Thanh Dong Organic Vegetable Garden — the birthplace of organic agriculture in Central Vietnam

Herbs — guardians of the vegetable garden

Herbs and flowers in pest management

Instead of using chemical pesticides, herbal sprays made from plants available in the garden can be used to repel harmful pests. The preparation is extremely simple: mix 1 kg of crushed ginger, garlic, and chili into 6 liters of alcohol, steep for 12 hours, then add 300g of sugar; it is ready to use after 4 to 5 days.

Flowers are planted alongside most vegetable beds. In addition to beautifying the garden, flowers serve as an ideal habitat for natural predators and lure pests away from feeding on vegetables.

Crop rotation, intercropping, and crop diversity

All vegetables are cultivated using two fundamental methods: crop rotation – intercropping and crop diversification. Instead of planting only taproot plants on a bed, farmers intercrop them with fibrous root plants to optimize space and balance soil nutrients.

Crop diversity is an effective method to improve soil quality. The most fascinating aspect here is not a garden enclosed by high walls, but rather one where bamboo and living plants are used entirely as fences.

Elephant grass is used as livestock feed; its leaves are covered in hairs, providing strong wind resistance. To prevent pesticides from drifting in from surrounding fields and to keep out stray animals, elephant grass is an ideal barrier plant, while also providing habitat for beneficial natural predators.

Passion for organic agriculture

Uncle Pham Meo shared: “When we first started gardening, it was very tough; the weather was harsh with heavy rain and strong winds. We hadn't yet mastered organic farming techniques, facilities were lacking, and capital was limited.” Despite such hardships, with the dedicated support of ACCD, Thanh Dong organic vegetable garden has now become a source of safe vegetables for city residents.

This place has become a tourist destination for domestic and international visitors, while regularly hosting extracurricular activities for children to learn about organic farming.

Alongside Thanh Dong, an organic vegetable garden has been established at the Cam Thanh commune community house. The ACCD Center also has an organic corn cultivation project in Cam Nam, Hoi An. With these viable projects and a passion for organic agriculture, Hoi An is poised to become a safe city with clean food and eco-friendly practices in the near future.