Not having enough land to plant has not deterred Mr Siphosakhe Ngcongo from Ezakheni B-Section. Ngcongo has had to come up with innovative ways to grow veggies with minimal space.
Ngcongo uses what he calls ‘hydroponic gardening’. With this method, he doesn’t need soil and another advantage is that it uses less water compared to ‘natural’ ways of planting.
Also read: Last chance to help Ayanda become Mrs South Africa
He prefers to use perlite instead of soil. Perlite is a volcanic glass that is heated to 1600 degrees Fahrenheit, whereupon it pops much like popcorn and expands to 13 times its former size, resulting in an incredibly lightweight material. Perlite is covered with many tiny cells that absorb moisture on the exterior of the particle, not inside, which makes it particularly useful in facilitating moisture to plant roots.
Ngcongo says his biggest challenge is to find enough space to pursue his dream of becoming a farmer.
Click to receive news links via WhatsApp. Or for the latest news, visit our webpage or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Join us there!
