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A farmer's guide to home gardening. How to establish and manage home

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Citation: Mugisa, I.O., Molly, A., Muyinda, M., Gafabusa, R., Kituuka, G., Kyampeire,
B., Atim, J., Nampeera, M., Nafula. R., Sseruwu, G., Kabanyoro, R., and Akello,
B.O. 2016. A farmers’ guide to home gardening: how to establish and manage home
gardens. NARO- Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute,
Uganda.

This work may be transmitted for non-commercial use and educational use within
Uganda with acknowledgement of the National Agricultural Research Organisation
(NARO), Uganda and Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development
Institute (MUZARDI). For additional rights, please write to director@muzardi.go.ug.
Acknowledgement
The production of this guide was facilitated by the Government of
Uganda, MAAIF, through the World Bank funded ATAAS project.
NARO-MUZARDI and the authors greatly acknowledge this support.
The authors would also like to thank the UAP farmers in Kampala,
Wakiso and Masaka, community leaders, schools, LG, Camp Green
International and KCCA’s agricultural production department, for
their collaboration. We are grateful for all the information they have
shared that has in one way or another contributed to the development
of this guide.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 ii

Acronyms
ATAAS Agricultural Technology, Agribusiness and Advisory Services
GAPS Good Agricultural Practices
GoU Government of Uganda
KCCA Kampala Capital City authority
LG Local Government
MAAIF Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries
MUZARDI Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute
NARO National Agricultural Research Organisation
UAP Urban and Peri-urban

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 iii

Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ii
Acronyms iii
Table of contents iv

Introduction 1
Why home gardening 2
Characteristics of home gardening 3
Important things to consider 4
Types of home gardens, their establishment and management 6

• Food towers 6
• Sack and polythene gardens 8
• Container and box gardens 11
• Hanging gardens 13
• Ridges and flower beds 14
• Green houses 15
Get the best out of your home garden 15
How to make compost manure 16
Things to avoid 17
Success stories 18
Conclusion 19

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 iv

Introduction
Urban and peri-urban (UAP) farming refers to the production of food
in and around towns or cities. It is usually done in small areas, due to
the limited and expensive nature of the land in such areas. Over 50%
of the world population is currently estimated to live in urban areas.
Cities and towns continue to expand as a result of several factors
including economic growth and migration from rural to urban areas,
while agricultural and rural employment opportunities continue to
decline or lag behind population growth. By 2030, it’s estimated
that 30% of Uganda’s population will be living in urban areas. The
increase in UAP populations has contributed to food insecurity in
these areas, especially among the urban poor.

Urban and peri-urban agriculture provides income and employment

opportunities to the population, supplements the sources of food
supply at affordable prices, thereby contributing to food security and
enhanced nutrition among UAP dwellers. Considering that land is a
limiting factor for most UAP dwellers, intensive integrated resource
management, innovation and strategies are required for optimizing
productivity in agricultural enterprises.

Home gardening, also known as backyard or kitchen gardening, is

one of the main types of crop UAP farming. It includes various ways
of growing crops in backyards, balconies, vacant spaces or any kind
of small garden.

Urban and peri-urban farmers usually lack information on the practical

steps taken to establish home gardens. This guide is therefore intended
to inform and guide farmers and any other interested stakeholders,
about various aspects of home gardening such as its benefits, key
aspects, types and the practical steps taken to establish them. It can
also be used by extension workers for training purposes.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 1

Why Home Gardening?
• Enhanced food security: It supplements the food requirement
of urban dwellers. It reduces food insecurity by providing direct
access to home-produced food to households. If well planned and
managed, a farmer can have continuous production throughout
the year.
• Better nutrition: It provides families with nutrients e.g. minerals
and vitamins through consumption of home grown products
like vegetables. This in turn boosts the immunity of farming
households.
• Income generation: It provides employment, especially to
women and youth, through production and sale of produce to
markets.Leafy vegetables for instance, provide a quick return
to meet a family’s daily cash requirements for purchasing other
food requirements.
• Scarcity of land: It utilizes little space which would otherwise
have been unproductive.
• Accessibility to markets: farmers who produce for marketing can
readily acquire markets to sell their produce. This reduces on
post harvest losses and cost of production since produce is sold
immediately and there is no need for expensive transportation,
storage or refrigeration of products.
• Waste management: It has the potential to minimize/reduce on
urban waste if food remains and farm waste are translated into
compost manure. This can further minimize production costs
with limited need to purchase inorganic fertilizers.
• For leisure and ornamentals: Home gardening is done as a hobby
by some farmers who naturally love gardening. Others use home
gardens as ornaments and to add beauty to their environments.
For instance, vegetables planted in buckets and well maintained
can make the compound look more beautiful.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 2

Characteristics of Home Gardening
• Any gaps or vacant spaces available in your compound can be
used for home gardening. Due to the limited land available to
UAP dwellers, it’s a necessity to maximize on the space available
for each family.Farming can therefore be done in small areas e.g.
balconies and backyards.

Sukuma wiki (African kale) Eggplants and tomatoes

growing in sacks in between growing in sacks on balcony
rented houses of a chicken house

Eggplants and spring onions growing in wooden boxes and

polythene bags

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 3

 • All year round production: Food production can be done
both on-season and off-season since garden sizes are mostly
small and manageable. Water harvesting can be done in a
tank (below or above ground) and the water used for irrigation
of crops in dry seasons.

Banana and sukuma wiki (in bags/sacks) planted in a backyard

Important Things to Consider

• Soil fertility management

In order to maximize productivity, soil fertility should be maintained

at all times.
This can be done either by incorporating organic fertilizers e.g.
chicken droppings, compost manure, farmyard manure or green
manure in soil or by using recommended quantities of inorganic
fertilizers.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 4

• Irrigation/ water supplementation
This is a major necessity if one is to produce crops all year round.
Considering the unpredictable weather changes we are currently
experiencing, farmers should ensure that they harvest water and
use it for irrigation e.g. using watering cans or drip lines during dry
spells for daily watering of crops. One should bear in mind that
daily watering of crops especially in drought eventually makes the
soil compact, hindering water infiltration. To reduce on this, one
should either mulch or lay some stones (particularly when planting
in buckets) on the top surface. This also reduces on soil erosion.

• Soil erosion control

Soil erosion eventually affects crop outputs. Important minerals
are lost together with top soil, leading to lower yields. Soil erosion
should be controlled by mulching where possible or using ridges
that allow excess runoff water to be drained.

• Good drainage
A farmer should ensure good drainage when using small gardens
e.g. sacks, buckets and food towers. Poor drainage will hinder
proper crop growth. For instance, soils that are too clayey should be
avoided or mixed with sand to improve drainage. Stones should also
be placed in the center and/or at the bottom of food towers, sack and
container gardens to facilitate drainage.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 5

Types of Home Gardens, their
Establishment and Management
• Food towers
These are raised structures that are used mainly for the production
of vegetables. They are of various types as shown below.

Examples of food towers planted with various vegetables

Different materials are required to establish them.

These include;
• Wire or plastic mesh
• Wooden poles (e.g. eucalyptus poles or bamboo)
• Panga/Hacksaw
• Stones (Small to medium sized)
• Nails
• Hammer
• Wire mesh cutter
• Manure/organic compost mixed with top soil
• Ash
• A shovel
• Polythene
• Seedlings ready for planting
• A watering can

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 6

Steps to follow when establishing a food tower
• Identify a leveled ground in your backyard where you can
establish the food tower.
• Mark a small circle of 10cm radius in the center on the ground
using ash.
• Mark another outer circle of 100 cm radius from the center of
the smaller circle also using ash.
• Chop or cut the wooden poles using a panga or hacksaw into
pieces of 1.5m length (about 8-10 poles: the more the poles,
the firmer and stronger the food tower will be). In a similar
manner, make 5 poles of 1m length. Sharpen one side of each
wooden pole using a panga.
• Drill/make 5 evenly spaced holes (about 10-15cm deep or
more) around the circumference of the inner circle that was
marked with ash and 8-10 evenly spaced holes around the
circumference of the outer circle.
• Tie a piece of polythene to cover the 10-15cm on the sharpened
end of each pole.Place the 1m high poles in the holes of the
inner circle. Hit them at the top until theyare firm enough in
the soil/ground. Do the same for the 1.5m high poles in the
outer circle but at a slight angle i.e. slanting toward the inner
poles but an even distance away from them.
• Roll a double layer of the wire or plastic mesh around the
entire circumference of the inner circle outside the poles and
cut it using a tin cutter where it stops. Fasten it with nails along
the length of the poles using a hammer. Do the same thing
along the circumference of the outer poles.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 7

• Pour stones in the middle of the inner circle within the wire or
plastic mesh up to the brim. The stones are meant to improve
drainage and water distribution in the food tower.
• Shovel top soil mixed with manure into the area between the
outer and inner mesh up to the brim.
• Plant crops on your food tower, both on top and on the sides of
the wire mesh in between the poles while leaving appropriate
spacing.
• Water the crops immediately after planting them using a
watering can.
• You could cover the top of the food tower with dry grass to
preserve moisture, avoid soil erosion and compaction.

It is advisable to plant vegetables that once mature, one can

continue harvesting over a longer period of time e.g. sukuma wiki,
egg plants and spring onions. For more productivity, ensure that
the soil is thoroughly mixed with manure before being placed in
the food tower. Regular manuring should be done to maintain soil
fertility.
• Sack and Polythene gardens
These can be made in various sizes by doubling or tripling
polythene or sack layers. To make a bigger sack garden, one can
sew different sacks together horizontally and at the edges. Plants
can be planted on the sides of the sack. Good soil fertility and
drainage should also be ensured.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 8

 Spinach growing in a sack Sukuma wiki and eggplants
garden growing in sacks

The materials needed for sack and polythene gardening include:

• Stones (Small to medium sized)
• Sacksand polythene
• Manure or organic compost mixed with top soil
• A round container (about 9-12 inches in diameter) with the top
and bottom cut out
• A knife
• A shovel
• Seedlings ready for planting
• A watering can

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 9

Steps to follow for sack/polythene gardening
1. Place the sack/polythene on an even ground and put a small
layer of soil (about 4 inches) at its bottom.
2. On top of the soil, insert the round container (with the bottom
and top cut out), just in the center of the sack/polythene. In
case you are using a smaller sack/polythene, use a 9 inch
diameter container. If the size is bigger, for instance when two
or more sacks have been sewn together, use a larger container
e.g. 12 inch diameter or more.
3. Fill the container with stones up to its brim. The stones are
meant for drainage and water distribution in the sack/polythene.
4. Shovel the soil around the container that you have filled with
gravel. When the soil reaches the top of the container, lift
the container up slowly, leaving the stones in the center, to
create more space for adding gravel. Add more stones in the
container. Add more soil around the container.
5. Repeat the same process until the sack/polythene is full. Your
sack should have the center comprised of gravel/stones only.
6. Plant crops on your sack. For instance, you could plant four
crops at the top and about eight crops on the side of a sack
measuring 2 feet high. Water the crops immediately after
planting them.
7. Cover the top of the sack with grass to retain water in the sack.

Follow steps 1-7 to make as many bags as you need in your sack
garden. Space your sacks in the garden for easy movement when
watering your garden. That space also allows the crops on the
sides to get enough light for healthy growth.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 10

Always water your sack garden every morning before 9:00am and
every evening after 5:00 pm. Pour water through the stones in
each sack. You can also pour water on the sides of each sack
around the plants.

• Container and box gardens

Various containers can support vegetable growth e.g. buckets,
wooden boxes, pots, jerry cans, plastic bottles and woven baskets.
They can be of different shapes and sizes depending on one’s
preference and the space available.

Wooden box gardens supporting growth of various vegetables

Buckets supporting vegetable growth can be used as ornaments

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 11

The materials needed for container and box gardening include:
• Any container that can support vegetable growth i.e. can allow at
least 25cm depth of soil- for the root system.
• Stones (Small to medium sized)
• Manure or organic compost mixed with top soil
• A knife
• A shovel
• Wood (preferably flat), polythene sheet, a hammer and nails (in
case of a wooden box)
• Seedlings ready for planting.
• Watering can

Steps to follow when establishing a container garden

1. Choose a sunlit area to place the container.
2. Place the container on an even ground.
3. Put a small layer of stones (about 3-5 inches) at its bottom. This is
meant to improve drainage.
4. On top of the stones, add good soil that has been mixed with
manure up to its brim.
5. Plant the desired seedlings in your container.
6. Water the crops sufficiently well immediately after planting them.
7. You may mulch the soil with grass to retain water in the container.
8. Space your containers well for easy movement when watering
your garden.

For plastic containers, such as buckets or jerrycans, some holes can

be punched at the bottom prior to planting to improve drainage and
prevent water logging.
For wooden box gardens, bottomless boxes can be made using wood
and nails. An inner lining of polythene should be put before adding soil
to maintain moisture within the box while at the same time preventing
the wood from easily getting rotten. The box can be a depth of about
1 metre or more.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 12

• Hanging gardens
This refers to gardens that are suspended in the air or are not directly
supported by the ground. This method allows you to grow vegetables
e.g. tomatoes without reducing much on the already limited space. It is
usually practiced by those who totally lack where to grow vegetables
but still have the interest. Different containers e.g. baskets, bottles and
buckets can be used.

Photo credit: www.pinterest.com

Hanging gardens supporting vegetable growth

Steps to follow when establishing a hanging garden

1. Start with a small hanging pot, some potting soil, a hook, gardening
supplies, and your choice of plants. Opt for resilient and vibrant
annual vegetables
2. Clear your balcony and select a good area to hang the garden.
3. Drill the hook in the desired spot. Make sure it is well fastened and
secure.
4. Fill up the container/basket with good loam soil. This should be
well manured, not too clayey or too sandy.
5. Plant the seedlings you desire to grow and water them sufficiently
well. Avoid pouring too much water since all the excess water
might drip to the ground in case of the basket.
6. Hang up the container/basket on the hook in the desired spot.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 13

• Ridges and flower beds
Home gardening can also be done on ridges and in flower beds.
Ridges are raised beds that are made by heaping soil (10-20cm) on
the ground. Although making ridges is quite laborious, it has some
advantages. For instance, there is better drainage because runoff water
easily flows off between the ridges. Ridges also favor vegetable growth
because the soil is usually more friable.

Vegetables (Bbuga and Jobyo) planted on ridges

• Green houses
A green house is a transparent structure used for growing tender plants
(e.g. vegetables) both in and out of season. When grown in a green
house, plants are protected from harsh conditions for instance very
high temperatures. Pests and diseases are also controlled. The amount
of water received by plants within the green house is also usually
controlled because the plants are watered.

Vegetable seedlings in a green house at the KCCA agricultural

resource Centre
A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 14
Get the Best Out of Your Home Garden
1. Carefully decide which plants you want to grow. Not all
vegetables can be grown this way, choose plants that don’t
need a large radius to thrive e.g. onions, carrots. Avoid putting
fairly large vegetables (e.g. egg plants) in very small containers
(like bottles, small jerrycans) which might not be in position to
support the root system.
2. Carefully select your seedlings based on nutritional and economic
value, resistance to pests and disease, how long they take to
mature and whether they are suitable for local conditions. Fast
maturing crops should be given priority.
3. Start with crops that you are familiar with and which do not
require a lot of maintenance.As you gain experience, you can
tackle high maintenance crops, such as tomatoes.
4. Grow leafy vegetables that keep growing even after the leaves
have been harvested. Examples include;sukuma wiki, spinach,
spring (leafy) onions, etc.
5. Take advantage of the free resources around you, such as rain
water, discarded sacks and other materials that can be used for
home gardening.
6. Preferably choose a sunlit area to place your home garden.
Make sure they have plenty of room between them to grow and
be watered.
7. Water frequently depending on the prevailing weather
conditions and on the location of your garden. E.g. Plants grown
on the balcony will require more watering than those placed in
an open space. Potted gardens need more watering than regular
gardens because of the confined space. Do not wait till the plant
is wilting to water.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 15

8. Ensure that you perform all the other necessary GAPs required
to support plant growth e.g. maintaining soil fertility by using
manure.

How to Make Compost Manure

It’s advisable to apply organic manure to your soil to ensure that
it’s healthy and produces healthy crops. You can make compost
manure using plant residues, animal wastes and/or food remains
which decay to produce a nutrient rich organic fertilizer.
Compost manure can be made by following these steps:

• Make a pit of 30-45 cm deep and 2m wide with any convenient

length.
• Chop dry vegetative matter into pieces and put a layer of 30
cm in the pit.
• Add a 10cm layer of either old compost, any kind of animal
manure or slurry in the pit.
• Add 10 cm of green materials. Maintain a ratio of 1:3 for greens
and dry matter.
• Add kitchen wastes e.g. leftover food, fruit and vegetable
peelings. Avoid wastes that attract pests e.g. meat and dairy
products.
• Sprinkle some top soil taken from the top 10cm of cropped
land.
• Water the whole pile well.
• Repeat all these layers except for the 1st layer of twigs until the
heap is 1 to 1.5m high.
• Cover the heap with 10cm of top soil to prevent loss of
nutrients.
• Water the heap twice a week. Turn the compost heap over
every 3 weeks with a spade or fork and always cover it after
turning. It will take about 6-8 weeks for the compost to mature.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 16

This method is best in areas with higher rainfall. The pit method
(where a pit of 1.2m wide and 0.6cm deep is used), is best used
when there is low rainfall or during dry spells. Preferably choose a
sheltered site for the compost pile.

Things to Avoid
To achieve the best out of home gardening, it should be done in a
controlled and disciplined manner. Farmers should guard against
the following:
• Using contaminated water sources: Use of contaminated (e.g.
dirty and filthy) water to irrigate crops can lead to health hazards
such as typhoid epidemics.
• Unnecessary cutting of trees to acquire space for production:
Farmers should always remember that trees are very important
in the ecosystem and therefore shouldn’t always be destroyed
to create space for crop production.
• Visual untidiness: A clean and organized environment is always
a target of cities and towns. Farmers should therefore guard
against visual untidiness and poor sanitation in their gardens.
Rubbish or waste should be properly disposed of or handled.
• Pollution of the environment and other resources: Farmers
should be conscious of environmental pollution from farm
or farm by-products. For instance, avoid unnecessary use of
chemicals for spraying crops planted in small gardens within
the homestead. Farmers are also encouraged to use manure
that is well decomposedto avoid the bad smell that pollutes the
air within the homestead.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 17

Success Stories
A number of urban farmers have benefitted from this practice either in
terms of food security, income generation or both. Some of the success
stories are shared below:

Ms. Babirye Harriet, is an urban farmer who

resides in Entebbe Division, Wakiso District.
She obtained training on urban farming
facilitated by NARO-MUZARDI. She lives
on a 100 x 80ft plot of land. In spite of the
limited space available to her, she has a
passion for farming and practices home
gardening in various forms. She grows tomatoes in an area of 20x30ft. She
also has a food tower, hanging and potted gardens of various vegetables e.g.
sukuma wiki, spring onions, green pepper and eggplants on her balconies.
Omulongo Babirye also rears poultry within a small structure she established
in her backyard. Apart from providing food for her family, she also earns
about Ug. Shs. 280,000/= monthly from the sale of products from her home
gardens.

Mrs. Mugisha Cynthia is an urban farmer

who resides in Salaama, Makindye in
Kampala, Uganda. Her family obtained
training on urban farming facilitated by
NARO-MUZARDI. They have a backyard
garden of about 30x20ft in which they plant
tomatoes and other vegetables. They also
established a food tower of various vegetables including eggplants, sukuma
wiki and green pepper. Last season, they got a bumper harvest of eggplants.
This supplemented their family diet and they also shared the surplus harvest
with some of their neighbors.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 18

Conclusion
Home gardening can provide a number of benefits for those who
practice it. The various types of home gardening highlighted above
can easily be established by any urban or peri-urban farmer who is
interested in home vegetable growing.For successful home gardening,
farmers should ensure that they practice good agronomic practices in
addition to the steps highlighted in this guide.

A FARMERS’ GUIDE TO HOME GARDENING 2016 19

 NARO

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