Rotarians’ ‘eureka’ moment during Kenya visit

Supermarket carrier bags used as hanging containers for growing vegetables

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A Rochdale Rotarian has told of his ‘eureka’ moment on a recent trip to Kenya.

David Acton from the Rotary Club of Rochdale and Middleton Rotarian John Brooker are both Rotary International members of a water/horticultural conservations evaluation team. They recently visited Kenya where they hoped to trial their vertical vegetable grow bags, however, within just two days of arriving they realised the cost of the product was far more than the African market could afford.

The Rotarians, along with the Kenyan Rotary team and local community development agency staff spent time trying to come up with a solution.

They concluded that if every discarded plastic supermarket carrier bag was used as a hanging container for growing vegetables worldwide food shortage would be eradicated.

By day three of the trip a new re- vamped and completely free grow bag was ready to be introduced to the Kenyon rural community.

In a report on the Rotary Club of Rochdale’s website, Mr Acton says the main advantage is that the bags are free and available worldwide.

Mr Acton writes: “The completed grow bag takes five seconds to make – place one bag inside another for strength, half fill with suitable growing medium, hang it up, punch 2 holes 1”/2cm up from the bottom of the bag, plant seeds or push in a seedling ‘plug’ add water and let nature take its course.”

When the bag is hung up it creates a plastic ‘cone’ shape which allows condensation to trickle back down inside the bag into the soil so reducing water loss.

Mr Acton continued: “The moisture content can be carefully monitored visually and by a light squeeze of the bag, if it feels turgid (slightly soft) then the soil inside is in perfect condition.

“The bag can be hung in semi where a cool environment exists whilst the plant can reach out and be supported in the warmth of bright sunlight. The soil/compost can be examined for ground borne bugs – weevils, slugs etc before being hung up. Bags can be hung one above the other to maximise yield in a given space.

“Where farm yard animal’s donkeys, goats, sheep and chickens cause problems by eating the young plants the bags can be held above their reach. The advantages stacked up like points in a tennis match.”

Mr Acton concluded: “What idea could be simpler and more environmentally friendly.”

He would now like to involve interested growers, both amateur and professional in the UK particularly in ‘urban farm’ situations, to try the growing method and feed back their comments.

Suitable vegetables are tomatoes, peas, beans, courgettes, peppers, cucumbers and strawberries.