Growing food organically on hard rocky terrainYogita Mehra and Karan Manral at

the International Centre Goa, Dona Paula

We started with building raised beds on what was virtually hard rock

2011 Adding soil , sand & compost to create raised beds of 8” height, bounded

with laterite stones

Laterite plateau with only 3”-4” of soil in

most places

2011

Shallow rooted crops begin growing on heavily composted beds

Planting complete, growing underway

Soil left bare to the elements. Bakes in

the hot sun and dries out fast

First round of crops had some pest and disease but were healthy

2011 Soil too clayey; sun too hot; soil dries

quickly

2012

Growing required regular addition of compost

Heavy doses of kitchen-waste

compost regularly added to beds to increase organic

matter in soil

2012

Companions added to help with pest management

Marigold border keeps pests away while attracting

beneficial insects

2013

Introduced mulch with magical effect on soil health and moisture retention

Heavily mulched beds require less

water, reduce unwanted growth

2014

Modifying layout to enable shade, vertical growing space and more mulch production

Dense glyricidia live fencing to create shade, provide

mulch and support for creepers

New walking paths created, thick

mulching continues

2014

Soaking glyricidia stakes in panchagavya to improve survival and growth rates

Panchagavya is a growth promoter made from cow’s milk, dung, urine,

ghee and curds

Soaking stakes in this before planting

increase chances of rooting

2014

Glyricidia established creating shade and ample mulching material for the beds

Live fence or stakes for creepers like passion fruit and

gourds

Shade in different parts at different times of the day creates micro-

climates

2014

Change in layouts (more curves) and denser mixed planting confuses most pests

Additional precaution using

sticky traps

Thick mulch to keep soil cool and reduce

water needs

2014

Taller perennials create a cooler microclimate that allows leafy vegetables to thrive

Shaded sections accommodate plants

that prefer cooler conditions

Companions planted together grow by filling in spaces

2014

Plants continue to grow well with virtually NO regular addition of compost

Soil seemed in great condition after rains,

so negligible addition of extra

compost this year onwards

Mulch needs to be added from time to

time to continue soil protection

2015

Plant yields increase with virtually no problems with pests, soil's water retention gets high

Increased yields, less pest attacks due to mixed

planting

2015

By year 4, what started as just 8 inches of soil is supporting a forest

Post monsoon-growth in Year #4.Glyricidia reaches up to 15ft.

Inside, papaya, banana and tapioca, little gourd, brinjal and chillies thrive with no attention.

Clearing underway for planting seasonal

annuals

Summary points

• Mulch to maintain soil fertility• Grow companion trees to help build soil – they form an

important framework• Plant diverse varieties to prevent pests – perennials AND

seasonal crops• Use compost/cowdung etc sparingly• Adapt the microclimate depending on what you want to

grow• Stack plants vertically and horizontally for greater

productivity

Before vs After

Green Essentials (Karan & Yogita)Goa, India

99606-43245 (Yogita)www.greenessentials.in yogita@greenessentials.in