PADVAL AGRICULTURE AND FARM ENTERPRISES

Growing Green Chillies using Simplified Hydroponics

2011-01-01T20:22:00.001-08:00

Growing Green Chillies using Simplified Hydroponics by Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'Souza

Green Chillies (Capsicum annuum) is one of the select few crops to be grown in almost all states of India and is largely exported worldwide.
A green chilli is referred to as ' Hot' due to the presence of 'capsiacin' which is extracted and used in pepper sprays as a non lethal but effect irritant.
excellent source of Vitamin A and also Iron, Potassium and Magnesium

since the seeds are small, i sowed them in a plastic tub and watered using the Hydroponic Nutrient 'grow' which quickened the germination.
as you can see the pics above, i managed to achieve 99 percent germination, which is not even possible in the field (just around 70 percent)

for this post, i chose 1 plant and transplanted the same to a black colored pot which was made for hydroponics.
i continued to give it "GROW" nutrient till flowering stage.
the lush green look is due to the nutrients present in 'GROW'.

Flowering

once flower buds were seen, i stopped giving it 'GROW' nutrient and switched over to "BLOOM" nutrient.
BLOOM helps in fruit formation and prevents immature fruit drop and flower shedding.

chillies take up to 60 days to flower , from the first day of transplanting and take another 30 to 40 days to produce yield in the field.
here flowering was observed in less than 50 days and the first chillies were produced 3 weeks later.

to prevent the incidence of pests, i regularly sprayed the plant using neem sprays.
every morning, one must check the leaves for insect droppings and eggs and if seen must be removed immediately. fortunately i never encountered such problems after switching over to Simplified Hydroponics.

now i get a regular supply of fresh, pesticide free tasty green chillies every alternate day. since my parents dont like spicy food, i just pluck one or two green chillies whenever required and add while cooking.
this has stopped us from buying green chillies from the market, and storing them in the fridge for several days before using them. refrigeration dehydrates vegetables (makes them all wrinkled) and now thanks to SH we have a continuous supply of green chillies everyday.

Bottle Gourd Cultivation in Pits, Summer Technique

2010-10-06T23:14:00.000-07:00

Bottle Gourd Cultivation in Pits, Summer Technique by MetalFarmer Pritham D'Souza

From Bottle Gourd Cultivation in Pits, Summer Technique

Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is one of the most widely consumed vegetable crops grown in Dakshina kannada district. its also called Thure (Tulu), Bobley (Konkani) and Soorae kai (Kannada). It has several uses from preparing different kinds of sweets, hail oil (from seeds), hard shells used as floats in fishing nets and also in making some musical instruments.

The hybrid varieties can yield up to 8 to 10 tonnes per acre and is a commercially viable croo

From Bottle Gourd Cultivation in Pits, Summer Technique

LAND PREPARATION

the land selected here is a hillock and pits are made at the base of the hillock as shown
a bucket of fresh decomposed farm yard manure is added to each pit and soil mixed well
stones, twigs, inert matter etc are removed
3 or more seeds are then sowed in each pit
after germination, once the seedlings reach 4 leaf stage, thinning out is done and only 2 seedlings per pit allowed

From Bottle Gourd Cultivation in Pits, Summer Technique

IRRIGATION AND MANURING

since they are grown in pits, wastage of water is prevented
light irrigation is a must after seeds are sowed and till transpanting
dried leaves act as an excellent mulch and prevent loss of water due to evaporation
its always recommended to give the crop nutrients in split doses.
on the 20th day after germination, when the growing vines begin to develop, farm yard manure, decomposed, can be added to each pit @ 5kg per pit (minimum requirement)
the fully grown plant requires a lot of water and so mulching is required

From Bottle Gourd Cultivation in Pits, Summer Technique

FLOWERING AND HARVEST

bottle gourds are ready to harvest after 50 days from first day of sowing
the edible fruits are the ones whose skin color facing the sun is green
harvesting must be done using a knife.

From Bottle Gourd Cultivation in Pits, Summer Technique

SOME IMPORTANT TIPS AND POINTS WHEN GROWING BOTTLE GOURDS

when manuring with fresh decomposed manure, care should be taken to see that the manure is added to the root zone area only and not on top of the plant as it might damage the leaves
weeding is very important and tall growing weeds above the growing vines should be oulled out
application of too much Nitrogen will result in excessive biomass and subsequently less yields
application of too much Nitrogen will also produce more male flowers which is not desired
deficiency of K (potassium) in soils reduces plant growth significantly and causes flower and fruit drop
soil temperature is very essential and germination of seeds wont take place if soil temp is less than 10 degrees centigrade
excess temperature over 40 degrees centigrade can cause scorching of leaves

Note: the pale green color on one side of the fruit is because that part did not receive sunlight and it is nothing to worry about, the taste and quality is not compromised.

From Bottle Gourd Cultivation in Pits, Summer Technique

all photos and data by Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'Souza

Intercropping Under Trellis with Amaranthus

2010-09-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

Intercropping Under Trellis with Amaranthus by Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'Souza

here i would like to discuss how one can successfully grow amaranthus leafy vegetable under a trellis (dompa) . Here the main crop is coccinia (Manoli , Tendli) which requires a large trellis to grow on. and since the crop requires a lot of vine trimming and pruning to facilitate more vine growth, the space under the trellis is exposed to a lot of sunlight and if not properly maintained encourages the growth of unwanted weeds.

From Intercropping Under Trellis with Amaranthus

the above pic shows a typical un maintained piece of plot where coccinia is grown on a trellis

From Intercropping Under Trellis with Amaranthus

the weeds have to be removed manually using the necessary agri tools and the soil turned and loosened as shown above
circular pits or platforms are made as shown above and this is ideal for sowing seeds of amaranthus

From Intercropping Under Trellis with Amaranthus

Amaranthus is a very short crop and can be harvested in just 21 days from first day of sowing
notice the photos below, the land once wasted with unwanted weeds is now growing a commercially viable crop

From Intercropping Under Trellis with Amaranthus

SOME IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS

From Intercropping Under Trellis with Amaranthus

since most of the area now recovered is used for growing amaranthus, care must be taken to see the crop is not damaged due to negligence
heavy irrigation using a hose pipe will do more harm than good as it will displace the seeds
care should be taken to see the pipe is not dragged on the crop itself as shown in the photo
this method is used when the main crop, coccinia is trimmed as amaranthus needs a lot of sunlight
this method is not that successful when the coccinia vines are fully grown and provide a lot of shade, so the best time to reap benefits will be for at least 45 days
weeds will also grow with the amaranthus crop and it must be ignored as amaranthus is harvested in 21 days. after that while preparing the land for re sowing, the weeds can be taken care of.

all images and data by Pritham D'Souza aka MetalFarmer

Interculture Operations in Chilli

2010-09-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

Interculture Operations in Chilli by Pritham 'MetalFarmer' D'Souza

I have covered Chilli (Capsicum annuum) in my previous posts and here i would like to show you how to perform simple inter culture operations like manuring and weeding in the Chilli plot.

From Interculture Operations in Chilli

WEEDING

The single most important threat to a successful chilli garden
since this post shows chilli grown in the monsoon season, weeds can be seen more regularly
i do not suggest chemical methods of controlling, as the residue will leave a toxic effect on the standing crops.
manual weeding is the best method to control this and the best time for weeding is during manure application

From Interculture Operations in Chilli

the weeds growing on the bunds or raised platforms must be removed as shown in the pic above

From Interculture Operations in Chilli

then the bunds are broken and the soil is made loose. this is done for aeration and also to increase the porosity of the soils

FERTILIZER AND MANURE APPLICATIONS

freshly decomposed farm yard manure is mixed with neem cake and applied to the soil as shown in the pic below

From Interculture Operations in Chilli

after completing the manure application, the soil is once again covered and this gives strength and support to the plant

From Interculture Operations in Chilli

spraying the crop with plant hormones can be done to increase the number of female flowers.
since there are several plant hormones in the market i suggest you carefully select the best one. i use BIOVITA which is an organically prepared solution comprising of seed weed algae fortified with trace minerals and plant growth regulators, sprayed @ 2 ml per litre of water

all images and data by Pritham D'Souza aka MetalFarmer

Technique of Growing Indian Spinach on the ground

2010-09-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

Technique of Growing Indian Spinach on the ground by Pritham Denzil D'Souza aka MetalFarmer

Traditionally Indian Spinach also known as Basale soppu in tulu and Valchhi bajji in konkani is grown on a trellis. While respecting our traditional farming practices, we also must learn to innovate and improvise, and if works out, share data for free that will benefit farmers all over. Growing Spinach on the ground was done merely as a challenge to growing them using support or a trellis.

From Growing Indian Spinach on the ground at Padval Farms, Mangalore, India

STEP BY STEP PICTORIAL GUIDE TO GROWING SPINACH ON THE GROUND

From Growing Indian Spinach on the ground at Padval Farms, Mangalore, India

as you can notice in the pic above, a trench with a minimum width of 1 meter and max length is made
weeds, stones and other unwanted materials are removed
1 load of freshly decomposed farm yard manure is added and the soil is mixed well

From Growing Indian Spinach on the ground at Padval Farms, Mangalore, India

bunds are made to the entire row length as seen above
the bunds act as make shift pits where the spinach stick will be transplanted

From Growing Indian Spinach on the ground at Padval Farms, Mangalore, India

from the older spinach plant, long and healthy spinach vines are selected for transplanting as seen above
the long spinach vines are then cut in half to get 2 spinach sticks of approx equal length

From Growing Indian Spinach on the ground at Padval Farms, Mangalore, India

from the base of the spinach stick, all the leaves are plucked out leaving only a few leaves at the top
this is also done for polarity

From Growing Indian Spinach on the ground at Padval Farms, Mangalore, India

2 pairs of spinach sticks are then transplanted in every bund pit as shows and covered with soil. so every bund pit will have 4 transplanted sticks

From Growing Indian Spinach on the ground at Padval Farms, Mangalore, India

in around 50 days, the vines grow luxuriently and a number of lateral shoots also emerge and the spinach is now ready to harvest

From Growing Indian Spinach on the ground at Padval Farms, Mangalore, India

here harvesting is done cutting off the long spinach vines and tying around 10 sticks to make a bundle.
more number of cuttings, will produce more number of lateral shoots.

From Growing Indian Spinach on the ground at Padval Farms, Mangalore, India

daily irrigation is a must as the spinach sticks need all the moisture they can get
covering the transplanted spinach sticks with coconut palms and banana leaves is also done to prevent excess damage due to high temp.
banana leaves, arecanut palms and coconut palms are also placed on the ground to prevent the growing spinach vines in coming to contact with the soil
manuring is done again after 30 days from first transplanting
only decomposed farm yard manure is suitable as fresh un decomposed manure will destroy the developing roots and kill the vines

all images and data by Pritham Denzil D'Souza 'Metalfarmer'

Growing Cowpea Beans in Pit Method Summer Cultivation

2010-09-23T20:49:00.000-07:00

Growing Cowpea Beans in Pit Method Summer Cultivation by Pritham 'Metal Farmer' D'Souza

From Growing Cowpea Lentils using Pit Method at Padval Farms, India

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a very popular vegetable grown in Mangalore and other parts of th country. It has been grown in India since the Vedic period. The entire plant is of economic importance, the pods harvested are rich in proteins, while the foliage is used as green manure and fodder for animals. Its called Alasandae in kannada, alasundae sango in konkani and Lattanae in Tulu

CLIMATE AND SOIL

From Growing Cowpea Lentils using Pit Method at Padval Farms, India

requires well drained soils
saline or alkaline soils should be avoided
it can tolerate drought to a certain extent but cannot withstand water logging
partial shade is tolerated however its highly succeptable to frost
being a tropical crop it thrives at temps between 21 to 35 degrees centigrade

LAND PREPARATION

since this crop is grown on a hilly area, we chose to grow it in pits and not the traditional method of growing them in rows.

square pits the size of 90cmx90cm with depth of 30 cm are made as shown
the distance between the pits is maintained
each pit, 2 buckets of decomposed farm yard manure is added and the soil is well mixed
around 5 seeds are sowed in each pit and after germination 4 are retained in each pit

Since this variety grows long, it requires vertical support and hence the distance between the pits is very important to prevent over crowding.

From Growing Cowpea Lentils using Pit Method at Padval Farms, India

MANURING AND IRRIGATION

being a root nodule crop, heavy nitrogen fertilizer application is not required, however timely application of nutrients allows for better yield results
since we apply only decomposed farm yard manure with bacterial culture for faster decomposition, we split the manure application into 3 doses. first dose at the time of land preparation and sowing. second dose, when the plant has attained a height of 45 cms and the third and final dose on the on set of flower buds.
since this is a summer method of cultivation, irrigation is very important and must be done at regular intervals to avoid wilting due to extreme temperatures.
light irrigation at germination stage followed by irrigation during the early hours of the day is best for the crop during later growth
not much mulching is required as the root zone will get adequate shade from the plant

From Growing Cowpea Lentils using Pit Method at Padval Farms, India

OTHER AGRI OPERATIONS

weeds are a serious pest and need to be dealt with immediately
during the second and third manure applications, the soil surrounding the roots are made loose and manure mixed properly. this increases soil aeration
when the plant start to develpo long tendrils, vertical support needs to be given as shown
the plants are then trained to grow on the support

From Growing Cowpea Lentils using Pit Method at Padval Farms, India

FLOWERING AND HARVEST

most varieties start to produce flower buds after 45 days after sowing, and pods can be harvested after 15 days after pod setting
the fruits formed can be harvested up to 45 to 60 days after flowering and then there will be gradual decrease in yield and also quality.
spraying with plant hormones before the onset of flowering, produces more female flowers and is recommended
growing flower crops like marigold side by side also increases the yield due to increase in pollinating agents like bees, wasps etc

From Growing Cowpea Lentils using Pit Method at Padval Farms, India

PEST AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT
Pod borer (Muruca tesulatis and Lampides boeticus) is the single most destructive pest, resulting in over 80 percent crop loss. colonies of aphids are also seen on young leaves and inflorescence and makes harvesting difficult. Leaf eating caterpillars tend to skeletonise the plants if not checked properly

for pod borer, chemical application is foliar spray with a combination of profenophos and cypermethrin @2 ml per litre of water sprayed at interval of 10 days just at the onset of flower bud formation.
we use pure neem oil @10 ml per litre of water and sprayed at 7 day intervals

the application of neem is not a 100 percent guarantee to eliminate pod borer problem, but it controls the problem to a great extent and is an organic method of controlling

for leaf eating caterpillars, hand picking using gloves and destroying the pests is the best option even though its cumbersome.
aphid problem can be controlled by using the least toxic imidochloprid @half ml per litre of water at 14 day intervals. other chemical method is using Dimethoate Rogar at 1 ml per litre of water and sprayed when the incidence is observed.

From Growing Cowpea Lentils using Pit Method at Padval Farms, India

SOME IMPORTANT TIPS

bugs that emit characteristic odor are not a serious pest and can be controlled using neem sprays
Bruchid (Callosobruchus chinensis) causes damage to stored cowpea seeds by the grubs which turn the seed hollow by eating from inside. infestation starts in the field but can be seen mostly at storage. adding 2 percent edible oil (volume by weight) controls this problem for at least 5 months. seeds have to be dried thoroughly before storage.
foliar application of neem should be done in the evenings when the intensity of sunlight is less. after 4 pm before 6 pm is ideal
the tender succulent pods are preferred to over ripe wrinkled pods. and so harvesting every day is recommended to avoid this problem

all images and data by Pritham 'Metal Farmer' D'Souza

Flight T bait trap Container

2010-09-23T06:04:00.000-07:00

Flight T bait trap Container by Pritham D'Souza Metal Farmer

From Flight T bait trap by PCI

The flight T bait trap container introduced by PCI is a strong and durable container
I have already used this successfully in controlling Daucus dorsalis pest attacking my cucurbit crops.

From Flight T bait trap by PCI

what you see here is a large number of dorsalis flies that were caught in 2 days

From Flight T bait trap by PCI

the trapped dead flies are discarded and collecting vessel washed thoroughly
detergent water is added along with water in the collecting tray

From Flight T bait trap by PCI

the bait is then placed in the container and the top closed using the cover
it is then suspended using its hook either under a trellis or close by to the crop
as you can see, the bottom is open in the middle which allows the insects to fly into the container.

From Flight T bait trap by PCI

once the insect gets intoxicated by the pheromone trap and falls into the collecting tray filled with detergent water, it dies due to drowning

hundreds of flies are caught this way and the entire operation is repeated at intervals of 7 to 10 days, denending on the pest incedence.
detergent water is preferred over normal water, as normal water can breed mosquitoes.

if you are interested in purchasing these bait traps you can contact Mr. Ranjan Shagrithaya on his mobile @ 9448485353 and email him at bioranjan@gmail.com

all images and data by Pritham 'metalfarmer' D'Souza

Mosaic Virus Disease in Okra Bhendi Ladies Finger

2010-09-23T04:37:00.000-07:00

Mosaic Virus Disease in Okra Bhendi Ladies Finger by Pritham D'Souza 'Metal Farmer'

From Mosaic Virus Disease in Okra Bhendi

Yellow mosaic disease in Okra is one of the most devastating diseases, resulting in 80 percent of crop loss.
and the sad part is , since its a virus, there is no cure. Prevention is the only cure.

From Mosaic Virus Disease in Okra Bhendi

Symptoms and Damage

intricate network of interwoven yellow veins, enclosing islands of green tissue within
the appearance looks similar to that of a mosaic floor tile and hence the name
causes up to 80 to 90 percent loss
transmitted by vectors like plant hoppers and other sucking pests of okra

From Mosaic Virus Disease in Okra Bhendi

Management

Since it is a virus there is no cure, however Prevention is the only cure
the vectors that are responsible for the spread of the virus need to be controlled
Chemical methods include using dimethoate (rogar) 1 ml per litre of water as a foliar application at 10 day intervals
Organic methods include 5 to 10 ml neem oil in 1 litre of water, foliar spray at weekly intervals
the spraying must be done preferably during late hours, when temp is cooler (after 4pm till 6 pm)
when an infected plant is seen, it must be uprooted and destroyed immeadiately
plant residue including leaves etc must be cleared from main site or it the infection can spread to other healthy plants
resistant hybrids like 'arka annamika', 'arka abhay' must be used

all images and data by Pritham 'metal farmer' D'Souza

Pitting method of Cultivating Bitter Gourd

2010-09-23T03:47:00.000-07:00

Pitting method of Cultivating Bitter Gourd by Pritham Denzil Dsouza aka 'Metal Farmer'
i have already discussed how to cultivate Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia) in my previous post in continuous pits . here i would like to show you how one can grow Bitter Gourds in individual pits.

the size of every pit is around 60 cms X 60 cms and height is about 30 cms
in every pit around 6 seeds are sowed
after germination, 3 seeds are retained per pit
this is done to prevent over crowding

support in the form of sticks has to be given during vegetative phase
the vines tend to fall to the ground and care has to be taken to see the vines are trained on top of the support so as to move upwards

during flowering phase, thousands of bright yellow flowers are seen, however only one tenth of them will pollinate and yield fruit

once the vines reach a desired height as shown above, they will need to start growing vertically and a proper trellis needs to be built as seen in the pic below

results can be seen in 21 days as the pic shows above
retaining just 3 seeds per pit has resulted in lush growth of the vines in every pit
watering the pits is easy and there is no wastage
application of manures can also easily be done per pit

there is a tendency for the vines to produce excessive lateral shoots and they too are given support so they move upwards as shown in the pic above

Advantages of growing in pits

plant density and plant population can be maintained
no over crowding
application of manure and fertilizer is much easy
no wastage due to excessive drainage
spraying with neem using back pack sprayer is convenient and can be done from a distance
harvesting is easy
the resultant shade increases pollination by attracting a large number of pollinators

all images and data by Pritham 'Metal Farmer' D'Souza

Bitter Gourd Cultivation in Continuous Pits

2010-08-13T04:24:00.000-07:00

Bitter Gourd Cultivation in Continuous Pits by Pritham D'Souza Metal Farmer

Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia) also known as bitter gourd or Karela (hindi), karathe (konkani) and kanchala (tulu) is cultivated in mainly tropical and sub tropical places throughout the world.

From Bitter gourd cultivation in continuous pits By Pritham D'Souza Metal Farmer

The bitter taste is due to the presence of Momorcidin. The wonder fruit, which is consumed as a vegetable is widely used in traditional medicines and is well known for treatment against diabetes, preventing malaria and constipation. It is also used as an effective bio repellent. however the red arils of the seed (outer red coating) can be toxic to children.

Bitter gourd is an acquired taste, but its medicinal properties make it a commercially viable crop.

Climate and Soil

From Bitter gourd cultivation in continuous pits By Pritham D'Souza Metal Farmer

being a tropical crop, it grows well in temperatures ranging from 28 to 35 degrees celcius
extreme temperatures not favorable as it will result in spread of mosaic disease caused by virus
soils have to be well drained and loamy.

Sowing

From Bitter gourd cultivation in continuous pits By Pritham D'Souza Metal Farmer

the seed coat is very hard and unless conditions are favorable, germination will not take place as usual. for this , soaking the seeds in water for a minimum of 24 hours before sowing is recommended to break the seed dormancy
in some places water is replaced by curds and it also helps in rapid germination as the curds contain bacteria which also break the seed dormancy by softening the hard seed coat

From Bitter gourd cultivation in continuous pits By Pritham D'Souza Metal Farmer

dried and decomposed farm yard manure is added to the pits just before sowing the seeds
each pit, about 5 seeds are sowed and after germination 2 plants retained in every pit
the distance between pits is about 45 cms

Inter Culture Operations

From Bitter gourd cultivation in continuous pits By Pritham D'Souza Metal Farmer

after about 21 days after sowing, the growing tendrils will begin to droop on the ground. this will require support and it being a climber, adequate arrangements need to be made

From Bitter gourd cultivation in continuous pits By Pritham D'Souza Metal Farmer

here the soil around each plant is gathered around to fortify the pit and organic manure is added to each pit
then support in the form of long sticks is placed in each pit as shown
the growing vines are then trained on them and a pendal is erected

From Bitter gourd cultivation in continuous pits By Pritham D'Souza Metal Farmer

the pits help to prevent excess leaching of water and acts as a retention barrier
weeding, irrigation and earthing up of the soils are made easier
moist soils require less irrigation, about once a week, while areas which have direct sunlight, require frequent irrigation.
pits also help in mulching and prevents loss of water by evaporation

Flowering and Harvest

From Bitter gourd cultivation in continuous pits By Pritham D'Souza Metal Farmer

spraying certain growth hormones such as Ethrel is done to increase the number of felame flowers and has to be done 2 weeks before flowering begins
during flowering, another dose of farm yard manure or dried and decomposed organic manure is added @ 10 kg per pit
if the manure is fresh and not properly decomposed, it will injur the roots and stem

From Bitter gourd cultivation in continuous pits By Pritham D'Souza Metal Farmer

fruits can be harvested after 60 to 75 days from the first day of sowing
the tender , immature fruits are preferred over ripe fruits
soon after harvesting, they are washed in water and dried before taking to market

Pests of Bitter Gourd and Treatment

the bitter taste of the fruit prevents it from getting attacked as frequent as the other crops belonging to the cucurbit family, however the major pests include the following

red pumpkin beetles which are most notorious as if feeds the young and tender leaves during growth stage. also feeds on the flowers .
Stink Bugs are huge and have a plate of scaly armour to prevent from natural predators attacking it. also it releases a stink liquid which helps it to escape before getting caught. it feeds on tender fruits and results on rotting of the fruit
aphids and thrips can cause serious damage, while the former can colonise the plant, the latter can feed on the leaves which later curl inside
leaf eating caterpillar destroy the leaves and skeletonise the plant, the silk cucoons can be seen mostly on lower surface of the leaves
fruit fly bores on the growing fruit and lays the eggs which grow inside the fruit. worms can be seen in the rotting fruits

Treatment
integrated farm management practises recommend the use of both organic as well as chemical pesticides for effective control of pests . however since i advocate the use of mostly neem based sprays, i advise the following

neem cake applied to the soil at 25 day intervals around the plant
during the growing stage, neem solution is sprayed weekly twice @5 ml per litre water
during flowering stage , Neem solution is sprayed weekly once @10 ml per litre
since neem is all natural and non toxic , it can be sprayed on standing crops and when yield is seen
spray neem preferably in the evenings, when its cooler between 4 to 6 pm

all data and images by Pritham dsouza aka Metalfarmer

Growing Mint Leaves, Mentha without soil, using Simplified Hydroponics

2010-06-06T22:45:00.001-07:00

Growing Mint Leaves, Mentha without soil, using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore by Pritham 'Metal Farmer' D'Souza

Mint leaves or menthe soppu in kannada is a popular aromatic herb which is extensively used for culinary purposes in various dishes.
Mint leaves extract is used as an insecticide and its most effective against mosquitoes and ants
mint leaves consumed in the form of tea reduces stomach pain and some believe it is a strong diuretic
menthol is added in cigarettes as it blocks the bitter taste of tobacco
common antipruritic used against insect bites
commonly used in aroma therapy

Since mint leaves love cooler climate and is pretty much a shade loving plant, the challenge of growing such a plant in Mangalore's unforgiving heat conditions was something i was looking forward to

From Growing Mint leaves without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

Dec 3, 2009 mint leaves stem picked from market and placed in coco peat grow container

From Growing Mint leaves without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

Dec 9, 2009 grow nutrients added

From Growing Mint leaves without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

jan 4, 2010 luxuriant growth and green color

From Growing Mint leaves without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

feb 14, 2010 the mint leaves were then again re transplanted in different containers and the results were still amazing

From Growing Mint leaves without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

No pesticides used, no chemicals sprayed

From Growing Mint leaves without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

march 5, 2010 shows no sign of slowing down. even more growth

From Growing Mint leaves without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

Note

the grow containers were kept in my car shed and i didnt use shade net
even though mint leaves extract is an insecticide the plant is still susceptible to aphids and white flies, hence regular neem spray is a must
pluck the leaves along with the stalk to encourage more growth and lateral shoots

All pics and data by Pritham Denzil D'Souza

Growing Vegetable Cucumber or Sambar Cucumber without Soil Using Simplified Hydroponics

2010-05-06T20:42:00.001-07:00

Growing Vegetable Cucumber or Sambar Cucumber without Soil Using Simplified Hydroponics by Pritham 'Metal Farmer' D'Souza

Vegetable Cucumber also known as Sambar Cucumber is an all time favorite vegetable crop grown in coastal Karnataka esp Mangalore. It was a challenge to grow SC in hydroponics as the crop requires a lot of care and patience in the field as it is gets easily damaged by excess irrigation, high soil temperatures and attack from fruit boring insect Dacus dorsalis fly.

Seedlings germinated within 2 days

Sow the seeds in seed trays and later transplant when 3 leaf stage is seen

21 days later, growth affected by red pumpkin beetle attack, immediate control using neem sprays

In the field, integrated pest management using organic neem sprays and Dimethoate Rogar is used to reduces pest attack of red pumpkin beetle which feed on the young and tender leaves of the plant
here since i do not use any chemical pesticides, i let the plant take the insect assault for a few days till i applied organic neem spray

3 days later, after using Neem Sprays, lush green growth seen and pest attack neutralized.

Neem spray applied when there is pest incidence proved excellent and the results speak for themselves.
no blanket sprays required. hence no wasting

21 days later formation of fruit buds

tiny fruit buds appear and its best to switch from grow nutrients to bloom nutrients

15 days later size of fruit increased considerably

the young and growing fruit buds need to be protected from extreme heat which was bouncing off the hard concrete flooring. hence i had placed old gunny bags on the ground and the vines were growing over it. so no direct contact with the hot floor

to prevent attack of fruit boring Dacus dorsalis, i used a plastic bowl as cover

this was not a good idea as the growing fruit needs light and breeze. but fortunately for me, the idea of covering the growing fruit with whatever i could find (here a plastic tray) worked.
The next time, i will use a net cover

the protected fruit without any attack

not a scratch on the fruit

Fruit ready for harvest after it changes color from green to orange

depending on individual tastes, generally fruits are harvested when they change their color from dark green to light green or brown and in some cases orange.
for long distance transporting green fruits are harvested.

another fruit protected

if you look closely, the fruit has an abnormal twisted appearance.
its probably because the growing fruit didnt rest on the gunny bag which i had kept but was growing on the concrete flooring which gets hot when the temperatures are high. hence the fruit could have gotten disfigured, but its still tasty

Ripe Vegetable Cucumber excellent to extract seeds

The orange color indicates the fruit is over ripe and is excellent for extracting the seeds.

All pics and data by Pritham 'Metal Farmer' D'Souza

Growing Amaranthus leafy Vegetable using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India

2010-04-10T06:15:00.000-07:00

Growing Amaranthus leafy Vegetable using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India by Pritham 'Metal Farmer' D'Souza

From Growing Amaranthus leafy Vegetable using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India

Please check to my earlier posts where i have shown how to make the grow tubs and the techniques and practices involved before starting.
Amaranthus seeds are very small and so have to be gently sprinkled. A pinch or two of seeds is sufficient
Germination is observed in 2 days

From Growing Amaranthus leafy Vegetable using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India

lush growth seen in 10 days
Watering with nutrients should be done once a day, if temperatures are extremely hot, one can move the tub under a shade net or irrigate twice daily.

From Growing Amaranthus leafy Vegetable using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India

Lush green growth seen after 21 days. In field conditions Amaranthus is harvested between 20 to 30 days after sowing.

From Growing Amaranthus leafy Vegetable using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India

Harvesting is done by uprooting the entire plant as the whole plant is edible.
Here we encourage stem cuttings keeping the stem 3 to 6 inches above the surface
This allows lateral shoots to grow so harvesting can be done more number of times

From Growing Amaranthus leafy Vegetable using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India

Harvesting young plants is preferred since the stem and leaves are very succulent and juicy, however its more of a personal preference. Here the Amaranth variety used is 'Bangladesh' and even the older taller plants are as succulent as the young tender ones.

From Growing Amaranthus leafy Vegetable using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India

One plant kept for seed production. Here u can see the formation of the Inflorescence.

From Growing Amaranthus leafy Vegetable using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India

Appearance of more flower buds

From Growing Amaranthus leafy Vegetable using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India

Seed Buds seen. The inflorescence is cut off from the plant, sun dried and threshed to get the seeds which are black, smooth and round.

From Growing Amaranthus leafy Vegetable using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India

Photo of plant kept for seed production to be re used in Simplified Hydroponics

View the Slide Show here

All Images and Data by Pritham 'Metal farmer' D'Souza

Growing Okra Bhendi without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

2010-02-06T05:50:00.001-08:00

Growing Okra Bhendi without soil using Simplified Hydroponics by Pritham 'Metal Farmer' D'Souza

From Growing Okra Bhendi without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

Okra seeds germination seen on dec 17, 2009

From Growing Okra Bhendi without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

germinated okra seeds

From Growing Okra Bhendi without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

Growth observed 15 days later

From Growing Okra Bhendi without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

Transplanted Seedlings

From Growing Okra Bhendi without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

Jan 31, 2010 fruiting and flowering seen 24 days after transplanting

From Growing Okra Bhendi without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

Maximum growth attained

From Growing Okra Bhendi without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

Developing Fruit buds

From Growing Okra Bhendi without soil using Simplified Hydroponics

Harvesting done every 3 days

Watch slide Show here

All images and data by Pritham Denzil D'Souza Padval

Growing Cowpea using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India

2010-01-24T04:31:00.000-08:00

Growing Cowpea beans (Vigna Unguiculata) using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India by Pritham 'Metal Farmer' D'Souza

From Growing Lentils without Soil using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India

Watch the Slide Show here

All Images and Data by Pritham Denzil D'Souza

Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

2010-01-15T05:05:00.000-08:00

Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique by Pritham 'Metal Farmer' D'Souza

Bhindi or bende kai or okra Ladies finger(Abelmoschus esculentus) is a popular summer vegetable grown extensively along the coast of Mangalore.
The tender fruits have rich iodine content which is used in the treatment of goitre , while the leaves are used for treatment of dysentery and inflammation.
The dry seeds have rich edible oil content of up to 20 % and protein up to 25%

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

CLIMATE AND SOIL

Okra requires hot and humid climate and is very effective within the range of 25 to 30 degrees centigrade
higher temperatures will result in dessication of flowers and hence lower yields
for the seed to germinate, the min soil temp should be within the range of 25 to 35 degrees
well drained soils, loose and friable soils with rich organic content is best

LAND PREPARATION

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

The land selected for okra cultivation should be free from previous plant debris and residue

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

The previous ridges and furrows must be leveled and land made flat

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

rocks, plant residue, clods and other unwanted materials must be removed

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

pits with 1 feet depth and 2 feet width must be dug as shown

The above pics shows the selection of land and the initial steps taken to prepare for sowing
The older rows and furrows from the previous crop must be completely leveled and made flat
stones, sticks, twigs, clods and plant residue must be removed from the soil
the soil needs to be pulverized, moistened and enriched with decomposed organic manure or farm yard manure before sowing the seeds

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

Distance between pits is maintained as Okra shows vigorous vegetative growth. plant density and spacing can also be maintained

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

adding 1 bucket of decomposed farm yard manure per pit is recommended

PIT MAKING AND SOWING

pits which are 2 feet wide and 1 feet deep should be dug as seen in the images above and distance between the pits also has to be maintained
at least 4 to 5 seeds must be hand dibbled in the soil in every pit. once germination takes place, only 2 or 3 seeds retained per pit. the germinated seedlings can be thinned out and later transplanted in pits where germination is less
2 or 3 days before sowing the seeds, 5 to 10 kg(approx) Organic manure should be added to enrich the soil.
The seeds can be soaked in curds/milk over night to soften the hard seed coat a day before sowing operations
light irrigation must be given immediately after sowing the seeds and care should be taken to see the seed is not dislodged from its place.
The most viable seeds take up to 5 days to germinate.

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

View of plot after germination

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

Complete view of plot

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

When plant attains 4 leaf stage, 2 buckets of decomposed farm yard manure is again added to each pit

IRRIGATION AND MANURING

Light irrigation is given immediately after sowing in soil
watering needs to be done everyday till the plant attains 4 leaf stage
once the plant establishes itself properly in the pit, the frequency of irrigation can be reduced from thrice weekly to twice weekly.
its advised to give the plant NKP or nutrients in 3 split doses, one at the time of sowing, the second during the growth vegetative phase and the final at the time of flowering
Spraying with organic inputs like algae solutions and bacterial gels at least once weekly will take care of its micro and trace nutrient requirements

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

A close up of the growing Okra plant

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

Growth visible after a few days

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

In pits which do not have germination, plants need to be transplanted and shade provided

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

View of the same plot after 10 days

OTHER INTERCULTURE OPERATIONS

Weeds are a menace to the main crop and need to be removed at every stage of plant development.
at the time of manuring, the plant needs support at the base of the stem and earthing up operations are done.
inter culture operations will also help in aerating the soils
Spraying the crop with female flower inducing hormones or sprays can be done at least 10 days before flower bud formation
All spraying operations should be done in the mornings, when the temperature is not too high and similarly at evenings after 4 pm when the light intensity is not high.

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

Flowering seen after 45 days

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

Lush green growth of Okra

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

The broad leaves of Okra act as shade retaining the soil moisture

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

Distance between pits maintained such that leaves do not overlap

HARVESTING AND AFTERCARE

the first flowers are seen after 45 to 55 days from the date of sowing
harvesting the tender fruits must be done preferably early mornings or late evenings
a glove or piece of cloth must be used to protect against the prickly leaves and stem of the plant which can cause irritation and even rash to some people
the plant will continue to yield for another 50 days
once the plant has reached a maximum height, lateral branches start to sprout giving it a total bushy appearance, at this stage, pruning the top can be done, even though its not recommended as it is cumbersome

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

Fruiting in Okra

From Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique

Ready to Harvest

OBSERVATIONS

since okra has a tap root system and not fibrous root system, i decided to experiment with pit method rather than the traditional ridge and furrow method.
there was all around progress in almost every department from weeding to irrigation
plant population and density was maintained
no wastage of irrigation water as each pit required the same amount of water
even manure application for every pit was the same
keeping distance between pits helped greatly in harvesting, as the plants got maximum space and no over lapping of leaves was seen.

View slide show presentation here

All data and images by Pritham Denzil D'Souza

Growing Radish without Soil using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore

2010-01-09T05:27:00.000-08:00

Growing Radish without Soil using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore by Pritham D'Souza

From Hydroponic Radish grown in Mangalore

Radish being a root crop requires adequate spacing for root development. pic taken 13 nov 2009

From Hydroponic Radish grown in Mangalore

close up of radish seedling, which germinated within 4 days of sowing

From Hydroponic Radish grown in Mangalore

since it is a root crop, NO TRANSPLANTING is done. so the container chosen should have sufficient depth

From Hydroponic Radish grown in Mangalore

26 days later pic taken on 9 Dec 2009, also brahmi root stem planted next to growing radish

From Hydroponic Radish grown in Mangalore

8 days later, 17 Dec 2009, the radish leaves show better growth and also the brahmi stem next to it starts to sprout new leaves

From Hydroponic Radish grown in Mangalore

another view of Luxuriant radish growth

From Hydroponic Radish grown in Mangalore

Dec 25, 2009, even though the leaves are ready for harvest, i decided to keep it for a few more days

From Hydroponic Radish grown in Mangalore

the best part in simplified hydroponics is the portability of the gardens. here you can see my radish tub placed in my kitchen

From Hydroponic Radish grown in Mangalore

4 Jan 2010, the developing radish root

From Hydroponic Radish grown in Mangalore

5 jan 2010, couldnt control the urge to eat radish leaves, so got them harvested

From Hydroponic Radish grown in Mangalore

another view of freshly harvested radish leaves

From Hydroponic Radish grown in Mangalore

jan 5 2010, radish leaves are harvested and you can see brahmi plant with its heart shaped leaves growing very well

From Hydroponic Radish grown in Mangalore

Jan 5 2010, final picture of radish

View Slide Show here

Growing Pumpkins using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India

2010-01-09T03:54:00.000-08:00

Growing Pumpkins using Simplified Hydroponics in Mangalore, India by Pritham D'Souza

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

germinated seeds of palak, amaranthus and pumpkins in a germinating tub

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

ready to transplant once 3 leaf stage is attained

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

watering the plants to loosen the roots before uprooting the plant for transplanting

edit

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

transplanting done is a plastic flower pot which contains mixture of coconut peat, coconut fibre and neem cake

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

watering with nutrient water after transplanting . pic taken 5 nov 2009

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

pic taken 13 nov 2009, exactly a week after transplanting

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

pic taken 24 nov 2009, 10 days later, excellent vegetative growth and flower bud formation

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

24 nov 2009, tiny developing flower and fruit buds

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

pic taken 27 nov 2009, more growth and more buds visible

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

nov 27 2009, the develpoing bud

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

2 dec 2009, flowering and pollination seen and luxuriant growth

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

after pollination, the fertilized developing embryo

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

9 nov 2009 growing fruit buds

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

close up of growing fruit bud, tender buds can be identified by lite yellow color as seen

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

vine length reaches over 2 meters

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

another view of flowering and fruiting pumpkin plant

From Hydroponic Pumpkins grown in Mangalore

harvest index reached. pumpkins can be harvested after yellow colored fruits change to lite orange. once the fruits are harvested, it facilitates the development of more flower and fruit buds.
date of sowing 28 oct 2009
date of harvest 18 nov 2009
50 day crop

View slide show here

all pics and data by Pritham D'Souza

Ridge Gourds at Padval Farms

2009-12-03T05:46:00.000-08:00

Ridge Gourds at Padval Farms
Tender and young ridge gourd plants seen here at padval Farms. ridge gourds are highly intolerant to cold temperatures and growth stunt can be seen when the day temp is drastically reduced

video and data by Pritham Dsouza

Bottle Gourd grown in Pits at the base of Hillock

2009-12-03T05:44:00.000-08:00

Bottle Gourd grown in Pits on slope to facilitate greater vine length and movement at padval farms kinya mangalore

video and data by Pritham Dsouza

Yard Long Cowpea Runner Beans Using Pit method

2009-12-03T05:40:00.000-08:00

Yard Long Cowpea Runner Beans Using Pit method at Padval Farms, Kinya, Mangalore, India

Yard Long Runner Beans are grown using the same pit method mentioned in Ladies Finger Okra cultivation. The results can be seen here.

Video and Data by Pritham Dsouza

Amaranthus Crop Video

2009-12-03T05:35:00.000-08:00

Amaranthus Crop Video at Padval Farms, Kinya, Mangalore India

The lush green growth of Amaranthus (harive soppu, bhaji) is credited to weekly once application of Organic Gel made from Sea Weeds which contain Helpful Bacteria which breakdown the nutrients in the soil and make them more available to the plants.

to check the pest problem, pure neem oil @5ml per litre has to be used once a week.

the crop is ready to harvest in 21 days.

Video and Data by Pritham Dsouza

Spinach Grown on Soil without Support

2009-12-03T05:33:00.000-08:00

Spinach Grown on Soil without Support

spinach also called valchhi bhajji in konkani grown on soil without using trellis or support at Padval farms,mangalore kinya. using organic inputs

Video and Data by Pritham D'Souza

Ladies Finger Okra Grown in Pits

2009-12-03T04:46:00.000-08:00

Ladies Finger Okra Grown in Pits

the video shows flowering and fruiting stage of Ladies Finger (Okra, Bhindi) grown in pits and not in rows which is the traditional method followed.

Some salient features in this method

size of pit is fixed and uniformity is maintained, pit size followed here is 2 feet X 1 feet
only 2 plants are allowed per pit, the rest are removed by thinning out, hence plant density is also maintained
each pit requires the same amount of water, hence flooding and over watering is not required, saving precious water
The plant gets more than sufficient space, with plenty of room between pits and hence no plant suffers from want of light and nutrients

Video and Data by Pritham D'Souza

Pumpkin Plot grown on Terraced Hill

2009-12-03T04:38:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Plot grown on Terraced Hill at Padval Farms, Kinya Mangalore, India

Video below shows effective utilization of a terraced hillock, where creeper vines are made to grow all along the surface of the hill. Pumpkin' are ready for harvesting.

video and data by Pritham D'Souza

Monsoon Cultivation Of Cucumber

2009-11-02T21:41:00.000-08:00

Monsoon Cultivation Of Cucumber by Pritham 'Metal Farmer' D'Souza

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is one of the most widely used salad crops grown both in North and South India. Fruits contain good amount of Iron and Vitamin C along with carbohydrates. It is highly recommended for people suffering from Jaundice, constipation and indigestion

LAND PREPARATION
since i am mentioning the monsoon cultivation techniques here, the land preparation is very similar to my other posts where i have mentioned monsoon cultivation. Some main points to begin with

The land selected must have adequate drainage
water logging areas should not be selected
however if availability of land is a constraint, seeds have to be sown on elevated bunds as shown below
Due to heavy rains, most of the seeds get drowned with too much moisture and they start to rot even before germination, hence more seeds have to be sowed.
bunds or raised seed beds should have a minimum height of 10 to 15 inches and seeds once germinated must be thinned out and plant distance maintained

germination seen 7 to 10 days after sowing

close up of germinated seedling

seedling reaches 3 leaf stage in the 3rd week of sowing

the above pic shows water severely logged in the field. the raised seedling bed literally saved the seedlings from rot and drowing.

the photo above shows considerable growth and development of the plant when rainfall recedes and light intensity increases

excess plants must be thinned out and plant distance must be maintained as seen above

INTER CULTURE OPERATIONS AND IRRIGATION

Since this is monsoon technique, irrigation is not given, however, due to erratic rainfall patterns, lite irrigation is a must at the time of sowing to moisten the field in case rains fail.
while making the raised beds/bunds, decomposed Organic Manure must be added to the soil, and mixed thoroughly and seeds must be sowed on top of this. When the seeds germinate and grow, they will make use of the nutrients present in the soil
DO NOT spray the crops during monsoons using pesticides or liquid fertilizers when there is not enough sunlight.
Spraying of Liquid fertilizers should be done only when required and in the presence of sunlight. plants prepare their own food during photosynthesis and so sunlight is the most important factor.
Soil aeration can be increased by loosening the soil around the root zone of the plants. this also helps in drainage.

the above figure shows rapid development of the plant and tendril stage

soil loosened to provide good aeration and also allow better drainage

MANURING, FLOWERING AND HARVESTING

The plant receives the basal dose of decomposed farm yard manure at the time of preparation of the land and sowing.
Spray 1 ml seed weed based algae Organic Manure in 1 litre of water at every 10 day intervals. addition of wetting agent like APSA or other sticking agents is recommended so as to increase the effectiveness of the sprays
Flowering will be seen 40 to 45 days after sowing and the mature fruits can be harvested after 55 to 60 days after sowing.
Timely harvesting the fruit is a must otherwise they over ripe and become unfit for consumption. for salads, the green color of the fruit must not turn brownish yellow.
fruits must be plucked every alternate days to avoid over riping
for seeds, yellow brown fruits , golden fruits (mature color) are harvested, seeds extracted, washed thoroughly in water and dried
the seeds thhus obtained must be sowed again within 3 to 6 months or it looses its viability
Cucumber yields up to 100 quintals per hectare

the above pic shows the same stretch of land with excellent growth and flowering

formation of tender fruit buds

growing tender fruit
mature fruit ready for harvest

PESTS , DISEASES AND CONTROL

I only recommend the usage of pure neem oil @ 5 ml per litre of water to be sprayed only when insect attack is seen
Imidochloprid systemic insecticide @2 ml in 5 litre water can be used every 10 days for the young seedlings since they are most vulnerable to sucking pests like aphids, thrips and plant minors. it is also effective in controlling red pumpkin beetle which damages the growing leaves and severely injures the plant
Spraying must be done in sunny weather and not in gloomy weather
spraying in the evenings from 4pm to 5 pm is recommended than spraying during day time as it will affect pollination
adding 2 ml per litre sticking agents or wetting agents is required to increase the effectiveness of the sprays

all photos and data by Pritham D'Souza

Grow Lettuce in Water using simplified hydroponics

2009-03-21T09:26:00.000-07:00

Grow Lettuce in Water using simplified hydroponics by Pritham 'metal farmer' D'Souza

in my earlier posts i have showed in detail how to grow lettuce in floating bed. i had showed the procedure in making a float bed, with all imputs necessary like thermocol sheet, black plastic sheet, dishwasher sponge etc with transplanting technique.

now i plan to show the growth stages of lettuce in a step by step pictoral guide from seedling tray/tub stage to harvest stage.

i had first managed to transplant the young lettuce seedlings in grow bed which had coconut peat and rice husk as substrate as shown above.

transplanting was done when the seedlings were about 6 cm in height.

notice the roots on the day of transplanting. the photos were taken on march 3 2009.

in just a weeks time, there was rapid growth as seen above. the pic was taken on march 11, 2009

notice the height of the plant when i transplanted it from seed tray to grow bed. it was approx 6 cm.

the photo above shows me holding the same plant after it was transplanted in the float bed, just 15 days later. its height now is nearly 18 cm.
also look below and see how long the roots have grown.

the above 2 pics were clicked on 21 march 2009, 10 days later. they seem to have grown a lot more & also very healthy and green.

remember to continuously aerate the float beds for min 2 minutes daily. i aerate it twice daily.
lift the thermocol sheet and spalsh the water with your hand till bubbles are formed
bubbles formed in aeration provide atmospheric oxygen to the roots & also destroy any insect eggs, if found.

my only concern is the lettuce though looking very healthy seems to droop & not stand upright. feedback related to this problem is appreciated.

all photos and data by pritham dsouza. to view photos in original size, click on photo to enlarge

Grow Tomatoes on your roof top without soil using simplified hydroponics

2009-03-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

Grow Tomatoes on your roof top without soil using simplified hydroponics by Pritham 'metal farmer' D'Souza

Tomatoes are the most widely consumed vegetable in India, where it is used in a variety of cuisines. it is also very popular as puree, sauces & ketchups. however it has always been very challenging to grow tomatoes in the coastal belt as soil becomes the most important factor.
it grows well in black soils not in the coastal red soils.

since hydroponics doesnt need soil, half the battle is already won. following is how i have grown tomatoes without soil, successfully.

in the field, tomatoes are soaked in water or curds for a few days and when the seeds start to sprout, they are braodcast in raised seed beds.
the above pic shows germination just 4 days after sowing. photo taken on feb 5 2009

the above 2 pics show 99 percent germination. even i didnt expect such an amazing and excellent germination percentage. photo taken on 9 feb 2009.

even though it has reached transplanting stage, i decided to wait for some more days to see if over crowding the plants will have any detrimental effect. the only problem i had was the occurence plant hoppers which ended up spreading mosaic virus. i managed to control the problem with neem sprays daily till i didnt see any further spread.

a close up of a tomato plant with distinct leaf structure. bothe the above photos were taken on 25 feb 2009.

after 1 week on march 1 2009, i decided to transplant tomatoes in sepatate growers.

since the grow bed was wider and deeper, i decided to utilize every space available to me. so i transplanted 3 plants together in the same grower as seen above. tomato has fibrous root system, so the roots will produce a number of lateral roots & spread like a very thick network in the grower.

immediately after transplanting i supplied nutrient water till the substrate was saturated and excess water started draining as seen below

transplanting was done on 1st march 2009

20 days later, the growth has to be seen to be believed. the above pic taken on march 21, 2009.

tomato successfully grown without soil.

all photos and data by pritham dsouza. to view photo in original size, click on photo to enlarge

grow orka ladies finger in flower pots without soil using simplified hydroponics

2009-03-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

grow orka ladies finger in flower pots without soil using simplified hydroponics by Pritham 'metal farmer' D'Souza

the above photo shows okra plants and cowpea plants grown together in the same grow tub. i have exceeded the normal time for usual transplanting in case of okra. in the field, okra plants are transplanted when 3 leaf stage is seen, wneh the plant attains a min height of about 6 inches.
here i have gone against the norm & transplanted when the plants are over 10 inches long.

an individual plant gently scooped up after light watering of the tub to loosen the substrate.

the above 3 pics shows the thick root network of the plant.

i also transplanted the plants in the afternoon when the intensity of sunlight is maximum. the substrate was well drenched with nutrient water till it reaches saturation point.

the drooping leaves was because of the intense heat. it did not kill the plants, but i had to not provide partial shade if i wanted the plants to improve which i did in the photo below. the plants were transplanted on march 4, 2009

the above photo shows how the plants have started to grow and look a lot more healthier after providing shade net. the above photo was taken on march 13 2009.

okra has grown successfully in flower pots without soil.

all photos and data by pritham dsouza. to view photo in original size, click on photo to enlarge

Grow Ladies Finger Okra without soil using simplified hydroponics

2009-03-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

Grow Ladies Finger Okra without soil using simplified hydroponics by Pritham 'metal farmer' D'Souza

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) popularly known as bhendi kai in kannada or bhendi in hindi is an annual vegetable crop. one of the most nutrient rich vegetables, the high iodine content in the fruit is used to control goitre, while leaves are used as anti inflamatory & dysentery. the dry seed contains excellent amount of edible oils & proteins, and it is extensively used in cosmetic industries & soap industries. the crushed seed is given to cattle to increase milk production

the above photo taken on feb 25, 2009 shows okra plants grown together with cowpea. germination was observed in 4 days time. in the field, the seed takes a lot of time to germinate as seeds show high degree of dormancy and generally takes up to 7 days to germinate.

a clear photo of okra seedling

the above 2 pics show me slowly lifting the plant ready to transplant in tomato boxes i converted as grow beds. one has to be careful not to damage the roots as they can snap easily. light watering must be done first, and the substrate loosened. then the plant has to be scooped up with the substrate around it intact.

a close up of the roots, well defined & good network

immediately after transplanting, nutrient water must be added till it starts to drain out
the transplanting pics were taken on march 1, 2009

the above photo shows great shoot and leaf development. notice at the growing inter nodes of the plants, flower buds have started to develop
photo was taken on march 13, 2009 just 12 days after transplanting.

the above photo was clicked at night, hence the slight drooping of leaves in the absence of light.

here bhendi is successfully grown without soil.

all photos and data by pritham dsouza. to view photos in original size, click on photo to enlarge

successful growth of indian spinach without soil

2009-03-21T07:46:00.000-07:00

Indian spinach(basella alba, basale soppu, valchi bhajji) grown without soil on roof top using simplified hydroponics by Pritham 'metal farmer' D'Souza

in continuation of my earlier post on indian spinach, i am continuing the series of growth events below chronologically

the photo above was taken on taken on feb 11, 2009 the day i first transplanted basale soppu or indian spinach.

the above 4 photos show the development of shoots slowly appearing from the buds.

the above photo taken 14 days after transplanting clearly shows the appearance of new shoots & branching. photo taken on feb 25, 2009

the fading of green was my mistake as i had initially given light dose of nutrients. once i gave nutrients in full strength, visible lush green appearance was seen in 2 days time as seen below.
the above 2 photos show the shoot and lateral branching and excellent growth of indian spinach.

photo taken on march 13th 2009.

all photos and data by Pritham Dsouza. to view photo in original size, click on photo to enlarge

Grow harive soppu amaranthus without soil

2009-03-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

Grow Amaranthus harive soppu on your roof top without soil using simplified hydroponics by Pritham 'metal farmer' D'Souza

amaranthus or harive soppu as its popularly known as in Kannada is a leafy vegetable grown for its excellent taste and high nutrition. its also a very profitable as the crop can be harvested within 21 days, thus fetching better returns in a shorter time.

i have grown the crop first in tubs with coconut peat and rice husk substrate, & later i have grown it in floating beds.

i used a spoonful of seeds in a single grow tub. i spread the seeds evenly on the surface & watered it using my own mixture of sea weed based algae gel for the first few days till it germinated and later for a few more days till it was big enough. then i switched on to the nutrients provided by CV.

the photo above shows germination in progress just 2 days after sowing. in the field, germination can be noticed after 4 days. the above photo was taken on Jan 31 2009

the above 3 photos were taken on Feb 2, 2009. notice nearly every seed i sowed, has germinated perfectly.

amaranthus loves sunlight. so the tub was placed such that it receives max sunlight for most part of the day as seen above

the above photo was clicked on feb 9, 2009. notice in detail, the black smudge was due to the algae gel i used for the first 10 days of plant growth. later when i switched over to the nutrients provided by CV, the leaves appeared much greener & distinct, without the black spots

harvesting in amaranthus is generally done within 21 days after sowing, but there is not rule here. some people keep the plant for as long as 45 days as seen below, till the leaves become very large & stem hardens a bit. for some people , harvesting is preferred when the plant is very tender, just 6 to 8 inches in height.

the photo above shows individual amaranthus plant grown in same tub as bottle gourd. the plant can either be cut at the stem level a few inches above the ground level or whole plant is uprooted & bundles are made and sold.

Amaranthus in Floating Bed by Pritham 'metal farmer' D'Souza

i wanted to experiment with amaranthus just like in lettuce, if it works in floating bed. for this i used a regular dish washing sponge and made a deep cut in the middle as shown below.

since the plant is very thin, i took 10 to 15 plants together as seen below

then i placed them in between the deep cut i made on the sponge as seen below and placed them in the thermocol sheet which had holes made previously to accomodate the plants.

the above photos were taken on march 12, 2009.

the above 3 pics were taken on march 21, 2009. the growth is a bit slower, but if one notices, the leaves have turned a lot greener than they were on the first day of transplanting.

advantages of floating beds

portable beds, can be taken anywhere
since the water has nutrients, no need to add more nutrients unless deficiency is observed
since there is no soil, no question of soil borne pathogens or pests.

Most important poinf for float beds

daily aeration is a must as the roots need to get as much oxygen as possible. this can be done by splashing the water and creating bubbles as seen in the pic below

this splashing of water creating air bubbles destroys any kind of insect eggs like mosquito eggs if any, in addition to providing oxygen to the roots.
minimum 2 minutes of splashing waterdaily has to be done, i splash water twice daily for better aeration.

All photos and data by pritham dsouza. to view photos in original size, click on photo to enlarge

Grow Lettuce on your Roof top using Simplified Hydroponics

2009-03-09T07:32:00.000-07:00

Grow Lettuce On Your Rooftop Using Simplified Hydroponics by Pritham 'metal farmer' D'Souza

following are some very simple steps i took in creating my very own floating bed where i used it to grow lettuce.

the above pic shows lettuce seedlings germinated in seedling tray. i had to wait for a few days till they were a few inches tall before i could transplant them in my floating bed

i took a normal dishwashing sponge as seen above and cut it into square blocks measuring about 1 inch as seen below.

on each sponge block obtained i made a deep incision as seen above, at the middle

i took a normal thermacol sheet & made holes in them using a bottle cap.

since my carpentary skills are not as good as my guitar playing skills, i decided to use one of my normal grow bed tubs & convert the same into a floating bed (sorry peggy)
i covered the base, and the sides using black polythene sheet & taped the sides as seen above. then i filled it with already prepared nutrient water

i wet the seedling tray, and slowly picked up the lettuce seedlings as seen above & placed them gently in between the cut i had made on the sponge piece as seen below

notice the good root development above n the enlarged image below

another side view of the seedling placed in between the cut on the sponge block

notice the pic above has very small roots. i was not careful while removing the seedlings from the germinating tray, and as a result a lot of the roots here snapped. but i transplanted it anyways to see if it will survive

i plugged all the 12 holes with the seedlings & if you notice, at the bottom left, i transplanted a tomato seedling just for kicks!
the above photos were taken on march 5, 2009

just a day later, on march 6, 2009, i noticed, the roots slowly begining to look a lot healthier & the plants looking a lot stronger

i aerate the water everyday , twice with my hands & the bubbles thus formed help the roots get oxygen. it also eliminates mosquitoes from breeding as they prefer stagnant water, not daily aerated water.
the above pic was clicked on march 5, 2009, just 2 days after i transplanted. if one compares the photos, it is very clear, there has been rapid increase in length of the leaves and the plants look a lot greener.
i will post newer photos after a few weeks & see the development of my lettuce floating bed

all photos n data by Pritham dsouza

Using Yellow sticky traps in controlling insects

2009-02-22T22:26:00.000-08:00

Yellow Sticky Traps in Hydroponics and Field - By Pritham "metal farmer" Dsouza

One of the most damaging insect pests seen on crops like Egg plants (brinjal), chilli, capsicum, tomato & leafy vegetables like amaranthus, spinach etc is the pesky white fly.

these white flies are very small & in most cases appear like flying power or dust when the plant is shaken or when watering is done. the chemical treatment is using systemic insecticides like dimethoate & malathion, which is simply toxic & very labour intensive.

a very simple method is by using sticky traps as seen below.

for the above trap, i took discarded cornflakes box & flattened them. then using scissors, i cut out the required amount of yellow plastic sheet (easily available in the market) and stapled it to the cardboard box as seen.

then using a gun tacker i stapled it to a long stick as shown.

making it sticky : i then added 1 tiny spoon of used vegetable oil, and smeared the entire yellow sheet both front and back and planted it firmly in my brinjal garden.

the next day, i could see thousands of tiny white spots all spread over the sticky trap. (click on photo to enlarge)

my first impression was , it could have been dust. but on a closer look, it turned out to be the pesky white fly which got caught in the sticky trap & choked to death.(click on photo to enlarge)

the above pic shows an area of about 2 sq inches. (click on photo to enlarge)

why yellow plastic is used? - thats because insects have a special liking to the color yellow. it distracts them from the main plants & turns their attention to a nice big bright yellow death trap, kinda the same effect a light bulb has on night moths & night insects.
since the surface is sticky, the tiny feet & wings get & they die due to suffocation on the oily surface.
This is by far the best method in controlling white flies. its safe, non toxic, chemical & pesticide free & the yellow plastic sheet can be used for upto a month.

it can be re used by washing the sticky trap with soap water, and following the same methods as suggested above.

all content and photos by Pritham Dsouza

Bottle Gourd Seedlings and Transplanting in Hydroponics

2009-02-19T08:22:00.000-08:00

Bottle Gourd Seedlings and Transplanting in Hydroponics by Pritham "Metal Head" D'Souza

Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is a widely grown tropical vegetable which has high carbohydrate content. oil can be extracted from the seed kernel and is used in hair care products. the hard shells of the bottle gourd can be used as utensils, or floats in fishing nets and even musical instruments, due to its resonating property.

i decided to try n grow bottle gourd using simplified hydroponics.

the above pic shows bottle gourd germination in plastic tub. i had sowed the seeds on jan 31, 2009 & germination took place within 3 days.

a perfect seedling of bottle gourd 3 days old

the above pic was taken when 3 leaf stage was observed. date was 10th january, 9 days after germination.

very well defined growth

for the photos below , i had simultaneously sowed 12 seeds in a germinating tray. when they were about 2 inches tall i decided to transplant them in growing tubs.

the above pic shows the substrate taking the shape of the germinating tray. looks like a peanut (chikki) sweet

one of the best photos i have taken. see clearly the well formed rooting network, clear and healthy

the actual size of the seedling for transplanting

hole dug using my thumb in the grow substrate

plugging the hole, so to speak

transplanting done.

a closer look at the leaves of the 3 leaf stage seedling shows some blackish residue. that is the bacteria gel solution i used during the initial stages of seedling growth. as the growth stage progresses, the residue(organic in nature) will disappear.

Pollination & Fruiting In Ash Gourd

2009-02-12T08:53:00.000-08:00

A pictoral explanation of pollination and fruiting in ash gourd crop (benincasa hispida) by Pritham 'metal farmer' Dsouza

click the photos to enlarge

above is a typical ash gourd patch, with flowering & fruit setting in progress. If one looks closely, there are several irregularities in flower size, leaf color & fruit formation. I hope to show case the process of pollination & some of the problems faced wrt insects & caterpillars thru a set of photos which i have personally clicked.

the above pic shows the growing tip of the vine, which in normal circumstances looks fine.

a closer look reveals that the plant may be suffering from Phyllody, which is caused by leaf hoppers. all the nodes and internodes of the plant get shrunk & give a mottled appearance as seen above. malformation of axillary buds is visible & the leaves fail to attain full size.
Management: safest, & least toxic way is to use dimethoate @2 ml per litre of water , min of 5 sprays every 10 days to prevent the spread of the plant hoppers

above pic shows the development of the buds into flower buds

the above pic is a female flower, notice the round bulge at the bottom of the flower. after pollination , fertilization takes place resulting in the formation of the fruit

a normal ash gourd flower, yet to bloom

the above pic shows the well defined ash gorud flower, bright yellow in color, almost perfect

the above 2 pics shows pollination being done by honey bees. the bright yellow color attracts more than just normal honey bees, but wasps, hornets, butterflies & other pollen collectors.

zoomed pic of honey bee collecting pollen

a tiny wasp collects pollen, but look at the next photo, i have zoomed to show another parastic pest infesting the flower

in the centre, lies the leaf eating caterpillar. (Diaphania indica)

same photo zoomed below

a more clear photo above shows both the insects at work. the bee is busy with its pollen collection, while the caterpillar looks for a place to hide.

the easiest way to detect is to look for excreta of the caterpillar which is generally in pellet form and can be seen in the above photo.

in many cases the caterpillar completely bores a hole in the flower and then the yield is affected severly.

the photo above shows a flower that has already dropped off due to attack by the caterpillar.

once the caterpillar is a bit bigger, it starts to feed on the leaves & as seen in the above pics, causes irreversible damage to the leaves. also notice a pattern of irregular lines, vein banding in the form of a mosaic appearance. it is a virus & is another serious problem caused by aphids and white flies.

Management:

the caterpillars can be totally controlled by using a combination of profenophos with chlopopyriphos @ 2 ml per litre of water. high concentration neem sprays is effective & neem cake can be used in the soil . just before the caterpillars enter pupal stage, they start to weave a silk coccoon, which is resistant to sprays. so the timing of sprays is very important.
aphids can be effectively controlled using garlic sprays, neem sprays(10 ml per litre) and low dose of dimethoate @ 1 ml per litre of water

the forming fruit seen above

if the vines are healthy, fruit formation can be seen at every inter node as seen above.

a much larger size fruit about the size of a tennis ball. one can see formation of ash, from the top

some tender fruits fall prey to daucus cucurbitae fruit fly. the fly bores the fruit & it slowly starts to bleed as seen above. this secretion attracts more harmful insects & the wound is perfect for fungas to thrive.

also after the fruit is formed, one can see the excreta of caterpillars on it. this must be cleaned off before marketing the produce. the excreta fell from the leaves on to the fruit.

in some cases, the developing fruit bud suddenly gets heavily discoloured & dies. there may be several reasons like fruit necrosis or fruit fly.

Management

fruit necrosis is caused by a virus transmitted by thrips & can be treated with dimethoate @ 2ml per litre at every 12 days interval.
fruit flies can be controlled by using pheromone baits, click here for more

ash gourd can be harvested in about 100 days after sowing. the fruit will ahve a total ash covering & the growing tendril with it starts to dry off. sometimes tapping the fruit to get the desired 'thunk' is also another harvest index.

all photos and content by Pritham 'metal farmer' Denzil Dsouza

Growing Spinach using Simplified Hydroponics Technique on roof top

2009-02-11T05:20:00.000-08:00

Growing Spinach on roof top by Metal Head Pritham D'souza

Spinach on Basella alba is a widely used crop in the region of coastal karnataka. it figures in the top 3 vegetables consumed as staple diet in Dakshina kannada, Mangalore. since it is a long vine that grows, i decided to try and grow it on the roof top of my house using simplified hydroponic technique. read the following

i have used a discarded tomato box as a grower as seen above. make sure that the box is not damaged or has rusty nails.

make a drain hole 1 inch below the bottom using power tool or hand drill as shown above.

use the tank joint to drain the excess water as shown

use black polythene sheet folded as shown which acts as the base of the grower bed

next, use black polythene sheet as shown to cover the walls of the wooden box. note that i used a staple gun (gun tacker) to pin down the sheet to the wooden box

rice husk , washed and dried is a great substrate to use in the grow bed

add washed and dried coconut peat to it. mix in ratio of 50:50 or 30:70 peat to rice husk as shown below

place it on stool or other objects to get desired height. make sure there is a little slope as there should not be excess water logged in the box. it will start to rot the substrate & increase fungal growth
transplant the spinach vines. cut the vines to desired length & transplant. water immediately as shown.
i have used sea algae based organic manure treated with beneficial bacteria for rooting & growth.

since the vines used were cut from the mother source, it must be kept in shade for a few days till the transplanted vines establish themselves.
i will update this post after 10 days to see if the technique works. If it does, then growing spinach in the rains wont be a problem using simplified hydroponics, as the grow bed is portable & can be kept indoors when it rains heavy & can again be kept outdoors when it stops. even if kept ourdoors it should not be a problem as excess water gets drained out anyways.

Build your own Grow Bed using available resources by Pritham'Death metal' Dsouza

2009-02-01T08:38:00.001-08:00

A step by step pictorial guide to building your very own Grow Bed used in Hydroponics by Heavy Metal Maniac Pritham Dsouza

Since i live in a farm, i decided to make use of the natural resources that lie waste in our farm. so we decided to make our very own, grow bed using wood from Arecanut(Areca catechu) palm tree. The above pic shows Narayana selecting strong & healthy trunks of the areca palm tree

The above 3 pics shows how all sharp edges are removed by sickle & saw blade, to give a very smooth finish.
after measuring the required size, the trunk is cut accordingly as shown above

the wood is then placed on the ground & the outer frame is worked on as shown above

framing work completed

the bottom of the grow bed is completed above

next, the long pieces of wood are used as legs of the grow bed as shows in the figure above

it must be noted that the legs should be of equal size or it will result in tilting or uneven balance of the grow bed.
next 2 support strips are nailed across the legs of the table on both sides as shown. since the areca wood is thin, we wanted to give the legs extra strength to be able to carry the weight of the substrate and the growing plants

most important. since the wood used is thin, there are chances that the nails go right thru the wood & protrude from the other side. such nails are then bent using a hammer, or it could seriously cause injury to self

Narayana checking for protruding nails & correcting them

Arecanut body based simple grow bed done. time taken to make by single person, 54 minutes

next, a double layer of black poly sheet is used, as this acts as the base for the growing plants and substrate.
a drain hole is drilled 1 inch from the base of the bed and tank joint placed as shown. then it is trial tested for any leaks etc.

my dog 'hitler' wonders if the grow bed could also act as a private pool if made leak proof

Substrates used in Hydroponic systems

2009-01-31T05:43:00.000-08:00

Substrates that can be used in simple Hydroponic systems

For people who generally live in rural areas, finding substrates like rice husk, or coconut peat is not a problem.

Rice Husk:

is an excellent substrate which has one of the best drainage.
since there is no compaction even after watering, it provides good aeration for the development of roots.
The rice husk must be thoroughly washed in clean water as it might contain inert materials like sand, stones , insect eggs etc
sun drying after washing is done for a period of 2 to 4 days.
weed seeds sometime can get mixed along with the rice husk, so trials can be conducted to see if the rice husk substrate has any weed seeds in them. Soaking the husk in water & allowing to dry for a few days generally is the best method.
In rice mills, burnt husk is also available. This is better as the chances of weed seeds, insect eggs etc are eliminated

Coconut peat
The numerous advantages of coconut peat can be seen in my early posts. Or you can view them again by clicking here

Washing the substrates:
before using either rice husk or coconut peat, they have to thoroughly rinsed in clean water

The most common problem found in coconut peat is it contains a lot of inert material, sand, soil & even insects. so it has to be washed several times , in clean water and sun dried for a couple of days before using it.

The photo below shows the residual sand/soil that i collected after washing 3 kg of coconut peat

This is mostly fine sand and soil particles, & this is detrimental to the dev. of roots. the presence of soil, results in compaction & formation of clay which will result in poor drainage, water logging & poor aeration. The coconut peat can also be filtered using fine filter net, before washing to remove the bigger particles

The heavier sand/soil particles can be found at the bottom of the container & the lighter coconut peat floats at the top.

the sun dried coconut peat can be used after 2 to 4 days.

Photos and content by Pritham 'Heavy metal farmer' denzil dsouza

Build your own germinating tray/tub for hydroponic cultivation

2009-01-31T05:17:00.000-08:00

simple methods to start with your very won Hydroponic garden in your own backyard, roof top terrace or front porch

a simple plastic tray, preferably inexpensive, can be used as shown in the figure

next, a drain hole must be drilled into the plastic container. an electric drill can do the trick. even a piece of iron rod, heated to high temperature using a candle could do the trick of drilling a hole of desired size. the hole must be drilled at 1 inch from below the bottom of the tub as shown in the figure

a tank joint (15 mm dimension) must be used which acts as a drain tube, must be fixed as shown
the tub must be filled with suitable substrate. for this post, i have used rice husk. The rice husk has excellent drainage features & acts as a good substrate if one wishes to grow root vegetables.

Important Note
drainage is the key in any successful Hydroponic system. since most of the times, water which is rich in nutrients is added (fertigation) and so the water must not be allowed to go waste.
a little slope is also helpful in draining the trays of excess water, as it might start to rot the organic substrate and even the roots. fungal problems arise due to bad drainage.
the excess drained water is collected in collection containers suspended from the drain pipes as shown in the figure below.

once a week, clean water is added to the trays to 'flush out' the substrate of any harmful residues.

Photos and content by Pritham 'Heavy metal farmer' denzil dsouza

Some Tips For Amaranthus

2009-01-29T22:29:00.000-08:00

Tips & Precautions while growing Amaranthus(harive soppu)

amaranthus ready for harvest

uniform germination

watering with too much force results in patches in the beds as seen above

the seeds must be mixed in a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio with sand. since the seeds are small, mixing with filler material is done and then broadcast
the growing beds must be of even shape & dimensions. an ideal bed will be 6 to 10 inches raised height
the height is raised as continuous watering will result in soil compaction & rooting is affected greatly. even harvesting will be affected as the plants break off at the ground level.
watering must be done with watering can, or hose pipe if a large area is covered & with less intensity. if watering is done with force, the seeds will be displaced from the raised beds. also a lot of water can be conserved by light irrigation
the seeds will germinate in 3 days & the beds will see uniform growth on 7th day. if by the 4th day, there is no uniform germination, seeds must be again broadcast immediately.
mixing the seeds with turmeric powder is also done and then broadcast to prevent seeds getting destroyed by ants
it is important to maintain a chart to keep tab of the harvest cycle. seed beds should be made & seeds broadcast every 5th day to maintain a uniform harvest cycle.
when conditions are favorable, harvesting can be done every 21 days & the older beds can be worked upon & seeds sowed after adding manure/compost

Photos and content by Pritham 'Heavy metal farmer' denzil dsouza

Seed Production in Amaranthus

2009-01-29T21:53:00.000-08:00

Following are the methods adopted for seed production of Amaranthus also called harive soppu and bhaji.

Selection

healthy plants with good inflorescence must be selected.
diseased, infested by insects , weak plants are not selected as the seeds obtained from them will be of poor quality
care should be taken to see that weed plants are not harvested along with main plants

Drying

all the unwanted leaves, branches, stem etc are trimmed & only the inflorescence is sun dried for a period of 7 to 15 days
white or transparent plastic sheet must be used and the inflorescence must be spread out evenly on the surface
drying process is complete when there is total discoloration of the plant. it changes from green to burnt yellow/brown color.

Packing and storage

once the plant is completely dried, the seeds can be separated by threshing or beating the plant on a wooden plank or rough surface. even rubbing the inflorescence against each other dislodges the seeds
the seeds are very small in size & black in color & round in shape.
the seeds thus obtained must be kept in air tight containers & stored in a dry place.

Precautions and tips

since there are 2 distinct color types, one green the other maroon, seeds of the required color plants can be obtained by not mixing the 2 while threshing, separate the green plants from the maroon plants
do not keep in containers that are defective or have cracks as even a little moisture in these containers will encourage the growth of fungus & will damage the seeds
ants & other insects can also be a problem if the storage containers are not proper. to control ants, 3 or 6 pieces of cloves can be added in the containers.
certain chemicals like Thiram can be used for longer storage to prevent attack from insects
the area of storage must be in a dry place, well aerated to prevent any kind of fungal attack.
after using the seeds, the container must be closed properly,
always use clean hands while handling seeds. after using any chemicals, wash hands with clean water thoroughly before handling seeds

Photos and content by Pritham 'Heavy metal farmer' denzil dsouza

Indian Spinach Summer cultivation

2008-12-02T03:17:00.000-08:00

Summer cultivation of Indian spinach (Basella alba) is a lot more easier when compared to Monsoon season. However it is very labour intensive, right from making trenches to plant vines to the time of harvesting to irrigation, adding manure and all other inter culture operations.

We grow Spinach on the ground and not on a trellis during summer season. following are the methods we employ in cultivation of Indian spinach Basella alba (basale soppu, valchi bajji)

selection of land

land selected must have good irrigation facilities
Should get plenty of direct sunlight and no shade
Loamy soils preferred with good drainage
soils which were previously used for growing vegetables also can be used

Cultivation method

long trenches around 5 feet wide & up to 3 feet in depth are made and the soil is ploughed manually well to remove weeds, break clods & remove stones and other inert materials
in each trench, approximately 20 to 30 baskets of freshly decomposed farm yard manure is added
the soil is then thoroughly mixed till a fine tilth is obtained.
in the trench at every distance of 2 feet, a pair of cut vines of spinach are planted
planting of the cut vines can be done on both sides of the trench. This is a beneficial method of planting as all the nutrients can be utilized & there is no wastage of water & nutrients.
immediately after planting, light irrigation is provided such that it does not disturb the transplanted vines
since the temperatures peak in summer, at transplanting stage, shade must be provided to the young vines. Here we have used palm leaves of coconut.
the developing vines also must not come in contact with soil in early stages of its growth & hence, the same coconut palms which were used as shade can be used as a 'carpet' on which the vines grow
harvest can be done in 30 to 45 days after transplanting

providing shade to transplanted cut vines of spinach

2 weeks after transplanting, the shade palms used as carpet for vines to grow on

Irrigation , Inter culture operations

water plays an important role in the development of healthy vines. water should be provided on daily basis till the vines branch out & more shoots are formed
after 4 weeks of transplanting, irrigation can be reduced to thrice weekly
plant residues, greens, leaves, etc must be incorporated into the soil to act as mulch, thereby reducing soil temperature & evaporation
manure has to be added whenever depletion is visible to the naked eye. the trench made must be of good size as to incorporate addition of large quantities of manure.
manure must be added at intervals of 20 to 25 days

Pruning & harvesting

3 to 4 weeks after transplanting, the vines which have grown long & thin will have to be trimmed at the base of the stem to facilitate the growth of new shoots
at this stage, soil must be provided another dose of manure
at all stages of growth, the weakest vines must be discarded and replaced with new vines
regular trimming of the vines is advantageous as it allows more lateral shoots to emerge
8 weeks after transplanting lush growth can be observed

after 25 days the vines grow long and slender which have to be trimmed at the base level to allow more shoots and manure also provided

10 days after trimming

20 days after trimming

45 days after transplanting lush growth, ready for harvest

Note: this method we adopt ensures that that the harvested spinach is fresh & tender as only the young developing vines are repeatedly harvested. Unlike the traditional method, where old and aged spinach wreaths are sold, we sell the spinach as bundles (see below)

Photos and content by Pritham 'Heavy metal farmer' denzil dsouza

Indian Spinach (basale soppu, valchi bhajji)

2008-12-01T06:14:00.000-08:00

Indian Spinach (Basella alba) also popularly called malabar Spinach, is a distant relative of the Spinach family. It grows as a vine and can attain length of up to 10 meters. it is a fantastic source of iron, vitamin A, vitamin C & calcium. other names are In Kannada Basale soppu, in Konkani Valchi bajji, In bengali pui shak.

The main characteristic feature is the presence of thick mucilage in the leaves & stem, which apart from high nutritive value, also is used in variety of dishes to get thicker gravy, or in soups.

MONSOON TECHNIQUE

Following are the methods used in the cultivation of Indian Spinach Basella Alba under monsoon conditions.

1. Selection of vines
this is the most important criteria for getting a long and steady harvest. The vines can be obtained in the local market , which are sold as wreath bundle. only the best and healthy vines should be used to transplant in the main field while the diseased, old, weak ones are left out. then they are thoroughly washed & kept in a moist place, or water is sprayed on them everyday till the day it is planted.

2. Cutting the vines
Here the selected vines are cut to a length of up to 2 feet, and all the lower leaves removed, keeping only the leaves at the tip/apex of the vine. This is done for polarity to identify which part of the vine is planted in soil & which part is to be trained over a supporting structure.

3. Providing support
since this is a monsoon technique, support must be provided to the growing vines as they should not come in contact with the wet soil, as the growing tips will be succeptable to rot and other fungal diseases.
Making the trellis

the land selected to make the trellis to train the vines must have little slope to prevent water from stagnation.
rows are dug with width of about 2 feet & pits are made in these rows to a depth of about 2 feet
at every 2 meter distance bamboo poles must be placed along the length of the row
a concave cut must be made on top of each bamboo pole so that it can support the weight of additional poles and sticks which will be placed on it (see fig 1)

fig 1

fig 2

the poles are then tied with the help of GI wire, or rope (see fig 2)
between the 2 poles , sticks of certain thickness are placed diagonally as shown and tied with wire or rope.
the already cut vines are then planted on the south side of the poles & it is tied with thin rope to make it erect (see fig 3)
the growing vines will climb over the trellis , not coming in direct contact with the soil
vines will be ready for harvest after a period of over 2 months.

fig 3 erect vines tied with thin rope

fig 4 one view of trellis

fig 5 after 21 days,

fig 6 after 30 days, weak vines must be pruned to allow more shoot development

irrigation
since this is a monsoon technique of growing spinach, no irrigation is needed, however care must be taken to note that at this critical stage of its growth, there must be no water stagnation at the base of the vine. this will result in rotting of the stem & death of the entire vine

Fertilizer application & inter culture

at the time of planting the cut vines in the soil, the land must contain good amounts of decomposed farm yard manure and compost.
application of certain strains of bacteria also help in quick root formation and absorption of soil nutrients
each vine must have a minimum of 2 to 3 buckets of manure. & application is repeated at an interval of 21 days.
care must be followed to see that the growing stem does not come in direct contact with the manure. so the manure must be added at a little distance. This is when the vine is just transplanted. since its tender , it might not be able to handle the manure load.
At every interval of manure application, weeding must be done & soil is loosened at allow good aeration or it will result is hardening of the soil.

fig 7 75 days after transplanting

fig 8

Harvesting

since temperature and light are 2 main limiting factors, the growth of the vines is slow & harvesting can be done on commercial scale only after gap of more than 50 days. but regular pruning of long , weak vines is done at weekly intervals to facilitate growth of new shoots.

when the monsoons subside harvesting can be done after 90 days from date of transplanting.

fig 9 90 days after transplanting

Photos and content by Pritham 'Heavy metal farmer' denzil dsouza

Pests of Snake gourd

2008-11-27T22:59:00.000-08:00

Fruit borer

the most serious pest damaging the young fruits is Daucus cucurbitae which is mentioned under cultivation of Ridge gourd.

the image above shows yellow/brown discoloration on the fruit as a result of boring the tender fruits. since the attack is major on standing crops, chemical pesticides should not be used as it will leave behind toxic residue.
using pheromone traps is the best & economical method to control the pest click here
spraying with neem based repellents can also be done
the infected young fruits must be completely destroyed as they contain young larvae which will emerge and pupate in the soil, thereby continuing the cycle.
soil drenching. treatment with chloropyriphos @ 2 ml per litre water can be done

LEAF EATING CATERPILLAR

Leaf eating caterpillar ( Diaphania indica) is the most serious pest where damage to the plant is highest.
the caterpillars can be seen on the lower surface of the leaves & feed on the young developing leaves, thereby curtailing the growth of the vine.
pupae in silken cocoons can be seen & these caterpillars when come in contact with human skin can also cause severe rash & allergies.
the plant appears to be wilting & severely drooping leaves is the sign of this pest.
if the area under cultivation is small, hand picking the pest using protective gloves is best. however if the area is large, then it becomes very time consuming. spraying with chloropyriphos @ 2 ml per litre and Quinalphos @ 1 ml per litre is very effective. But great care must be taken while spraying these chemicals as they are high in mammilian toxicity.
spraying must be done on the lower surface of the leaves & younger , tender leaves must be sprayed first.
in some cases, natural predators like birds feed on the caterpillars. so spraying must be done only when situation demands.

Photos and content by Pritham 'Heavy metal farmer' denzil dsouza

Snake Gourd

2008-11-27T21:38:00.000-08:00

Snake Gourd ( Trichosanthes cucumerina) is native to India & grown for its long and slender fruits. It is a climbing vine & some varieties also produce short fruits.

Climate & soil

It requires tropical , warm & humid climate for best growth
it cannot tolerate heavy rainfall as flowering is greatly affected.
very heavy rianfall will make the plant succeptable to various fungal & mycoplasma diseases
loamy soils are preferred for its cultivation
soil pH must be in range of 6.0 to 7.0
every cold climate is not suitable, & it cannot tolerate frost

Sowing
since we are following summer methods of cultivation, we made use of the previously made seed beds which belonged to the previous crop & previous season

pits measuring 2 feet in diameter are made & 2 seeds sowed per each pit
the pits must be well mixed with farm yard manure till a fine tilth is obtained.
lite irrigation is then given
since the seeds take a long time to germinate due to very hard seed coat, it is advised to soak the seeds in water over night before sowing
some practices follow the soaking of the seeds in curds to activate quicker germination
when conditions are good, the seeds germinate within 10 days. if the seeds have still not germinated, re sowing is recommended

germination seen within 10 days after sowing

one week after germination

12 days after germination

Irrigation & Inter Culture Operations

light irrigation must be given immediately after sowing
it is important to maintain the moisture level in the soil. after germination, dried leaves, etc can be used as mulch to retain moisture
during growth stage, watering must be done at least thrice a week, when temperature is high. during later stages of growth, water intake can be reduced
since the plant is a vine, support must be provided so that it grows & it must be trained over a bower or pandal or trellis.
21 days after sowing, well composted farm yard manure has to be added. care must be taken to see that the manure is well composted or it may damage the shoot.
at this stage, while adding manure, the size of the pits must be increased by working on the sides of the pit to accommodate manure & also to provide more area for the movement of the roots. clods that are formed are destroyed , resulting is good soil aeration & porosity
all the weeds must be removed

when plant reaches 21 days time, manure is added & support is given for the vines to climb

photo below shows rapid climbing of the vines after 35 days of sowing

Flowering & Harvest

fruits start forming after 60 to 70 days after sowing.
at flowering stage , one spray of plant hormones like NAA is recommended @ 1 ml in 1 litre water to increase the number of female flowers.
fully developed tender fruits can be harvested every 4 to 5 days.
tying a small stone to the stigmatic end of the fruits is a widely practiced method.
under organic practices, the plant will continue to yield for up to 2 months, when conditions are favourable.
the average yield of snake gourd is over 150 quintals per hectare.

some varieties in our farm

the green fruit with longitudinal white stripes. these fruits are much more heavier than the white fruits & are medium to short in length

these white fruits yield continuously, and are less heavy compared to the green type. the fruits are soft & short.

Photos and content by Pritham 'Heavy metal farmer' denzil dsouza

Bottle Gourd cultivation

2008-09-18T05:17:00.001-07:00

Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is a widely grown tropical vegetable which has high carbohydrate content. oil can be extracted from the seed kernel and is used in hair care products. the hard shells of the bottle gourd can be used as utensils, or floats in fishing nets and even musical instruments, due to its resonating property.

soil and climate
bottle gourds require well drained and sandy loam soils for its good cultivation. it cannot tolerate higher amounts of acidity, alkalinity or salinity. pH range is between 5 to 5.5 . when soil conditions are not optimum, then production of female flowers is greately affected.
ten days after sowing. thinning out has to be done & min of 2 seeds must be retained in every bed

21 days after sowing.

it can be grown almost in all climates, however, too much rainfall is not good. optimum temperature range is between 30 to 35 degrees during day. if temperature is very high, then more number of male flowers are formed thereby decreasing yield.

LAND PREPARATION, IRRIGATION AND FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT

Since we are discussing monsoon techniques for growing bottle gourds, the land selected must have good drainage. to attain this at least 3 repeated ploughings must be done. raised seed beds are made up to height of 30 cm & distance between beds must be maintained at minimum 2 meters.
irregular leaf shape is due to heavy rainfall & pest attack. spraying with systemic insecticides like dimethoate @ 1 ml per litre every week till plant is healthy is done.
lush green leaves indicates good nitrogen in the soil

in the presence of optimum sunlight, the leaves are able to prepare their own food & the plants appear much more healthy

irrigation is not given during monsoon , but when there is dry spell, light irrigation must be done just to replenish soil moisture. in summer irrigation is carried out thrice a week. if proper mulching is done, irrigation can be reduced to twice weekly.

the 3 photos above show the crop development after a 35 days after sowing. care must be taken to see that the growing vines are free from developing weeds, or it will hinder harvesting.

development of fruits, fruit setting seen

requires good amounts of organic manure. since it is a long duration crop, it is highly beneficial to add manures in split doses. bulky organic manures can be added to the soil every 20 days, while it is good to add complex fertilizers at least once every month.
it responds great to foliar applications as well. the number of female flowers can be increased using plant hormones like NAA, naphthalene acetic acid @ 1 ml per litre, just during flowering stage.
a healthy bottle gourd plant, which seems to be climbing. the vines can grow up to 20 feet, if left unchecked & hence thinning out is done to avoid overcrowding. also distance is maintained between beds for this reason

flowering can be observed. the plant continues to grow & the vines cover the complete area giving a carpet like appearance.

fruit setting in the above 2 photos

the green carpet cover

HARVESTING
bottle gourds can be harvested after 55 to 75 days after sowing. care must be taken while harvesting to see that proper tender and ripe fruits must be harvested. the developing tender fruits will have green color & the seed coat & rind are tender. it is best to harvest at this stage. sometimes , harvesting is done depending on the size it attains. smaller fruits are in great demand as compared to bug sized fruits.
when the color changes from green to white, the seed coat and rind hardens & then it becomes over ripe & unfit for consumption. such fruits are kept for formation of seeds, which can be extracted once the fruit completely dries up.

some varieties can yield up to 20 tonnes per hectare.

NOTE
In many cases, especially during monsoon, the growing vines are pruned to allow more lateral branching. vines which are bit old & semi hard are pruned to get the desired result. in some other cases, the vines are allowed to train on coconut ropes grown on bower of bamboo sticks. this is done to prevent the developing fruits from coming in contact with soil & rotting.

Photos and content by Pritham 'Heavy metal farmer' denzil dsouza

ridge gourds grown during monsoon

2008-09-18T05:17:00.000-07:00

the seed beds must contain freshly decomposed organic manure. 2 buckets of manure can be added for every seed bed. the main field should have raised seed beds as water stagnation can destroy the young seedlings.
the figure above shows a typical raised bed. 2 to 3 seeds are sowed in every seed bed.

germination will take place after more than a week. under good field conditions, germination is faster. here germination was recorded 8 days after sowing

after 2 weeks after germination. as there is shortage of sunlight, the plants appear weak, even though the seed beds have all the required plant nutrients.

photo taken after 21 days after germination. when sunlight becomes available, growth and development is rapidly accelerated.

using tree branches as support for the growing ridge gourd plants. ridge gourds are climbers & thus require support for its growth.

thinning out must be done & only 2 seedlings must be retained per every raised bed.

2 or 3 sticks with lateral branches are inserted in every bed as shown. care must be taken to see that the sticks do not damage the plant roots or stem.

then the plants must gently be wrapped around the twigs. in 2 datys time, the tendrils will hold the twigs & grow

field shows support given to the plants.

15 days after giving support, the plant is well established & continues to grow using the provided support.

plant seen climbing upwards, the entire length of the support provided.

one month after providing support. the plant has grown very well & climbed the entire length of the support. the lateral shoots that emerge tend to keep falling away from the supporting material. & so the vines should be monitored everyday.

from another angle. as rainfall subsides, the beds need to be opened up & inter culture operations must be continued.

here we can see, the opening up of the raised beds & now pits have been made. 2 to 3 buckets of fresh decomposed manure is added. it is not required to water the pits as moisture content in the soil due to over night rainfall is sufficient for the plant.
only if prolonged dry spells are seen, watering can be done , alternate days, to retain moisture in the soil. at this stage, using complex NPK is also practiced.

another important index is the color green. when the plant is getting adequate nitrogen, the leaves & entire plant has a lush appearance. here the photo shows the plant has attained a height of more than 8 feet & is now slowly covering the trellis/pendall

harvesting can be seen almost immediate after flowering. since it still rains every now and then, incidence of fruit borer is very common. in some cases, tender fruits are harvested earlier to prevent boring of the fruits from the insect.

another view of the same crop. the on off showers increases the incidence of fungus & insects. using strong organic based insect repellents every week is highly recommended. spraying with chemical insecticides is not done as it does not have much impact during the monsoons. repeated sprays are highly toxic to the plant & also unfit for human consumption.

Photos and content by Pritham 'Heavy metal farmer' denzil dsouza