My Experiments With Farming

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Ash Gourd

Ash gourd is a crop which climbs easily to terrace from ground and produce lots of vegetables.

Applied home made compost couple of times and cowdung slurry once and watered it regularly in the summer

Rice farming monsoon season

This year, got good summer rains but monsoon got delayed badly. Some good rains are coming as of June 28th, but only drizzling and one or two good rains before this.

29th May

29th May, field was tilled with rotovator, it took usual 2 hours and 2500/ charged for that, but he comes promptly.

June 28th

On June 28th started sowing seeds in line using the new row marker tool. It has been a month since the field was tilled, but no single grass was there in the field because of lack of rain. When the irrigation water was coming and there were signs of monsoon starting, thought of sowing seeds. Even if the rain is delayed, irrigation water will make the field wet enough for the seeds to germinate.

It took 3 ladies and 1 man two days to complete the sowing. On the 1st day around 75% was done and hence probably 4 ladies and 1 man on a single day can complete the sowing. Row marker accumulate the dried grass and hence gets clogged and does not move. One suggestion is to raise the height of the marker and also pointed edge has to become more horizontal.

Saturday, June 4, 2022

Taro planted in summer

This time taro seeds were planted at the time of harvest itself and mulched with leaves. Even though it took some time to germinate after the rains, all came up nicely. It is always safe to put 2 seeds in one place, so that at least one will come up. Thick mulch of leaves help, and coconut leaves avoid chicken scratching that area.

Trial of Attapadi upland rice varieties

I had collected two upland varieties from tribal area Attapadi. These are being tried in small areas near home. Seeds were soaked in water for 12 hours and sown in soil by 1st week of may, when there was enough rain.

4 month old variety

Left side is Chettadi and right side is 4 months old

6 months old variety

on the extream right is the 6 months old variety

Monday, May 23, 2022

Mexican sunflower for more mulch

I have been growing mexican sunflower from last year. It is easy to grow, just put the sticks in rainy season, it will start growing in a week's time. Number of plants which I loose is also minimal. It grows quite fast, especially after cutting, it has to be frequently cut since other wise it will snap and fall down.

I also plant them around newly planted saplings so that saplings can be easily identified even after grass takes over

Happy hill rice from USDA GRIN

While searching for Happy Hill rice, I had come across United States Department of Agriculture Germplasm Resources Information Network (USDA GRIN) and there I could see that, they keep Happy Hill rice seeds and distribute to people who are interested. They keep germ plasm from different parts of world. I think, it was suggested by some one in permies.com. I ordered it and they said, it would be sent, but in the middle of Corona pandemic, nothing happened. I made request for a second time and they asked me to send seed import license to send seeds. Then I asked them if they can send it to my friend in California and they readily agreed for it.

They sent 10gm seeds of Happy Hill 1 and Happy Hill 2 and my friend in California gave it to my brother-in-law in Boston and they carried it to India when they travelled, there was no issues in bringing it. I kept it in refrigerator so that it could be sown in rainy season. I will be sowing it in a week's time.

Planting of few indigenous mango varieties from Nadan Mavukal facebook group

Collected some indigenous mango varieties from Sakhil Ravi and Dr. Regi George of Nadan Mavukal facebook group. These will be planted this year and their growth will be monitored.