Wednesday, March 11, 2009

How to use Amrut Mitti on the terrace farm

Material Required on the terrace
1. Sugarcane Bagass
2. Amrut Mitti
3. Aerated containers like Baskets, drums with base cut off and holes drilled on the side.
4. Organic kitchen waste
Method :
Take aerated containers as shown below.





Soak sugarcane bagass in Amrut jal and fill 40% of the containers with the same as shown below

Fill in Amrut Mitti



Plant the sapling in it.


Cover or mulch it again with Sugarcane bagass.


Now everyday add a fistful of pulvarised/finely chopped organic kitchen waste to it.


The waste can be finely chopped or pulverized and added on the bagass. After every 15 days a layer of sugarcane bagass should again be added.

A word of Caution :

There is no shortcut to this technique. It is important to make your soil for the following reasons.

1. This soil has a high microbial content which decomposes the waste that is added daily. If any other soil is used instead of Amrut mitti, the decomposition may not happen at a desired level .

2. The soil is rich in nutrition and has good structure, Right pH, and good % of organic carbon thereby making plants pest free, reducing water requirements.

3. Do not feed the plants with too much enthusiasm. The rate of decomposition has to match the amount of waste added. If one is more than the other one might see fruit flies etc. At such times stop adding waste and sprinkle with dry soil.

What are the sources of procuring the materials required?

Sugarcane Bagass can be procured from Sugarcane juice vendors…In Mumbai they are available throughout the year and the vendor is too happy to do away with it.
“Amrut Mitti” should be made at your own premises. The relationship developed with the growing local microbes makes for better sustainability of the microbes.

Aerated containers like laundry baskets, bamboo baskets can be purchased from open market. Scrap drums of Oil paint etc… can be recycled as containers for planting. Holes should be drilled towards the peripheral base for releasing heat during decomposition.

Plants and saplings can be planted directly on the slab by floowing the same procedure.


There is no cause of worry as roots do not enter the slab to any harm to the structure. They stop growing at the point where they do not get soil.




5 comments:

  1. very very usefull ..... thanks. pls tell water irrigation for this method... my ID designerpassion@gmail.com

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  2. I am keen on learning about terrace gardening
    and have been doing google search on this for sometime. Its a good thing that someone close by is already into this full time. It would be great if you could assist on how to begin vegetable farming on terrace.
    Sameera Kapoor

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  3. This is an excellent activity. Helps environment,soothes us internally, saves us money,less chemicals in our system,fortifies our connection with nature and brings a lot of satisfaction. Most importantly this is the solution for our farmers' woes especially small land holders. Thanks a lot. Your zeal and commitment will go a long way in securing the future of many people.
    Brahmatej

    ReplyDelete
  4. i always search in net how to do a terrace garden,ur web site is very use full to m but kindly suggest how to prepare terrace for water prooffing before u make gardening

    ReplyDelete
  5. How does one use Amrit Mitti in a farm.
    Srinivasan, Powai

    ReplyDelete