Checked with tiller guys, they seem to charge Rs250 /Hr and would take around 7 hours to till completely, they were not sure how long would it take to do light tilling. But it might take 4 hrs. So, it may cost approx 1k per acre.
Murali, i remember you advising 5 finger attachment, i am yet to find a tractor fellow nearby.
Meanwhile, i was thinking if i just place the seeds in a line and cover it up with little amount of mud. Would this work?
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Can this do the trick of seedball? I would not loose much in this bargain too. isn’t it?
The books is called something like “krishi paddatigalu”. I will try to scan the cover and let you know. Its available at the GKVK gate itself. Tells you about every thing.
For tilling , I suggest you go with 5 Finger attachment, its called chisel ploug. For the first time only. This will uproot some 10 inches of soil, else disc plough, then scatter these seeds. This should do I think. I am told to mix also horse gram and some cow pea and moong.
LINES DIRECTION.
My advice is to have lines from north to south for maximum harvesting sunlight.
Ensure you are going to till the land opposite to slope of the land. If land slope is towards north or south, then what you mentioned is right, if land slope is towards east or west, then what I suggested is good. However at any cost tilling should be opposite to slope of the land.
SEED BALL VERSUS BROADCOSTING.
Seed Ball method is suitable for non-tilling farming, you are going to tilling the land hence it is not required.
Even without tilling also seeds can germinate in open land during this monsoon season. Broadcasting is simple and easy method that will save money and energy. Mixing of other legumes also good.
TRACTOR
If you provide exact details of place i.e. village name, land mark near to your land, then I can do the needful to get tractor for tilling the land.
I know, i am Natural Farmer by thinking, i do not want to plow if there is a viable option to get these seeds planted, i am not yet hopeful of making such large volume of seed balls, hence was thinking of the other option of putting the seeds in a line and covering it up with little amount of mud so that its not eaten up or washed down. I do not like to put it in a line too, i am good with broadcasting but i can’t do it until i till the land completely, that is why this idea of light till and planting in a line.
Change in the plan. Check the attached pic, now, as there is some amount of ground cover, thought of experimenting the seed broadcast method. Please note, i have just thrown the seeds around 1000sq ft area to know if diancha/soargam/cowpea can germinate without even tilling.
Will go for tilling and planting the seed only if this does not succeed.
Dear Hegde,
You will get succeed with this.
See the attached phot which was taken on 20-May-2012.
Velvet bean seed was through & maintained comfort atmosphere for germination.
The seed germinated without putting in the soil during summer.
In your case monsoon is started, hence you will get success, all the best.
Checked after a month of broadcasting, i could see not even a single diancha plant. Not sure why it did not germinate. May be there was a short dry spell after broadcast, as i do not observe daily i cannot really comment.
Waited for couple of more weeks, was not sure what to do with the seeds that i already bought, so decided to go with broadcasting all these. But decided to try only diancha.
Broadcast around 35/40 kg of the diancha seeds to around 4 acres of land. This included patches where the land was wet and other area where water was standing ( around a inch).
After 2 weeks, when i called my neighbor farmer, he said there is lots of plants that have come up. As this was my first try in broadcasting there is no uniformity in the seed spread. I am not sure about the % of germination, will update about it once it see it myself.
This person, who is my neighbor has asked me to get another bag of seeds to broadcast in the other half of the land, he said he would do the job of broadcasting.
Thanks to all of you who have pitched in with various suggestions for this green cover activity.
Hi Guys,
want to mulch the area below 600 odd besring mango tree canopy.have acute problem of grass n weeds post ferti application in monsoon.
Shud i go for weed mat which is a non organic mulch? will last 3/4 yrs and this new mulch also allows air and water to pass below.
If i opt for organic mulch what is best advised.
Regards.
Rafiq Yusuf
Hi,
See the maize which is germinated on its own during last 20 days in my farm.
Actually we grown maize for fodder to cattle in which a fallen maze germinated on its own with the help of nature.
Taken few pics of diancha growing. My inexperience in seed broadcasting is show clearly.
There are some plants that are yellowing any idea on this? and suggestion for cure?
I think germination % is very less.
But the commercial edible dicots, poor phew. Not a single one got into a plant. But while inside the kitchen it looks promising for “molake kaal” Sprouts. Any idea why these fail to reach as a plant out door ?
Even the GKVK french beans, failed as the stem got too thin and then the stem was not able to support the leafs.
Great ! You achieved something on your own site without getting matter/information from websites.
Real farmer should show his ability in agriculture land but not in screen land (Computer screen)
All your photos speaks the achievement.
I appreciate your efforts and wishing you all the best in ahead.
What next?
Cut the biomass with sickle or brush cutter and broadcast main crop seeds?
correct me if i am wrong. My understanding was, this is a step of ZBNF.
My main crop would be rubber, i will not be able to plant this year as as rainy season is almost over. I plan to have banana as inter-crop for 3-4 years, that too have to wait till next monsoon or till i get my open well dug, though i will have spring water flowing till mid jan, i do not want to take the risk without proper water source for summer.
I do not think i was successful in getting the required amount of diancha cover crop, i certainly have the gound amount of cover though. So, next, i plan to try, cowpea, piegon pea, sumhemp, methi, etc but i will limit it to small area, say .5 - 1.0 acres. Anyways i have to wait till next monsoon or till i get water supply.
