Auroville Center for Urban Research


ACTIVITIES & SERVICES		TRAINING > GREEN WORK

	> Program Proposition for Training Gardeners > Realisation after 6 months of runing program

	PROGRAM PROPOSITION FOR TRAINING OF 6 GARDENERS: SETTING UP OF A VEGETABLE AND SEED PRODUCTION GARDEN IN THE AV BOTANICAL GARDEN The vegetable section of the Botanical Garden would like to propose a practical training program for the gardeners in Auroville to be able to grow vegetables on a home/commercial scale as well as on seed saving techniques. This will be a step-by step procedure starting from a barren site; tackling; along the way, all the necessary skills for food production, like forming a nursery, making compost piles, setting up a basic irrigation system, making beds, planting, after-care, harvesting for food as well as for seed, and lastly seed saving. 1. CLEANING THE SITE Learning to use the different weeds, outcome of the cleaning, either as mulch, or to recycle them in a compost pile, depending on their nature.
	2. DESIGNING THE GARDEN > Learning to plan the garden according to the amount and nature of produce required. > Learning to make full and efficient use of the available space to place the beds/hedges. > Aligning the beds in appropriate direction in accordance with the sun. > Learning to use boundary and inter-spacing features between beds to avoid monotony and add an aesthetic value to the garden. > Learning to identify landscape features like existing shrubs/trees/pond/bund and incorporate them in the landscape of the garden.

	3. LEARNING HOW TO BUILD A SOIL-BODY, CALLED A RAISED BED > Leaning to position correctly and to mark the proposed site with rope. > Learning to dig the drains, and the beds themselves. > Learning how to create water conservation measures on top of the bed for proper use of water and to avoid localized run-off during irrigation. > Learning how to create hedges for shade and by-products. > Installation of a well designed irrigation system, for an easy and efficient use by the gardeners. During this program, explanation in Tamil will be provided to the trainees, to enlighten them of different aspects and purpose of the raised bed, mulch and proper water use. During this program, the trainees will always be assisted by 2 trained workers, who will act as demonstrators.
	4. ELABORATION OF COMPOST PILES, USING DIFFERENT MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES > Learning how to build a compost pile with animal manure. > Learning how to build a compost pile using the Biodynamic method. > Learning how to build a compost pile using efficient micro organism (EM). > Learning how to build a compost pile using surrounding materials only. > Learning how to maintain, evaluate and use a compost pile. > Learning to identify usable materials, generally rejected by people, to create compost (leaves, top-soil, decomposed materials). > Collecting in Auroville, using a vandi, materials to create compost. During that program explanation in Tamil will be provided to the trainees, as well as the trainees will be always assisted by 2 trained workers, who will act as demonstrators.
	5. CREATION OF A VEGETABLE NURSERY > Learning how to prepare nursery soil. > Learning how to use different nursery materials like germination trays, seedling pots/bags, sieve. > Learning how to sow the different vegetables species seeds according to their nature (tomatoes, salads, brinjals, peppers, ladies finger, squashes, water melon, melons, condiment herbs, corns, sun-flowers, amaranths….) > Learning how to maintain and evaluate the maturity of the seedlings to be transplanted. > Learning how to transplant the different vegetable species according to their nature. > Learning direct sowing methods for certain vegetables. > Learning about the different vegetables seasons in Auroville, and the appropriate time to start vegetable nursery and vegetable gardens. During that program explanation in Tamil will be provided to the trainees, as well as, the trainees will be always assisted by 2 trained workers, who will act as demonstrators.
	6. STARTING THE VEGETABLE GARDEN, IN ANNADANA GARDEN (Mahakali, park), AND IN AV BOTANICAL GARDEN > Learning how to design a vegetable garden > Learning how to transplant seedlings, proper spacing in between them, proper composting, and proper depth of transplanting > Learning how to position the different species, introduction to the concept of perma-culture and companion planting, to avoid pests and to work within nature's principal. > Learning how to make support structures for different vegetables like tomatoes, cucumber, and gourds. > Learning how to create green houses, and isolation tunnels using bamboo, shade net, and mosquito net. > Learning how to create "life green houses", using creepers, local trees and shrubs as shade providers
	> Learning to maintain and provide after care, to the vegetable garden. > Learning to recognize the right time to harvest the vegetables for food as well as for saving seeds. During that program explanation in Tamil will be provided to the trainees, as well as, the trainees will be always assisted by 2 trained workers, who will act as demonstrators. 7. INTRODUCTION TO THE CONCEPT OF SEED SAVING The trainees will be introduced to the concept of saving seeds for the next season, as well as seed saving and conservation techniques, and the roles of insects as pollinators, and how to protect and respect them.
	INTRODUCTION TO THE CONCEPT OF SOIL The trainees will be introduced to the concept of growing soil first, for a sustainable and profuse agriculture, as well as learning about in situ green manuring as an alternative to imported animal manure.
	TREES AND SHRUB NURSERY IN THE BOTANICAL GARDEN > Learning how to prepare the right mix of soil for nursery bag. > Learning how to fill plastic bag and to position them correctly in their permanent places. > Learning about germination techniques according to the different seed species. > Learning about transplanting the different species. > Learning about after care provided to the seedlings. > Learning about some of the common trees and shrubs of the Auroville area. LANDSCAPING IN THE LIGHT OF WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION (in mahakali park, Annadana garden) > Learning how to visualize the movement of water, which can occur during heavy rainfall. > Building water harvesting structure, in a spirit of enhancement of the landscape.
	REALISATIONS FROM THE GREEN WORK TRAINING CENTER AFTER 6 MONTHS OF RUNING PROGRAM Creation of 4000 sq. Vegetables gardens, demonstrating the different techniques of sustainable agriculture and also of bio intensive mini farming. Elaboration of 100 m3 of organic and biodynamic compost. Plantation of 100 different species and varieties of vegetables, and companion plants. 4 Workshops given to 10 Tamil gardeners, working in Auroville, on compost and raised bed elaboration. CREATION OF TREES AND SHRUB NURSERY The nursery hosted 15000 trees and shrubs, from which more than 6000 were planted this October in Auroville. The nursery host today around 20000 seedlings among 80 different species, getting ready for the next season.
	CREATION OF A VEGETABLE NURSERY > Learnt how to prepare nursery soil. > Learnt how to use different nursery materials like germination trays, seedling pots/bags, sieve > Learnt how to sow the different vegetable species seeds according to their nature (Tomatoes, salads, brinjals, peppers, ladies finger, squash watermelon, melons, condiment herbs, corn, sunflowers, and amaranths….) > Learnt how to maintain and evaluate the maturity of the seedlings to be transplanted > Learnt how to transplant the different vegetable species according to their nature > Learnt direct sowing methods for certain vegetables. > Learnt about the different vegetables seasons in Auroville, and the appropriate time to start vegetable nursery and vegetable gardens.

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