Hi all,
planning to setup multi-layer farm. we have semi black cotton soil - Gujarat. Temperature remains around 30-35 in non summer and in summer it goes up to 42-43. already created tree boundary on east and west side - will work as wind breaker.
I have 1 block of land around 1.2 acre.
Following is the dimension(nearly square)
width 63 mt
length 69 mt
I am planning to have 10 rows. 6 meters apart each.
On row - 1 crop I am planning is moringa, another possible candidate is pomegranade or lemon and 3rd one still I am identifying.
At some places planning to have coconut and mango(to keep in UHDP - not more than 7-8 feet tall) also.
In-between of rows I will continue with usual crops like wheat, pigeon pea, lady finger.
After 1 or 2 year interval green manure of sunhemp or sesbania or green gram.
For watering purpose I am planning flood irrigation as of now as cotton soil creates very large cracks when we do not water for long. If things go well then for row tree I will use drip at later stage. In monsoon sometimes water logged at east side of farm - barely 3-4 days.
Please suggest crops which should I plant on rows which suits soil and temperature and also it creates ecosystem for nutrient management internally.
Farm layout:
Plan to include guava all ther fruit crops like guava, Chiku, Jamun, Karambula, Water Apple, Custard apple, éach 2 to 3 plants each, so as to get seasonal fruits thought year, so that the person staying on the farm will have work & income on regular basis.
Incenthe farm size is small, don’t plan for too many annual crops.
Have 200 sq m space for leafy & seasonally vegetables.
Enrich the soil with green manuring & organic manure loading before planting, so that there will not be cracks in moisture stress.
Have drip system with remote control.
Open drains to drain excess rain water in rains or have trench all round to cutoff root effect problem to to your neighbours and to catch rain water harvesting.
Don’t be to creedy to have too mane crops overloaded with close spacing, to avoid over crowding and shade & root compitition effect.
Generally in small farms, they are to enjoy your hobby.
You may not get the watchman wages if you calculate Rs 15 to 20 K PM x 12.
2 Likes
Chiku, Jamunm Custard apple are big tree in size. Does it going overcover the nearby moringa or lemon?
Not going to plant close spaced, photo is just for demonstration.
If space between rows needs to be changed then you can suggest. @Pamidi
I am novice to this, that is why I am asking all these things.
I am not planning everything in 1 year. in 1 year it will be wheat another year okra like wise.
If you can suggest new crop then also I am eager to know.
I just want to learn new things and if that goes well then I want practice to be exercised in my area.
Peoples are fed up with Sugarcane and now production is also very less and price is also not that much good.
For that I want to practice this prototype and if goes well then only we can suggest others.
Thanks
The complete available land area is only 1.2 acres or are you just planning for this now.
If you wish to have multi-layer farm, either you can follow Subhash Palekar’s method or Miyawaki method or you can create one on your own.
If you insist on having crops in-between the tree crops, the direction of the planting should be North to South rather than East to West. This way you will get more sunlight for the all the crops in between the tree crops as well.
@padmanabhan_ganesan
I have another 1.2 acre just beside same plot but currently we have sugarcane in it.
So as a pilot project I am thinking to try in this 1.2 acre only.
I don’t think Miyawaki is going to help as it’s for kind of afforestation - not a farming practice.
Trees which are going to be used it with small canopy - moringa, lemon, mango(UHDP).
