I had been growing Stylosanthes Hamata in a small patch in backyard garden. It survived summer and with rain, it established well and there were not much other weeds in that patch. Hence wanted to try rice sowing in that patch, not sure how it will compete with grass. Even after cutting it will come back and rice plants will take more time to come above. The seeds were of Rakthashali and put that in water for 24 hours and sown in the place and cut and mulched the grass.
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I have a bamboo variety which is very common in Kerala and this has thorns on it. I got this saplings when I attended one session in Yuvakshethra college Mundur. I didn't realise the difficulty in managing this species when grown up. It would have been close 9 years since I planted and it grew to a big clump. Few years back, I sold it to a person who cut its small branches which will be used for making fence.
I like any biomass creating trees, but this was just difficult to cut with that thorns,cut few of the poles with chain saw, but were not able to pull out them so just left it as it is. Compared to this I like all the bamboo varieties which are thornless and easy to cut.
Recently planted Rajamalli flower plant in the farm. Seeds were collected from National High way to Coimbatore where in the middle lots of these plants are planted. This has thorns and hence are very drought resistant. In summer these plants are not seen at all and suddenly with rain they just come back. It looks like flowers and seeds has poison in it and hence has to be careful.
I am introducing two more perennial leguminous cover crops into the system - Hedge Lucern (locally called as Velimasal) and Stylo santhes hamata. Had tried both in the last rainy season, hedge lucern sown last time is germinating this year and it grows well. When cut many more branches comes and seeds also is formed and these germinates readily. Whether they will etsatblish quite well and will be established as a monocrop will have to be seen, that is not a preferred method.
Stylo santhes hamata need much care, a small patch was done at home, that was growing well and it survived summer also. As of now, this grows to less than a feet so can be a good covercrop to grow with rice also, to be seen.
Reason for growing fodder grass is that it creates lots of biomass,in rainy season in every 3 weeks, it should be ready for cutting and it is perennial and in summer it just withers but does not turn grey completely, slight greenish color will be there. Since I don't water in summer, would like to cover the ground with a thick cover of mulch and fodder grass helps in that. Its mulch decomposes slowly also. Earlier I used to cut and collect the mulch at the base of fruit trees, now I just leave it at there.
31-May-2025
Those bunches are the fodder grass
I keep searching and using effective cutting tools for grass cutting. I have been using Scythe for long time, but now in lots of places, I have fodder grass which is bit difficult to cut with Scythe since it is very thick and strong at the base, also it is like a bunch and hence cutting with Scythe becomes bit tedious. Recently visited a tools shop in Kulappully,Shornur,Palakkad and they had a grass cutting sickle. Long handle around 2 feet and they make it from leafes of vehicles and hence they say it is very sharp and retains it.
This tool is ideal for clearing pathways and small grass.
04-June-2025
I have been looking for rice varieties which is suitable in my tilled field and also varieties for my tilled field. My major requirement is that it should survive on rain and also should compete with weeds so that weeding is minimum. Here are some possible candidates which I got from research from WhatsappGroups and talking to friends.
Mapillai Samba - This is of 150 days duration and reaches 4-5 feet height and tasty rice. Ideal for 2nd rice crop, it flowers in November and ready for harvest in January.
Kattuyanam - 6 months duration, 5-6 feet height, again people says, this is cultivated in aadi month of tamil (July) when there is flood like situation in paddy field and harvested in January. I did this one time, and it was started in June and it didn't do well
Chettadi - 6 months duration and good for 2nd rice crop also called as Mundakan crop
Chitteni - 150 days duration and good for 2nd rice crop
Chambavu - 135-140 days,150-180cm height (one person said 150cm and another 180cm), good taste, good tillering. One person called Prabhavathy confirmed that she had tried Chambavu for 1st crop,May 15th seeds were sown and transplanted in June and harvested by September last.
Yet another person Sasidhararan Master had tried this in 1st crop, he started in June mid and harvested in October, 120-130 days. It was tall, a person standing in the paddy field won't be visible, tasty rice.
Talked to another person called Santhosh in Palakkad who has been doing Matta Chambavu for many years. According to him, duration is 120 days and height will be minimum 4 feet, not much tillering..it may fall, tasty rice. Starting in June may be difficult for 'podi vitha' since it may rain soon heavily and field may be submerged in water, transplanting may be better.
Kayama - 150 days duration, 4 feet height,tasty rice, competes with weeds well.
Attappadi Upland Rice - According to Durai Swamy of Attapadi, this is sown in Karkkidakam (July-August) and harvested in Vrischikam (November-December). If it is sown early it may reach more height. I tried this once in June and it reached good height, more than 4 feet, but grains didn't form, lots of rice bugs were there, may be because of this or timings was not proper.
Planning to try Kayama this time, Vinod from Nallabhoomi has promised to send the seeds.
