Gardening may involve hard work, but it also has many benefits. For some, farming is seen to include both small- and large-scale cultivation. In this book, however, the word “gardening” is used only to describe small-scale farming. The words farming and gardening are used interchangeably. This text focuses on the cultivation of crops, although livestock can be used to support a gardener with organic manure.
A garden can be productive, but some people only see gardening in the form of kitchen gardens. When a garden is productive, it yields surplus produce that can be sold to the market after meeting the family’s needs. In this way, it provides an additional source of income to sustain one’s livelihood. It is typical in Guyana and elsewhere that people prefer to consume fresh organic fruits and vegetables rather than those cultivated with the use of fertilisers.
To maximise production, the soil must be properly prepared. Either organic or inorganic manure can be used for soil fertilisation. A relatively small cost is attached to the input necessary for a well-prepared soil. This investment, however, has the potential in most cases to yield a greater return, as the farmer has more produce to sell. The choice of seeds, seedlings and tubers for cultivation is important, and a gardener must be careful when choosing these materials for planting. Without irrigation, drainage and sunlight, all of the effort of the gardener may be wasted. Plants may need additional nutrients to increase their growth, and these can be obtained from both organic (animal manure/livestock waste, dead plants and organisms) and inorganic (chemical) fertilisers. These materials can be applied to the soil to increase plant growth and development.
Pests and weeds hinder the successful production of garden produce, and therefore strategies and an adequate response must be formulated to manage these issues. Pruning plants helps enhance productivity by keeping the garden healthy. People need healthy food, and the current idea is that this can be procured from small-scale farmers using organic means of production. Therefore, for a small-scale farmer to keep up with popular demand, he or she must be able to produce and sell the farm’s produce in a timely manner.
When gardeners want to increase production and generate revenue, the environment must be considered. The misuse and overuse of chemicals can be harmful to the environment. The desire to use more fertilisers helps production, but the soil also needs rest. If the soil is rested, it may be able to increase production without much additional cost.