Category: AGRICULTURE

SEAWEED-CULTURE

SEAWEED-CULTURE

(Guso in Visayas; agal-agal in Malay)

 

Plant the kind of seaweed that grows fast “tambalang “(from cotoni specie).

 

1. Choose the place in the sea where it is favorable to grow seaweed:

a. Where other plants as well grow.

b. The sea bottom is hard sand or stony, not clean and soft sand.

c. The water moves, not stationary, but the current is not so strong as to carry away the

seaweeds.

 

2. Plant only the branch- this grows easily even without a hold at the bottom.

 

3. Its hold must be loose, not firm.

 

4. Planting must be submerged in the lowest tide in the sea, about 1-2 ft at lowest. It should

not be exposed above water for 1-2 hours.

 

5. Don’t plant by a river or where brackish water will reach it.

In one and half months (about 45 days), it will show if the place is conductive for seaweeds

planting. If not, the seaweed is pale, or like pale yellow.

 

PROCEDURE

 

1. Set up posts at the sea bottom, with 20-25 cm high from the water bottom line, one-meter

apart for each pair and 10-m apart each pair.

 

2. Tie nylon strings across the 10-m’s distance. One hectare of seaweed area can have 1000

of 1-m lines, and each line can accommodate 35 plantings.

 

3. Remove sea urchins and fishes that will feed on the seaweeds and wild weeds growing

nearby so as not to crowd the seaweeds.

 

4. If the plant disappears, or if a plant grows too slowly, change it with a fast growing one.

 

5. Harvest before each plant reaches about a kilo each (2-3 months) because this will slow

down growth and cause shade and breaking of branches. Cut the branches so they will grow

again, or change with a new plant. The bigger is the new plant, the faster can it be harvested.

 

6. The harvested seaweeds are exposed to the sun for 3 days in a clean place. Spread out on

coconut leaves or latticed bamboo. Reverse several times and remove stones and dirt.

 

7. Cover at night and when it is raining.

 

From : Technology PCARRD VOL 111

No.3 1981 Los Baños

Kamoteng kahoy

CASSAVA

 

Cassava can be a long term plant, from six months to two years depending upon the use it is

intended for. Although this grows anywhere that the soil is loose and not water logging, and

rich, farmers do not care much for it. Many are still unaware that besides being second to rice

among crops, cassava is valuable in industry. From cassava, alcohol, glucose, solvent,

explosives, animal feed, fertilizers, energy and others are derived.

 

There are many kinds of cassava that are well adapted to our climate, but only four of these

are common because of their low hydrocyanic acid content. There are Golden Yellow,

Katabang, Macan and Brasil. Two others used in the manufacture of starch are the Hawaiian

5 and Java Brown. The Mandica Sao Pedro Preto is not edible because of its high poison

content.

 

PLANTING

 

1. Cassava may be planted at any season, but it is better if the soil is always wet in the first

4-5 weeks after planting.

 

2. The stem to be planted must be from a matured plant, about a year old, 25 cm long with 5-7

nodes from bottom stem. The thickness of the stem must not be smaller than half of the fattest

part of the stem from where it is cut. If the stem is smaller than this, it will not have much

nutrient content with which to start the new plant, so the roots and growths will be small.

 

3. Cut the stem crosswise with a sharp bolo. Avoid bruises and breaks and plant within the

week when the stem are cut. The stem to be planted can last up to 10 days if these are

wrapped in a wet cloth or sack and placed in any airy and shady place. If it is not possible to

plant immediately, these will still grow within a month if it is sprayed with any of the following

before storage: Orthocide or Daconil, Manzate, Dithane, Demosan, Brassicol, Visigran or

Agallol. It should be stored in a shady, humid or cool place with temperature between 20-30 C.

 

Land Preparation

 

Like any land preparation for planting, plow the land to remove weeds and grasses. Let it

stand for another week and plow for the third time.

 

1. Make hills about 75 cm apart from one another, depending on the kind to planted.

 

2. With the help of a pointed stick, make a hole about 18 cm deep in each hill where the stem

are to be planted, one in each hole.

 

3. Plant early in the morning or late afternoons during summer or anytime when the sun is

cool.

 

Three methods of planting cassava

 

a. Horizontal – during summer so that the plant will kept moist.

 

b. Vertical – during rainy days so that it will not rot if constantly wet.

 

c. Slanting – between the two season mentioned.

In planting, unless the stem is horizontal, bury 3/4 of the stem in the soil

and cover the 1/4 with 10 cm fine soil.

 

1. After a month, other short term crops may be planted in between the cassava plants. But if

the other plants will be as high as the cassava as they grow, they can be planted at the same

time.

 

2. When applying fertilizer for a second time, hill up around the plants, as in corn fertilizing.

 

3. Cassava needs watering, especially in the first two months of its growth, when the root crop is begging to grow

Source:tekno tulong

Carrots

CARROT

 

The carrot is one of the principal vegetables in the market for its rich content of carotene,

Vitamins C and B besides calcium, iron and phosphorus. This may be eaten cooked or raw. In

other countries, the carrots is also used as medicine. In Mexico, carrot is boiled in milk to give

relief against cough and painful chest. In Europe, boiled carrot is known for its cure for

jaundice. And if eaten raw, it drives out intestinal parasites.

 

MANNER OF PLANTING

 

In the Philippines, carrot grows in high altitudes. It likes fertile, loose soil that does not retain

water. It dislikes sea water and hardly grows in soil with a high boron content.

 

1. The land for planting carrot must be prepared- fine and not in clumps.

2. Holes for sowing the seeds must be about 2 cm, and 20 cm apart.

3. The seeds are sown directly on the ground.

4. After sowing the seeds, cover them with fine soil. they will germinate within 3 weeks after planting. Good planting

time is between October-December when there is rain.

5. Don’t plant in areas where water stays because this will cause the roots and fruits to rot. But the plant also needs

watering while it grows to make the fruit well developed.

6. The best fertilizer is compost, but if chemical fertilizer will be used, it is recommended that NPK 90+170+90 be

broadcast over the field for every hectare before planting, and during rainy days.

7. Do the same during dry weather.

8. In planting, apply half of the nitrogen and all of the phosphorous and potassium on the soil. Apply the remaining

half 4-6 weeks after planting. If animal manure will be used, apply 8-10 tons per hectare and supplement with complete fertilizer.

8. Reduce the leaves when the plants are 15 cm high and already sturdy.

9. Put thin soil at the base of the plant to prevent the greening of the shoulder of the crop.

Source:tekno tulong

ARROWROOT

ARROWROOT (ARARO)

 

The arrowroot, a root crop, grows in any kind of soil, but it prefers a somewhat shaded area

such as that under the coconut trees, and where rainfall is even the whole year round. Its

roots can withstand typhoon and may be left in the ground for a long time. It will grow from any

small piece of its root crop left in the soil.

 

Arrowroot is ready to harvest ten months after planting. In ordinary soil, it can harvest about

18 tons per hectare. However, it was proven that if the soil is fertilized with 90 kilos nitrogen

per hectare, the harvest can go up as high as 18 tons per hectare. When the fertilizer was

doubled, the harvest reached 27 tons per hectare.

 

Uses of the arrowroot plant

 

The arrowroot is used as food for both man and animal and as materials in the manufacture of

medicines as well as industry, such as:

 

1. flour from arrowroot is used for baking first class biscuits.

2. for thickening ice cream.

3. like corn, it may be broiled and eaten.

4. as poultry feed, it can be substitute for 25% yellow corn.

5. its item, leaves and wastes are feed for ruminants (cow, goats, carabao).

 

from: GREENFIELD AUGUST 1990