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Seedlings - Nursery
- 2. Seedlings - Nursery ChiefEditor : HH RP Bhakti Raghava Swami E-mail : Bhakti.Raghava.Swami@pamho.net Date Produced : January 15, 2017 Serial No : 3 of 54
- 4. Every farmneeds a permanent nursery to raise seedlings & saplings Off season vegetables can also be grown in nurseries e.g. Coriander, Methi in summer etc. Why?
- 5. Bed Preparation Sowing Transplanting Harvesting Steps
- 6. Nursery – RaisedBeds 6-8 inches high, 3 feet wide with 1.5 feet walkways between adjacent beds Never walk on the beds only in the walkways Beds take an entire season to stabilize (3-4 months) Beds should never be dismantled only repaired Keep length same e.g. 15 feet so you can start keeping the exact count of the seed Contd. Bed Preparation
- 7. Nursery – RaisedBeds Making Bed Pure, sieved leaf mould compost best for nursery beds – has no pathogens First time or whenever the beds are empty broadcast & grow variety of green manure crop for 25 days, cut & use as mulch This is like feeding nutritious salad for the bed Horse gram, Moong , Cow pea etc. will decompose in 5-10 days & bed is ready for sowing Makes soil soft and workable and allows roots to go deep enough Make Bed->Add leaf compost-> Work it in -> Add more leaf compost Edges can be stabilized with wooden planks but not really required Bricks not the best – Expensive & will disintegrate Bed Preparation
- 9. Bed Preparation Sowing Transplanting Harvesting Steps
- 10. Nursery Beds -Seed Sowing Prepare the seeds for sowing Wash thoroughly if seeds have been chemically treated Soak in Cow Urine for 30 minutes Shade Dry For Tomatoes etc. sprinkle Trichoderma to protect against root rot Sowing Depth is 4 times the seed thickness Make depression to required depth using a straight rod Contd. Sowing
- 11. Nursery Beds -Seed Sowing Sow the seed at the specified spacing Space occupied by the seedling at 4-6 leaf (transplanting)stage determines spacing If spacing too close, the seedlings will be thin, unhealthy & because of poor aeration prone to pest attacks Proper spacing will usually take care of pest and disease Fill the depression with leaf mold compost Will help even if seeds buried deeper by mistake Water using garden hose, rose can or micro sprinkler to water twice a day for 10-12 days Drip is not suitable Too much pressure can uproot the seedlings Cover with paddy straw (or thin leaves or net) till seeds start germinating Keeps the seeds warm & provide the required darkness esp. Celery, Leek & Onion Remove cover after germination Sowing
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- 13. Nursery Beds –Seedling Care After 10-12 days (2-4 leaf stage), water only once a day This hardens the seedlings and they have better root formation Evening watering can cause fungal problems For snail problems use thin layer of Hydrated Lime (Chunna) around the nursery or in the alleys For other pest problems, neem oil spray or gliricidia liquid manure will usually suffice Contd. Sowing
- 14. Nursery Beds –Seedling Care For Thinning don’t pull out Disturbs the roots of the seedlings Either nip or cut with scissors Weeding very essential. At least 2-3 weedings required before transplanting Fill soil around the seedlings at the time of the weeding With Leaf Mold Compost, less weeds Harden the seedlings by removing the shade net at least 6-7 days before transplanting. Otherwise you will lose 15-20% Seedlings will be too thin. They will droop and not come up properly Sowing
- 15. Bed Preparation Sowing Transplanting Harvesting Steps
- 16. Transplanting Best timeto transplant when 4-6 leaf stage Harden by removing shade-net from top for at least 2 days to acclimatize the plant Remove seedlings so that the roots are surrounded by the original soil & Micro-Organisms. Transplant in evening after 4:00 p.m. (2 hours before sunset) & during descending Plant gets whole night to recover Otherwise seedling takes 7-8 days to recover instead of 5 days Spacing depends on size that it spreads eventually Water immediately If oversize, nip off the leaves to reduce transpiration losses Cabbage, Cauliflower can go way inside When Sowing & Transplanting you have to personally monitor Transplanting
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- 20. Bed Preparation Sowing Transplanting Harvesting Steps
- 22. Vegetables arepicked every day or every other day so lunar rhythms are difficult to apply Picking should be done in morning when temperatures are low say before 8:30 a.m. Put in cold water preferably ice cold especially leafy vegetables Dip and take out Less you wash the better from storage point of view Put in a crate in shade immediately Don’t leave the crate in the sun otherwise heavy wilting due to transpiration Pack in thin wrap Wilting because of transpiration Chilling is done at 4 degree centigrade Introduction
- 23. Beans Needto be picked before the seeds inside swell unless you want the seeds as vegetable Broccoli Tie it just before it flowers. It swells up Pick Broccoli with tender nutritious leaves on the sides. Cut only the top portion In 25 days, it will have side shoots – very small broccoli come on the sides Cauliflower Should not be exposed to sun i.e. people prefer white Tie two leaves (break but still attached) around the head (should cover the top portion where the sun comes in) to prevent yellowing. Picking Tips
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- 27. Cabbage Pickwhen they feel like a hard ball After cutting 8-9 small button cabbages come out Leave only two opp. each other. You will get 500 gms. Together Give a Nitrogen boost by giving additional compost This is possible for early cabbage sown in early November & you will harvest in late march Beet For storage, Remove all leaves except the center one (will last longer 5-6 days) Otherwise excessive transpiration losses Beet root can be left in the field for longer time Picking Tips
- 28. Tomatoes Willcrack up if too much or too less water Critical period for watering is when they begin to ripen Pick as soon as they turn red If some unripe tomatoes are still left at the end, remove plant with the roots an hang it upside down & harvest over many days as they turn red If tomato gets blight (burning & curling of leaves), remove & the tomatoes as well as the plant Picking Tips
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- 30. Carrot Pickwhen the place where the leaf is coming out elongates i.e. becomes like a stem Remove all leaves except the center one Radish Pick when the place where the leaf is coming out elongates i.e. becomes like a stem Cool quickly after harvest Remove all leaves for storage (except for immediate sale). Else it will wilt. Picking Tips
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- 33. Sweet Corn 21 days (25-26 days) after silk comes out, you can harvest (break ) it. Should be in milk stage. Open one and when pressed, it should splash Sweetness deteriorates very quickly (within 2 hours) so best to pick when you need it To preserve, don’t remove sheath and dip in ice cold water Blanching (dip in boiling water for 2 minutes) & store in deep freezer to preserve for longer (6-8 months) periods Brinjal Pick when you press it, it should bounce back. That is the first time to pick Picking should be done every second day, else production falls Picking Tips
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- 35. Garlic Whenthe leaves start drying (50%), they can be pulled out Shade dry for 4-6 weeks Form plaits and hang as a bunch with a string Keep big ones for next year’s seeds Never remove skin of garlic Spring Onions Harvest when nice & green Remove any burnt tips for marketing & put in water Picking Tips
- 36. Onions Harvestedwhen the leaves are totally dry They can be pulled out or by digging parallel to the line Take to a shaded area and cut the leaves leaving 4” & put them there for drying If you cut leaves right to the bottom, they will start rotting Onions normally stored in wooden framework where air can go in. Also can be hung like garlic but not generally done because of more space requirement. Best is to adopt local cultural practices Outer skin v.imp. for good storage Picking Tips
- 37. Peas Bestto pick just before you consume it for max. sweetness For preserving put in ice water & refrigerate Spinach All leafy veg. should be picked first thing in morning Pick outer leaves which will be uniform (3” or 4” long) As soon as Spinach bolts it becomes bitter so last harvest before bolting Picking Tips
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- 39. Potatoes Best storageif not washed Harvested after 110 days Don’t give any water for last 20 days – there will be no soil attached to it and hence no cleaning Protective skin builds up Picking Tips
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- 41. ISKCON Daiva VarnasramaMinistry Promoting Rural Development in India www.iskconvarnasrama.com OM Sri Surabhi Campaign www.srisurabhi.org
- 43. ABOUT THE EDITOR NameHH RP Bhakti Raghava Swami Age and Gender 71, Male Country/Province of Origin Canada, Ontario Educational Degree and Year B.A, 1968, M.Ed., 2004 Educational Institution State University of Yogyakarta Professional Work/Experience Social Worker/Counselor Affiliation with ISKCON Since 1974 Present Service in ISKCON Minister, IDVM-India