Currently, my area is entering the peak of the dry season. With temperatures reaching 38 degrees Celsius. With an area facing the sunrise, my garden gets full access to sunlight all day.
It's very tricky. But of course, all I can do is choose plants that are suited to the dry season. So, not forcing plants to grow in extreme temperatures is the best option.
I still have some productive plants in my garden. Gardening without hoeing.
The base of this plot is a former dump of residential construction waste. So there's nothing to dig up. It took about a year to create a sufficient amount of planting medium that can be used in this area.
Soil Bank System From Organic Waste
Organic waste can be turned into fertile soil for planting. I regularly create a layered soil bank system, starting with organic material in raised beds.
Starting from the bottom layer, I use used cardboard, followed by a layer of weeds, then organic waste from kitchen waste, and finally, goat manure. At the top, I add loose soil or ready-to-use planting medium. Within a few months, it will all turn into soil, ready to be transplanted into another container.
I keep repeating this cycle. I also create a soil bank using planter bags. You can see my long bean plants thrive in the round planter bags.
Planting What Can Be Planted
Instead of worrying about the hot temperatures and the many plants that won't survive, I instead turn my attention to planting what can be planted.
So, even before the dry season actually arrives, I usually map out my garden and determine what crops I can plant.
I focus on shallots. The dry season allows us to build a yearly stock of shallots.
This is good because there will be times, for example, when the rainy season comes and shallots are low in stock at the market, making them expensive. Having a stock at home, starting with the dry season, is a great thing.
The shallots I plant in my garden are enough to last for months, and as long as the rainy season is not over, I continue planting shallots to increase my stock.
Long beans are a must-have for the dry season. With a quick harvest, they keep the land occupied by long beans.
The long bean harvest is quite plentiful, and I usually share it with my neighbors. It's more than enough ♥️
Meanwhile, there's a newcomer in my garden: snake gourd. A unique vegetable that's surprisingly heat-resistant, and I can harvest them repeatedly. Snake gourd's flavor is even similar to cucumber. It's perfect for a variety of daily dishes.
Well, yeah, we always have something to be grateful for. Even though we're going through a lot of tough times right now, finding something to smile about is valuable. Even if it's not about beating ourselves up, and seeing what we can do today. Happy gardening!
Best Regards,
Anggrek Lestari
Anggrek Lestari is an Indonesian fiction writer who has published two major books. Now She is a full-time content creator. She has a goal to share life, poem, and food content that makes others happy and can get inspiration.
Contact Person: authoranggreklestari@gmail.com
Discord: anggreklestari#3009