These tall growing pots reduce the surface area to reduce evaporation, thus conserve water. A wide variety of growing media has been tried, including soil based materials, corn stocks and crushed wood chips.

Oliver Waziweyi has invented a simple growing system for a small hydroponic garden. The system is a tube system made from bamboo pipes.  Oliver has designed a two tiered structure which is only one square meter.

The following is from "The Manica Post", Friday, October 10, 1997:

"A 50 year old Chigodora man, Mr. Oliver Waziweyi, says he has come up with an original idea that, if seriously pursued, could be a panacea for the increasing dearth of gardening space and water- hydroponics.

Mr. Weziweyi, who is also the Manicaland provincial chairman of the Zimbabwe Farmers' Union Horticultural Commodity, told The Post at the just ended Manicaland Agricultural Show where he was exhibiting his "poor man's garden" that with hydroponics one does not need land or soil to grow vegetables.

"The idea is to conserve land and water and to fight hunger," he said. "You can grow your vegetables on any medium; curl lights, gravel, rockwool, egg shells - virtually anything."

"We are fast exceeding the carrying capacity of the land. That we are now building upwards is testimony that we are running short of space. People who live in flats usually buy vegetables because they do not have the land on which to grow their own. Hydroponic gardening could be the answer to our problem."

He said the hydroponic garden has several advantages over the usual one. It is smart; one can work in it in a suit or wedding gown. It is interesting - particularly where a medium other than soil is used.

Vegetables grown under such conditions are free of chemicals like fertilizer, herbicides, or insecticides. Above all, it is generous on water consumption.

The hydroponic garden that he exhibited at the show occupied one square meter of land. It had 10 strawberries, four peas, 10 spinach, six covo, one pineapple, six shallots, 10 carrots, four herbs, two cabbages, three lettuces and several flowers.

All these plants, which looked healthy and flourishing, were being watered with just five liters of water a day.

The vegetables are grown in bamboo sleeves 30 centimeters in height. A hole is then marked about four centimeters from the bottom of the sleeve, which will be closed. The bamboo is then watered up to the hole level, which acts as a regulator.

The water used has to be nutrified, Mr. Waziweyi said organic nutrients were available overseas but he could order them for interested people.

"You can also use readily available organic nutrients. All you have to do is find a small bit of soil, collect fishing worms. Introduce them to the feed box and feed them on kitchen leftovers.

"Remove the worms and collect the soil and stir it in water and you have nitrified water!"

Alternatively, Mr. Waziweyi said, one can use bat droppings. "Bats come to your home on their own and leave you their valuable droppings for free. All you have to do is mix the droppings with water and use it to water your vegetables. Chicken manure can also be used in the same way," he said, adding that this had the advantage that the smell of droppings had a repellent effect on insects and hence no need for insecticides.

Mr. Waziweyi invited those interested in hydroponic gardening to contact him at St. Werburg's Secondary School, P. Bag P 7024, Mutare, Zimbabwe, Africa."
 

Notes from Peggy Bradley:
Oliver's garden is built of bamboo and can be built by farmers in Africa.  It is a wonderful design, and can be placed on a balcony or porch.  Oliver might look at adding a plastic roof on the top of the structure to reduce water use even more.  I do not know it that would work, but Oliver is great at experimenting to discover a good way.

The use of manures is an excellent idea, and the most important part of making these garden's work in poor areas. Raw manures not composted, can smell and might be a problem with neighbors.  If smell is a problem, allow the manures to be composted in a worm farm or in a decomposing bed.  This reduces the offensive odors..

Oliver's design uses less water than tub systems.  It is a great concept.  Keep up the great work Oliver!