Level Up Yuh Space this Labour Day lockdown

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted so many parts of our lives, but as time goes on, people have found ways to cope, and re-establish some sense of normality. That includes finding ways to adapt, for example, on special calendar days such as Labour Day.

With an all-day Labour Day lockdown, Jamaicans will be forced to find ways to labour. This year, NCB Foundation and Jamaica 4-H Clubs teamed up for the second-annual 'Level Up Yuh Space' initiative, and as Jamaicans labour at home, they are focusing on building your backyard spaces.

The initiative encourages Jamaicans across the island to 'eat what you grow, and grow what you eat' by levelling up their yard spaces to their full growing potential. At the same time, they hope to educate and encourage individuals to take personal responsibility for their roles in addressing larger issues, such as agriculture and food security concerns, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year's initiative saw 6,000 seedlings and 400 fruit trees disseminated in communities in Kingston and St Andrew, St Mary, Clarendon, St Catherine and St James on Friday.

Dwain Moodie, an expert from Jamaica 4-H Clubs, shared some tips on how you can level up your backyard space.

TIP #1 – SIZE MATTERS

Start small and scale up as your garden grows and begins to thrive! Being able to manage the space and the number of plants properly will determine the success of your garden!

TIP #2 – LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Starting a garden is just like real estate; it's all about location.

Place your garden in a part of your yard where you'll see it regularly (out of sight, out of mind definitely applies to gardening). That way, you'll be much more likely to spend time in it. Place it where the sun shines — most edible plants need 8-10 hours of sun to thrive, so keep your beds away from trees, as too much shade is an issue. Place it in an area with good access to water (either via a hose or your kitchen), and use a rain gauge to ensure the chosen area won't be negatively affected by rainwater.

Make sure the area is level and doesn't get heavy traffic from kids playing or pets romping.

TIP # 3 – PLAN BEFORE BUILDING YOUR GARDEN

When planning how you'd like to grow your garden, there are a few things to consider when it comes to actually planting your seedlings. Will you go for an in-ground garden, raised beds or container gardening? All have their advantages and disadvantages depending on the space you're working with. Do your research, and based on your space, see which works best for you!

For example, raised beds make it easier to control weeds, cause less soil erosion, improve soil drainage and often increase production. Container gardening, on the other hand, is much more adaptable based on space. They are inexpensive to start and make it easy to start small as you don't need a lot of space and can use simple things such as plastic bottles, wooden boxes or old tyres. They call for no digging or tilling and really are perfect for any and everyone!

TIP #4 – PREPARE THE SOIL

When starting a garden, you want to start with the right soil! The standard is a 2:1:1 ratio of soil, sand and organic matter to give you a nutrient-rich, well-drained mix. Organic matter includes compost, manure, sphagnum peat moss, shredded leaves or decomposed grass clippings. You'll need to ensure you break up dirt clumps, rake the soil smooth, level it off and pat it firm.

TIP #5 – CHOOSE WHAT TO GROW

What are your garden goals? Think about what you and your family like to eat and match that with the growing conditions of your particular garden space. This means putting sun-loving plants in a sunny spot, choosing suitable plants for our tropical climate, and giving vines like pumpkins and melons plenty of room to spread or trellis to climb. Some suggestions include green beans, onion and spinach, which need about 2-4 inches of space between plants, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, which require about 12-18 inches of space or peppers, tomato or eggplant that need 18-24 inches of space.