Project Grow Together is a gardening initiative by Greenspace. This gardening campaign was aimed at encouraging people to start gardening at home. The challenge first began on January 1st 2021 and continued for four months. We provided free non-GMO seeds for propagation and seedlings as part of the effort to teach, encourage and support the participants. The task was divided into five components.

• Vote a plant
• Tips and guidelines
• Discussions
• Share your process

Within the challenge, participants were permitted to choose a plant they wanted to grow. For better assessment and guidance, the possibilities were limited to plants that grew in less than 8 weeks. On Facebook, Instagram, and the main challenge group, votes were cast for vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, beetroot, radish, bush beans, pole beans, okra, and cucumber. The plants with the most votes (lettuce, beetroot, and cucumber) were picked. The challenge officially began on January 8th, when we sent out our first free seed deliveries.

Participants came from all around Ghana, including the Central, Eastern, Ashanti, Volta, and Greater Accra regions. Throughout the challenge, training materials and online classes were held on Zoom and in the official challenge group. The following skills were taught to participants:

• Home gardening essentials – These were the principles of gardening or vegetable cultivation.
• Pest control in your home garden: We talked about a crucial component of farming: fundamental farm management and pest control methods for growing vegetables.
• Seed planting techniques, irrigation, and plant management: Through shared materials, conversations, and presentations, participants were also given gardening skills, as well as ways for nursing, watering, and keeping their crops.

Thanks to the challenge group’s discussions and mentoring, participants were able to learn and have their issues addressed. The effectiveness of these discourse sessions was aided by agronomists, experienced gardeners, and trainers from both within and outside Greenspace. Participants were encouraged to discuss their method, problems, and victories throughout the challenge, which provided a wealth of learning opportunities for everybody. This challenge’s photos and harvest updates were the cherry on top, helping to foster a sense of community and joy among the participants.

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Participant’s comments on this year’s challenge.

I engaged in cucumber gardening. 
Overall, time is a big factor in gardening.  Without time it very difficult if not impossible to nature a healthy garden. 
I’m still in the process though, but love every single minute spent gardening. 
I’ll therefore be glad to join in the next challenge
 By Xornam

Good morning, dear.  Hope you are doing well.  I will gladly take part in any on future projects.
   I faced a lot of challenges in the just ended project so came out with nothing.  I did the planting in flower pots on my veranda.
  1) my fowls and fowls of neighbors destroyed the plants. ( i tried covering the area with mosquito net but some always found a way in)
   2) those not destroyed by the fowls were destroyed by worms or insects.
  3)the final straw was the rest died off.
  I would gladly take suggestions for future remedies. Thanks
 By Maggi

Great initiative by all standard.
Adequate knowledge gained for future use
By Ofebea Nkansah