fertile and productive in Khaibar dei to there is a passion for helping others and for the welfare of the people, then Umar bin al Khatthab consult to the Prophet. How you can donate the garden ?. The Prophet suggested that the estate remains substantially and well run and the results are donated to the community. That is, just to be maintained and managed, while the results are donated for the benefit of the people. Similarly, when the bi Ali Abi Talib and Uthman bin Affan donated part of his fortune to be managed and the results are donated for the benefit of society.