SOIL PREPARATION AND PLANTING​

1. SOIL PREPARATION AND
PLANTING

2.  Soil also provides support for plant roots.
 nutrients, organic matter, air, and water.
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The soil should be tilled as deeply as possible, at least 8 to 10
inches. Deep tilling loosens soil and lets vegetable roots go
deeper. Turn each shovelful of soil completely over.

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Vegetables need a deep and well-drained soil with adequate organic
matter. Good garden soil with proper moisture will not form a hard ball
when squeezed in the hand. It should crumble easily when forced
between the fingers. It should not crack or crust over when dry.

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Plant materials: This includes leaves, straw, and grass clippings. Work material into the
soil several months before planting to allow it time to decompose. Most gardeners do this
during the winter.
Manure: Use composted manure and incorporate it into the soil well ahead of planting.
Do not use fresh manure, as it can damage plants and introduce diseases. Apply 30 to
40 pounds of composted manure for every 100 square feet.
Compost: Compost consists of decayed plant materials. Work it into the soil before
planting.
Sawdust: Compost this before adding it to the garden. Do not use uncomposted
sawdust because it will rob the soil of nitrogen and, consequently, starve the plants of
this essential nutrient.
Green manure: Plant rye or oats in the fall and plow or spade it under in the spring.
These cannot be used if a fall garden is planted.
Almost all garden soils can be improved by adding organic matter to make soil more workable.
It loosens tight clay, helps sand hold more water, makes soil easier to dig, and adds nutrients.

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•Allow water to drain away from plant roots
•Provide furrows for irrigation
•Allow air to enter soil

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SQUARE SYSTEM
It is the most commonly used method and easy
to layout in the field. In this system, plant to
plant and row to row distance is the same. The
plants are at the right angle to each other,
every unit of four plants forming a square. This
system facilitates the interculture in two
directions after the orchard is planted.
RECTANGULAR SYSTEM
In this system, the plot is divided into
rectangles instead of squares and trees are
planted at the four corners of the rectangle
in straight rows running at right angles.
Like square system, this system also
facilitates the interculture in two directions.
The only difference is that in this system
more plants can be accommodated in the
row keeping more space between the rows.

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HEXAGONAL SYSTEM
In hexagonal system, the trees are planted
in the corners of equilateral triangles. Six
trees thus form a hexagon with another
tree at its centre. This system, though a
little difficult for execution but
accommodates 15 percent more
plants. Cultivation of land between the tree
rows is possible in three directions with this
system. This system is generally followed
where the land is costly and very fertile
with ample provision of irrigation water.
QUINCUNX SYSTEM
•This system is exactly like the square
system but one additional tree is planted in
the centre of each square.
•The number of plants per acre by this
system is almost doubled than the square
system.
•Fruit trees like papaya, kinnow, phalsa,
guava, peach, plum etc. can be planted as
fillers in the permanent trees provides an
additional income to the grower in the early
life of the orchard.
•The filler trees are uprooted when the main
orchard trees start commercial fruiting.

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CONTOUR SYSTEM
•This system is usually followed in the hilly areas with
high slopes but it is very much similar to the
square/rectangular system.
•Under such circumstances, the trees may be well
planted in lines following the contour of the soil with
only a slight slope.
•Irrigation and cultivation are then practiced only
across the slope of the land as this practice reduces
the chances of soil erosion.
•In this system layout is done as in square/rectangular
system, first by establishing the base line at the
lowest level and then marking for the trees should be
done from the base to the top.
•Bench terraces are used where the slope is greater
than 10 per cent.
Triangular system
•In this system, trees are planted as in the square
system but the plants in the 2nd, 4th, 6th and
such other alternate rows are planted midway
between the 1st, 3rd, 5th and such other
alternative rows.
•This system provides more open space for the
trees and for intercrop.

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Various methods of planting are practiced in crop farming.

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Indirect seeding is planting seeds in a starter such as a pot. Once ready, you
then transplant the plant to a more permanent location.
Direct Seeding means planting at the crop area with the use of seeds
-The drill method of planting is another technique of direct seeding by which seeds
are released continuously in a row while moving forward at uniform speed.
-Hill Method is a planting method by which plants are arranged in equidistant rows and
uniform hill-to-hill distances within the row.
It is also called checkrow planting because on top view the hills appear as arranged uniformly at
the intersections of squares of an imaginary checkerboard.
-Broadcast Method or sabog tanim, also called scatter planting, is a method of planting
by which seeds (or grains) are scattered over a well prepared soil. There are no plant-to-
plant spacing and arrangement.

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DRILL METHOD OF
PLANTING
BROADCAST METHOD
HILL METHOD OF PLANTING INDIRECT SEEDING

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