By: Modou Touray
Women vegetable gardeners have attributed the flooding of their garden principally due to poor drainage systems during the construction of the Kombo coastal road project. They argued that the long-term effect has crippled their vegetable cultivation in the rainy season.
“At the time of constructing the main road, the contractors erected the bridge at a wrong position and they have not factored in the plight of the women gardeners. Now instead of the running water flowing to the ocean, it flows through our garden,” Binta-ba Janneh, President of the Gunjur women’s garden said.
The damages caused by flooding in a garden can be enormous. When plants are exposed to stagnant water for long periods, the roots can suffocate and die. Toxic compounds can also build up in saturated soils. Photosynthesis is inhibited, slowing or stopping plant growth.
“Anytime there is a heavy downpour of rain, the gutters and the poor drainage systems lead to overflow into our garden and the water has no way to escape but flood our garden and our vegetable crops die.”
Horticultural farmers around the Urban areas utilize every little space available in cities and towns amidst buildings and other constructions for growing plants. They utilize this space to raise gardens that can be economically productive while contributing to environmental greening.
The President of the garden Binta-ba Janneh asserted that they have now shifted to rice cultivation in their garden space hence gardening vegetables is not possible in the rainy season.
“We embark on rice cultivation because there is too much water in our garden all because of the way they constructed the drainage system around the highway. We cannot grow other vegetables during the rainy season because of the flooding water in the garden. The drainage system needs reconstruction.”
According to Lamin Sambou, a retired agric extension expert, garden flooding is normally associated with a very heavy downpour of rains resulting in a delay in which the water can infiltrate into the ground or a low point on the surface of the ground causing the water to accumulate. He said garden flooding may also result from surface water runoff from adjacent high ground.
“The best soil suitable for vegetables includes lots of compost and organic matter such as composted leaves and ground or shredded, aged bark. Whatever you’re starting with, incorporate enough organic material so that the amended soil is neither sandy nor compacted. Unfortunately, if the garden is flooded, it will be difficult to carry on effective horticultural gardening.”
An ever-increasing issue in gardens is the problem of flooding and boggy ground. Saturated gardens can easily become compacted and are difficult to develop into usable garden space. Flooded gardens are not always a result of just heavy rain.
The ground becomes devoid of oxygen and soil life which makes it impossible for it to absorb nutrients. A lack of oxygen also makes the ground smell stagnant and foul. These ground conditions typically lead to the roots of plants rotting and eventual die. This can be a serious issue if your drainage problem has evolved.
