Mandaue’s CAO eyes purchase of shade nets for urban gardeners

File photo: The Mandaue City Government will be distributing additional free seedlings to those who want to venture in urban gardening amid the coronavirus pandemic | Photo courtesy of Mandaue City PIO

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The Mandaue City Agriculture Office (CAO) is thinking of ways to help urban gardeners here protect their plants from the excessive heat.

One remedy that office in-charge Sharon Mangadlao has thought of was the purchase of shade nets, which is a lightweight knitted polyethylene fabric that can protect plants and people from the sun.

Mangadlao said that she is now in the process of completing the list of beneficiaries that she would use as basis in preparing her request for the purchase of shade nets.

READ: Mandaue City Fire Station adopts urban gardening, promotes healthy lifestyle among personnel

She said that her request will be sent to the City Council for the passage of a resolution that would authorize said purchase.

Urban gardeners

In a recent meeting with urban gardeners, Mangadlao said they raised a concern on how the heat and the lack of water supply has affected their plants.

READ: Urban gardening pushed in Cebu City

Urban gardeners are those that practice containerized gardening.  They usually sell their harvests in their respective communities and use part of it for their personal consumption.

Meanwhile, Mangadlao said they currently have enough supply of vegetable seedlings that they will distribute to the urban gardeners.

READ: Urban gardening 101: How to grow plants in an urban setting

Despite the heat, she said that CAO was able to continue to produce seedlings because they have enough water supply at their nursery.  They also cover their seedlings with shade nets.

Moreover, Mangadlao said that Mandaue City residents who wish to request for seedlings can visit their office located in Sitio Sudlon in Brgy. Maguikay.