There are numerous methods that you can use for preparing land for planting that will help me make the living world around me come alive.
One-Time Tilling
Mulch Alone
Sheet Mulching
Double Digging
Solarizing
Animals (focus on chickens and pigs)
Crop establishment
Categories of planting materials
Types of Planting Materials
• Seeds (seasoning herbs, legumes, corn)
• Seedlings (most vegetable crops)
• Cuttings (cassava, potato, yam, ginger, dasheen, tannia, eddoes)
• Suckers (banana, plantain)
• Budded/ grafted plants (fruit trees)
Certain Factors need to be considered when you are choosing planting matter or seedlings from nurseries or plant shop.
Environmental Factors
• The surroundings should be free from overgrown bushes, generally clean, no waterlogged conditions
• Seedlings should be in conditions that are free from excess shade. If seedlings have too much shade they do not “harden off” and they have difficulties when they are transplanted.
Seedling Characteristics
The seedlings should:
1. Be of the appropriate age (seedlings with 4-6 healthy green leaves)
2. Be free from pests and diseases
3. Have healthy white roots (good root development, with no balling of roots)
4. Show vigorous, healthy growth
5. Be of uniform appearance
6. Have the proper Shoot to Root ratio (2:1)
Methods of planting various crops
Broadcasting: Generally, the seeds are broadcast-sown and later planked. This method of sowing is easier and area coverage is quick. However, uniform population cannot be maintained since the seeds are not placed in uniform depth and germination may not be uniform. The skill of the labour is important to sow the seeds evenly covering the entire field. Broadcast-sowing is normally practiced under dryland condition. Seed requirement is generally high for broadcast sowing.
Sowing behind the country plough: In this method, sowing is taken up behind the country plough operation. Seeds are dropped in the furrow opened during ploughing and subsequently covered while the next adjoining furrow is formed. Bold seeded crops like groundnut are sown by this method in drylands. It is important to take up sowing at the appropriate soil moisture so that the depth of sowing is uniformly maintained.
Drill Sowing or Drilling: Drill sowing is one of the best methods that provides uniform plant population since seeds are uniformly dropped in the furrows. Animal drawn or power operated seed drills are used for this purposes; seed cum fertilizer drill can also be used. By this way, depth of sowing can be maintained; fertilizer can also be applied simultaneously. Pelleting of small sized seeds may reduce the risk of irregular dropping. Since sowing is taken up in lines, intercultural operations can be easily practiced. It is possible to take up sowing of intercrops also.
Dibbling: In the method, a seed or few seeds are put in a hole and covered. Under irrigated condition, seeds are dibbled in lines or on the sides of the ridges maintaining optimum intra- row spacing, e.g. maize and cotton. Though this method is laborious and time consuming, it gives rapid and uniform germination and the requirement of seed is less than in broadcasting.
Methods of Plant Propagation
1. Cutting
This is cutting the vegetative part of the plant (leaf, stem, and root) and then planting it again to regenerate the whole plant. The three types of cutting are named after the plant part being detached/cut:
Stem cutting
Leaf cutting
Root cutting
2. Division
This is a suitable technique for perennials (plants that live for more than two years). It involves dividing the plant by digging and moving it to an already prepared site. This helps the plant to rejuvenate and reduce water and nutrient competition.
3. Layering
In this technique, the attached and bent branch of the plant is covered with soil and allowed to root. After the emergence and development of roots that specific part of the plant is cut and allowed to grow as a new plant. This is called ‘layering’.
4. Grafting
This involves cutting a twig of one plant and joining it with the stem of another plant in such a manner that they form a unit and function as one plant. It is a bit of a complex process but allows you to bring the desired character to your plant. However, be sure to sterilize your hands and tools to make sure you don’t transfer any infections during the process.
5. Budding
In this method, a cut is made in the rootstock and a single bud with little or no wood is inserted into it in such a way that they unite and grow as a new plant.
Time of planting depends on the following factors
Soil and weather conditions
The kind of crop to be planted.
The time the produce is desired.
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