land clearing - cabi.org...land clearing week 1: • land preparation is the first step for your...
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Land clearing
Designed and Illustrated by:
Mango Treewww.mangotreeuganda.org
Land clearing
Week 1:• Landpreparationisthefirststepforyourfarmingventure.Ifyouprepare
thelandproperly,therestofyourfarmingactivitieswillbecomemucheasiertocomplete.
• Startwithclearingorcuttingallthetallgrasses.• Removetreesandallheavybushesandtreestumps.• Takecaretoalsoremovestonesandanyotherobstaclesfromyourfield.• Theresultshouldbeafieldthatisreadyforploughing.• Donotburnthebushesbecauseburningexposesthesoiltoerosionand
alsocauseslossofsoilnutrients.
First ploughing
Designed and Illustrated by:
Mango Treewww.mangotreeuganda.org
First ploughing
Week 2:• Firstploughingisdonebeforetheonsetofrainstoturnplantmaterialintoorganicmanurewhilealsobreakingthesoiltoallowmorewatertoenter.Thisprocessalsoincreasestheamountofairavailableinthesoil.
• Dependingontheresourcesavailable,thefarmercanuseahandhoe,anoxploughoratractorwithaplough.
• Ifyourfieldhasperennialweedssuchascouchgrass,speargrassorwonderingjew,youneedtospraythefieldusingherbicideslikeglyphosate,roundupandweedmaster.Alwayscontactanagricultureextensionworkeroranagrodealerformoreguidanceonherbicides.
Agerminationtestshouldbecarriedoutduringthisperiodtoensurethatseedsarecapableofgerminating.Itshouldalsobeofhighgerminationpercentage,notlessthan85%in2weeks.Contactagro-dealersandseedproducersforqualityseed.
Second ploughing and harrowing
Designed and Illustrated by:
Mango Treewww.mangotreeuganda.org
Second ploughing and harrowing
Week 3:• Carryoutsecondploughingfollowedbyharrowingtoobtainafinertilth.
• Removeanytrashandotherobstacleswhichcanhinderseedgermination.
Manure application and planting
Designed and Illustrated by:
Mango Treewww.mangotreeuganda.org
Manure application and plantingWeek 4:Farmersareencouragedtoapplyorganicfertilizertoimprovethesoilfertility.Thiswillresultinhigheryields.Note: Other fertilizers can also be good as long as these are also decomposed. Inorganic fertilizers e.g UREA, NPK can also be used but only after advice from your agriculture extension worker or agrodealer.
Plantinginlines:• Useastringtomakerowsinyourfield.Spacingshouldbe50cmapartand30cmbetweenplants.
• Usingasticktomakea1cmdeepfarrowfollowingthestring.• Mixseedwithsoil/manureinaratioof1:4(1quantityofseedto4quantitiesofsoil/manure)beforeplantingtoavoidcongestionandseedwastage.
• Planttheseedinthefarrowandcoverwithlightsoil.
Weeding and thinning
Designed and Illustrated by:
Mango Treewww.mangotreeuganda.org
Weeding and thinning
Week 6:• Timelyweedingwillleadtoincreasedyields.• Timelyweedingminimizescompetitionforfoodandlightbetweenweeds
andmalakwang.Itwillgivemalakwangbetterconditionstogrow.• Weedingalsoreducespestanddiseaseinfestationattheearlystages
whichwillleadtoincreasedyields.• Weedingshouldbedoneassoonasweedsemergeandbeforethe
floweringofweeds.Thiswillreducetheriskofweedsspreading.• Thinningisdoneatthetimeofweeding.Duringthinningthelessvigorous,
off-typesanddiseasedplantsareremoved.Thegoodqualitythinnedplantscanbesoldorconsumedathome.
Pest and disease management
Designed and Illustrated by:
Mango Treewww.mangotreeuganda.org
Pest and disease management
Week 8:• Pestanddiseasemanagementshouldbeacontinouseffort.• Bothorganicandinorganicpestcidescanbeusedtocontrolpestsand
diseases.• Itisrecommendedtoalwaysseekadvisefromanagricultureextension
workeronpestanddiseaseidentificationandmanagement.Note: The farmer should monitor the field to ensure quick action is taken in case of break out of pests and diseases.
Harvesting malakwang
Shortterm
Longterm
Designed and Illustrated by:
Mango Treewww.mangotreeuganda.org
Harvesting malakwang
Week 12-18:Malakwangvegetableisreadyforharvestingstartingfrom60-90daysaftergermination.Thecropcanbeharvestedintwoways:
1. Uprooting (Week 12-16):Thisismostlydoneincommercialproductionbyuprootingthewholeplant.
2. Cutting tender stems (Week 16-18):Thisiscommonlydoneinkitchengardensforhomeconsumption.Thetenderstemsarecutevery1-2weeksuntiltheplantflowers.
Seed production for malakwang
Designed and Illustrated by:
Mango Treewww.mangotreeuganda.org
Week 21-24Step 1:Cutthewholeplantandspreadthemonacanvas/tarpaulininthesuntodry.Step 2: Afterdrying,putanothercanvas/tarpaulinontopandbeatgentlytoexposetheseedfromthepods.Step 3: Removecanvas/tarpaulinandthetrash.Winnowtoobtaincleanseed.Step 4:Packageseedsincleanandairtightcontainerandstoreonaraisedplatforminacool,drywellventilatedplace.
Seed production for malakwang