2018 ASHS Annual Conference

Urban horticulture is not as new as many people think. A chinampa is a garden built as a small, artificial island on a freshwater lake surrounded by canals and ditches. Chinampas were first developed in Aztecs times and still can be found in the region of Xochimilco (close to Mexico City). They are built of aquatic vegetation and mud. The lake delivers water and fertile organic wastes; and fences made of native willow species protect a chinampa from wind and pests, apart from preventing erosion. Main crops are maize, amaranth, legumes, squash, tomato, chili pepper, diverse spice plants, and ornamentals. Complex rotations and associations between these crops allow up to seven harvests per year. Today, chinampas are still producing, but serve primarily as tourist attraction. Recently, diverse research and community initiatives are trying to recover the productive potential of chinampas and align this sustainable and productive system with the achievements and the needs of the 21^st century. The chinampa model could help to supply food for big cities, even benefiting from waste water rich in organic matter.