One way of stimulating interest in farming or hobby gardening is to form a group of similarly-inclined people. Just like what we have done at the Manila Bulletin. A number of staff members have informally formed the Vegetable Gardeners’ Club consisting initially of editorial staff members who are actually planting vegetables for their own consumption.

No, it is not a group registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It is just a group of men and women interested in planting vegetables in their home gardens. There’s no membership fee and there’s no definite date of meetings. But discussions could be held any time whenever members of the group find themselves together over lunch or elsewhere.

The thing is that every member is proud of what he is doing. Johnny Asuncion, for instance, once excitedly related that he had counted more than 40 fruits from just one Diamante Max tomato plant that he grew in his backyard. He even knew exactly how many days he harvested the first fruit from the time of planting. And he claims that his plants are the first things he visits when he goes home. And also the first things he checks when he wakes up in the morning.

Of course he had one sad story to tell. When he attended the Agrilink trade show last October, he bought some tomato and pepper seedlings from East-West Seed Company. They were very robust and he was so happy to see them grow after just a few days from planting. Then in his eagerness to hasten the growth of his vegetables, he bought urea fertilizer and mixed a couple of handfuls in water which he sprinkled liberally on his plants. Of course, because of the overdose, all his plants got burned. That was a most painful lesson that he would never repeat. Now he only uses organic fertilizer.

Cles Rambaud, the Bannawag editor, has his own story to tell. See photo of his fruiting tomatoes at right. Then Ariel Tabag, the entertainment editor of Bannawag, is also excited about his kangkong and camote plants grown inside a rubber tire filled with organic potting medium. Sharing one’s experiences with other garden enthusiasts is the key to happy and productive gardening. Why not form your own group?
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FREE SEMINARS. On Saturday, April 10 attend free seminars on crab culture, hito culture and all about herbs at the AANI herbal garden and livelihood center at the Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City. On Sunday, April 11, there will be a free lecture on Pangasius culture at the same place.