AGRICULTURE REPORT - Building a Rooftop Vegetable Garden

AGRICULTURE REPORT - Building a Rooftop Vegetable Garden
By Bob Bowen

Broadcast: Tuesday, September 21, 2004

This is Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Who says people need land to grow vegetables? All you need is a roof that is strong enough, and flat enough, to support a garden.

We are going to describe one way to build a rooftop garden that does not even require soil. The advice is based on a method developed by the Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization, or Echo¹, in the early nineteen eighties. Echo is a Christian² non-profit group that has a demonstration³ farm in Florida. The idea was to help people living in cities to grow their own vegetables.

Four things are needed to follow this design for a small rooftop garden. One thing, as we said, is a roof that can support the weight. Another is grass cuttings. The third thing is a sheet of plastic on which to spread the cut grass. And the last thing is a box about eight centimeters deep and made out of four pieces of wood.

Once you are sure the roof is good, cut and collect some grass. Then lay down the plastic where the garden box will go. The four-sided box can be as long and as wide as needed. Place the box on top of the sheet of plastic. Then fill it with the cut grass. Next, add water and walk on the cuttings to press them down.

After about three weeks, the rooftop garden is ready for planting. Put the seeds directly⁴ into the wet grass cuttings. This garden is a good place to grow peas⁵, tomatoes, beans, onions and lettuce⁶. If the box is deep enough, potatoes and carrots will also grow.

It is important to keep the grass wet until the plants begin to grow. When the plants are growing, they will need watering every day, unless there is rain. And they will need some liquid fertilizer⁷. If you can get chicken waste, you can make your own liquid fertilizer. Put the chicken manure⁸ in a cloth bag. Then, put the bag in a big container of water. After about one week, the water becomes a good liquid fertilizer.

Rooftop gardens need a lot of water. Also, seeds and new plants must be protected from insects and birds.

Rooftop gardens are increasingly⁹ popular, and not just to grow vegetables. They keep buildings cooler in the sun, so they save energy. They can also extend¹⁰ the useful life of a roof. Rooftop gardens also reduce the runoff of stormwater and help clean the air. Plus they add beauty, and give birds and insects in the city a nice place to live.

This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Bob Bowen. This is Gwen Outen.

1 echo   

n.回音，共鸣；vi.发出回声；vt.模仿，附和

参考例句：

• She shouted on the mountaintop and listened for the echo.她在山顶上大声喊着，然后聆听着回声。
• I should like to echo the words of the previous speaker.我想重复前面一位发言者的话。

2 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

3 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

4 directly   

adv.直接地，径直地；马上，立即

参考例句：

• I will telephone you directly I hear the news.我一听到消息，马上打电话给你。
• She answered me very directly and openly.她非常坦率地、开门见山地答复了我。

5 peas   

豌豆

参考例句：

• My little sister picked up many green peas in the field. 小妹从田野里拾到许多豌豆。
• The twin brothers are as like as two peas. 那两个兄弟毫无二致。

6 lettuce   

n.莴苣；生菜

参考例句：

• Get some lettuce and tomatoes so I can make a salad.买些莴苣和西红柿，我好做色拉。
• The lettuce is crisp and cold.莴苣松脆爽口。

7 fertilizer   

n.肥料，化肥

参考例句：

• Fertilizer enriches the soil.肥料使土壤肥沃。
• Get some more fertilizer for the garden.给花园再多施些肥料。

8 manure   

n.粪，肥，肥粒；vt.施肥

参考例句：

• The farmers were distributing manure over the field.农民们正在田间施肥。
• The farmers used manure to keep up the fertility of their land.农夫们用粪保持其土质的肥沃。

9 increasingly   

adv.逐渐地，日益地，逐渐增加地

参考例句：

• Rivers are being increasingly made use of by man. 河流正在日益为人类所利用。
• I find it increasingly difficult to live within my income.我发现靠收入过日子越来越难了。

10 extend   

v.伸开；展开，伸展；扩大；加大

参考例句：

• Can you extend your visit for a few days more?你能把你的访问再延长几天吗？
• The examinations extend over two weeks.考试持续两个星期。