How to Grow sweet potatoes

Sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas, is a easy growing root tuber vegetable that loves warm weather of tropical and subtropical countries. It is a native to Central and South America. People consume where both the root tubers and tender shoots. (these can be stir fried and used as greens. Tender leaves can be cooked or mixed with Dosa batter and made into healthy leaf stuffed Dosas).

Sweet potatoes, which are related to the morning glory and belong to the family Convolvulaceae, and may be growing in different forms as trailing vines and ground covers with roots at each nodes. Some short "Bush" varieties are also available. There are different varieties of Sweet potatoes with varying tuber colour, skin colour Leaf colour, shape The orange-fleshed varieties are most common. But white or light yellow are also available. The yellow and orange coloured varieties are rich in carotinoids and antioxidents).

Some are ornamental too with leaves and stems light yellowish green or deep purple and are used in Landscaping. They too produce edible tubers which are rich in Vitamin A. Sweet potatoes grow on all types of well drained soils and likes acidic to neutral pH of 4.5-7.IN Poor soils this can be grown with proper nutrients topped up.

How to grow sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are grown from plant cuttings called ‘slips’ This can be produced either from older plants or by inducing the tubers to sprout by keeping them covered by moist sand or making it stand in water with its 90% above water for a few days.

Once the slips are hardened they can be transferred to a prepared bed or a large pot which is stuffed with well composted farm yard manure and wood ash or leaf mould and vermin compost. While it grows allow it to root in as many nodes as possible as they all will turn into tubers. These rarely flower and may have seeds too but it is of no value in re-growing as the slips are always used in growing this.

If planting on a prepared raised bed plant each slip 12 inches apart and that will soon grow and cover the bed. When the vines mature and older leaves turn yellow, stop watering, preferably 3-4 weeks, before harvesting. This will allow the tubers to form well and grow in size.

Pests: This is a hardy plant which needs no much care but some insect pests like the golden tortoise beetle attack the leaves and eat off the leaves.

Harvesting sweet potatoes
The pots can be emptied and the tubers separated. If in raised beds, the sides can be dug.

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How to improve fertility of Clay soil

Clay soils are very sticky. The water will not percolate down the soil. The stagnet water will increase the vulnerability to various plant diseases. Hence here let us see few ways to increase the soil fertility of the soil.
The following steps are useful for improving clay soils:

 • Reduce compaction, because once the soil becomes compacted it sticks together. This makes root growth difficult, as well as making it difficult for people to dig.

 • Add sand to improve soil structure.

 • Use green manure crops and crops which can improve soil structure over time. See legumes green manuring for more information on techniques. Green manuring techniques

 • Planting trees will also help to improve the structure of clay soils. Trees provide mulch material and their roots will help to break up the clay soil. Trees can also be combined with other types of plants.

 • Gypsum can help to improve the drainage and structure of soil. This technique will improve clay soil structure quickly, but is expensive. This technique will not work well if the soil’s pH is too alkaline.

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Clay water filter for safe drinking water

Short description on clay water filters

Water filters are used to clean water of bacteria that can make people ill. This means that all drinking water can be cleaned and that the water does not need to be boiled before drinking. This filter is made using bowls of clay which have been fired in an oven. These bowls have a special base which is different than the rest of the bowl. Water can pass slowly through this base.

Installation of clay water filter

 * Take Two clay pots for water filter
 * Before using pots clean them.
 * Place the empty clay pot with tap on ground.
 * Add water which need to be filtered in another pot and place it on the pot.
 * Place the lid on the upper clay pot.
 * After few hours, you can open the tap for drinking water.

Why clay for Water filters

Clay is made up of millions of very small particles which are joined together. The clay particles when joined together, form even smaller holes between them. Water will pass through these holes very slowly. The size of the holes depends on what type of clay is used, different types of clay have different sized particles and different sized holes between them. Unclean water carries a lot of bacteria, but the size of the bacteria is larger than these holes at the base of the clay bowls. As the water flows through the holes in the clay, the bacteria becomes separated from the water. This makes the water safe enough to drink. Hence, Clay is a good material to be used as a water filter.

These clay water filters must be fired in a proper oven to work well. The temperature of the firing also affects the size of the holes, because clay shrinks as it is fired, so the holes become even smaller. The effect can be as follows:

• If the holes in the clay are too small, the water will take a long time to flow through.
• If the holes in the clay are too large, bacteria will not be stopped and the water will not be clean

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Clay Rocket stoves are a simple technology for cooking

Stoves and ovens made from clay are a simple technology, which can be easily made and will provide many benefits, such as:

 • Conserves firewood, which will save money, labour and helps protect the environment for the future.
 • Produces less smoke, which helps reduce pollution and health problems.
 • Can use alternative fuel, such as rice husks, coffee husks, sawdust or charcoal bricks, as a replacement for wood.

Clay stove materials composition:

Clay stoves are commonly used in many regions. They are very simple to use and will conserve firewood because the clay helps to provide heat for cooking. Clay stoves are made from clay (75%), dried cow manure (25%), small amount of cement (5%), and a little water to make the mixture moist but not wet.

To build clayed based smokeless stoves, refer the video https://tinyurl.com/vmtxxzq

Other wise you can dig the earth at 45 degree where you will insert sticks in 45 degree. Here is a sample design using iron pipes. You can do the same by digging the earth.

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Farm update March 2020

In March 2020, in farm we had Bottle gourd and coriander for harvest. The prices of the Bottle gourd were ranging from RS 60 to RS 80.

 Everything was normal upto March 20th 2020. Due to coronavirus outbreak all over India, the transportation affected. Most of the Vegetable merchants stopped trading. Transportion stopped between districts and states after the 21 days lockdown announcement.

 We waited for local vendors to sell, but in vain. So, we decided to uproot the bottle gourd plants.

 Coriander, we sold for 1/4th of the price in market.


Precautions to be followed to overcome Coronavirus:

• Everyone be Hygenic and help each other who is in need.

• Maintain social distance.

• While sneezing or cough, use hand kerchief nor cough on bent elbow.

• Reduce touching your eyes and nose using your hands.

• Wash your hands with sanitizer very often.

• Without an Emergency call, don't travel to crowded places.

• Always use Masks on outdoors.

• If you have severe cough, dry throat contact the emergency helpline no: 1075 (toll free) or  011 - 23978046

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How to avoid cross pollination between two varieties

Cross Pollination

Cross pollination is pollination that happens between plants, where the pollen from the male part of a plant pollinates the female flower of another plant. This process  can happen naturally or it can be induced. Cross pollination of different types of plants happens when two types of closely related plants pollinate each other, for example: Two different types of green leaf vegetables, two different types of corn, or a pumpkin plant and a squash plant. If this happens, the seed that is produced may be good, but more often the seed will be weaker than the parent plants, or may not grow at all when planted. Therefore, it is best to avoid cross pollination happening.

Here green variety zucchini cross pollinated with yellow variety zucchini.

By the same way cross pollination occurs in most of the vegetables. Some of them are pumpkin, brinjal, bottlegourd, cucumber, etc....

A few techniques for reducing the chance of different types of plants cross pollinating:

• Plant one type of crop each planting season. For example, one type of corn or one type of eggplant

• Green leaf vegetables, lettuce and cabbage flower at the end of their life. Let only one type of green vegetable, one type of lettuce, or one type of cabbage reach the stage to flower and produce seeds

• If different types of plants are further apart, and many other plants are planted in between them, the chances of cross pollination are reduced

• Hand pollination, such as of pumpkins, melons, luffa and cucumber will allow you to choose the type of seed which will be produced

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Reducing Mosquito problems

Mosquitos are the major problem nowadays. On rainy season, the population of the Mosquitos increase due to various factors. The Mosquitos are one which causes dengue and transfer diseases from one person to another. The medicine for dengue is present in nature. The doctors advice to take the papaya leaves syrup at the early morning to reduce the symptoms of dengue. Here, let us discuss about a topic on how to reduce Mosquitos problems in our surroundings.

Extra water during the wet season can be stored in ponds or banana pits by using trenches and swales. This will prevent stagnant water forming on the ground, so that mosquitoes will only be able to lay their eggs inside the pond. Fish, frogs, lizards and insects that live in and around the pond will eat the mosquito eggs and larva in the water. Because of this mosquitoes will reduce in number, and hence the risk mosquito spread disease will also be reduced. These insects and small creatures will also eat some of the pests that feed on your vegetables.

Other ways of handling mosquito problems:

• Don’t leave water stagnant in open places, cover all water tanks and containers.
• Treat waste water properly.
• Keep small fish (tilapia are best) in containers of water that will be used for washing, not in water that will be used for drinking, they will eat mosquito larva.
• Keep fish in rice paddies to eat mosquito larva.
• Prune off old banana leaves regularly, because mosquitoes like to stay there.
• Add neem leaf regularly to every pond.
• For compost pits, soak a handful of neem leaves in a bucket for 2 days, then pour some liquid with the neem leaves into every compost pit. Repeat this every 3 months.

#mosquitoproblems #mosquito #dengue #stopdengue

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Seed Testing how it's done for selecting quality seeds

Seed Testing

Seeds can be tested to find out how many will grow. When testing seeds for personal use, place the seeds in a container of water. The seeds that sink are the good ones to be planted, the seeds that float are the bad ones and should be thrown out. Usually, almost all of the seeds will sink. For seeds that will be sold or exchanged, it is better to test them first to find out what percentage of the seeds will germinate and grow. This viability rate can then be written on the packets. There are a few methods to test this, one is to count a number of seeds (for example, 50 bean seeds), then plant those seeds and count how many grow (for example, only 40 seeds grew). Divide the amount of seeds that grew by the amount of seeds that were planted to find the percentage of beans that grow (40 : 50 = 0.8). This number is then multiplied by 100% (so the result is 80%). So, the viability rate of these seeds is 80%.

When conducting this test it is important to make sure the soil mixture used is of the best quality. Take good care of the seeds and protect them from pests, such as snails and ants. The test must continue until the seeds have passed the germination phase. The seedlings can then be planted in the ground.

#seedtesting #goodseeds 

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Cleaning water using Moringa seeds

Moringa Seeds can be used to clean water. The seeds of the moringa tree can be used to clean water of dirt and most bacteria. This is a simple and effective way to make water drinkable. It is used in Africa, India and other countries. This technique also saves a lot of fire wood, energy and time because water does not have to be boiled.

How to use the moringa seeds:

1. Remove some seeds from the pod and peel the outer shell off the seeds.

2. Crush the seeds into a fine powder. Don’t use discolored seeds (brown colored).

3. Add 2 small spoons of this moringa seed powder into 1 clean water bottle (1500 ml aqua bottle).

4. Shake for 5 minutes.

5. Filter this solution through a clean cloth into the bucket of water that is to be treated.

6. Stir quickly for 2 minutes, then slowly for about 10 minutes.

7. Leave still for 1 hour. The dirt and bacteria (usually between 90%- 99%) will stick to the moringa seed powder and sink to the bottom of the water.

8. Carefully pour the clean drinking water into clean bottles or containers, leaving the powder at the bottom of the bucket.

#cleanwater #moringaseeds #abcdfarming 

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Kitchen Gardens - a way to grow vegetables for home

Kitchen garden or home garden or nutrition garden is primarily intended for continuous supply of fresh vegetables for family use. A number of vegetables are grown in available land for getting a variety of vegetables. Family members do most of works. Area of garden, lay out, crops selected etc. depend on availability and nature of land. In rural area, land will not be a limiting factor and scientifically laid out garden can be established. In urban areas, land is a limiting factor and very often crops are raised in limited available area or in terraces of buildings. Cultivation of crops in pots or in cement bags is also feasible in cities.

The unique advantages of a kitchen garden or home garden are :

* Supply fresh fruits and vegetables high in nutritive value.

* Supply fruits and vegetables free from toxic chemicals.

* Help to save expenditure on purchase of vegetables and economize therapy.

* Induces children on awareness of dignity of labour.

* Vegetables harvested from home garden taste better than those purchased from market.

Nearly 200 square meter of land is sufficient for the family of five members. Usually a kitchen garden is established in backyard of house, near water source in an open area receiving plenty of sunlight. selection of crops suited to each season depends on agro-climatic conditions prevailing in the area. Depending on climatic and seasonal changes, modifications are to be done in layout and crop allotment.

In the above pattern you can view the kitchen garden selected crops to grow.

Kitchen garden layout

Layout of garden and selection of crops suited to each season depends on agro-climatic conditions prevailing in the area. Depending on climatic and seasonal changes, modifications are to be done in layout and crop allotment. General features / principles to be followed in the layout are follows :
• Perennial vegetables like drumstick, curry leaf and bilimbi should be allotted to one side of the garden so that they may neither shade remaining plants nor they interfere with intercultural operations. Shade loving vegetables like water leaf may be planted in perennial plot. One or two compost pits may be provided on one corner of kitchen garden for effective utilization of farm / kitchen waste.
• Fences on all sides should be made with barbed wire or with live stakes. Fencing on four sides may be planting chekkurmanis, ivy gourd, dolichos bean, trailing cowpea and ridge gourd. Fence may be made strong by planting agathi (Sesbania grandiflora) at 1.0 m. distance along the fence. An arch made of red or green Basella may be erected at entry point or gate of kitchen garden.
• After allotting areas for perennial crops, remaining portion is divided into 6-10 equal plots for raising annual vegetable crops. By following scientific crop rotation, three annual crops can be raised in the same plot. Companion cropping or accession cropping, intercropping and mixed cropping can be followed for effective utilization of space.
• Provide walking path at centre as well as along four sides. Path can be made attractive by planting red and green amaranth or indeterminate tomato on either side.
• Utilize ridges, which separate individual plots for growing root and tuber crops.
• As intensive and continuous cropping is done in a kitchen garden, fertility and texture of soil may be maintained by applying adequate quantities of organic manure frequently. Organic farming should be given thrust for a kitchen or home garden. However, in order to harvest good crop, chemical fertilizers are also essential.
• Since fresh vegetables are directly utilized, follow clean cultivation, mechanical removal of pest / disease affected plants, planting of resistant varieties, biological control, use of bio-pesticides or bio-fungicides for pest and disease control in a kitchen garden.
• In a kitchen garden, preference should be given to long duration and steady yielding varieties than high yielding ones, which require constant care.
• Crop arrangement : While allotting or arranging crops in each sub-plot, care should be taken to plant varieties / crops at ideal time of planting or season. Principles of crop rotation also should be followed in continuous cropping.
• A bee-hive may be provided for ensuring adequate pollination of crops besides obtaining honey.
• A cropping pattern for a model kitchen garden in the warm humid tropical condition of Kerala is furnished below. However, choice of the crop depends on the likes and dislikes of family members.

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#kitchengardens  #vegetablesforhome

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Sword beans - Native seeds

Sword beans which belongs to a beans family. It is mainly cultivated as a grain crop. The seeds are highly nutritious. The seeds are highly rich in fibre content.

Canavalia gladiata, the sword beans or scimitar bean, is a domesticated plant species in the legume family Fabaceae. It is used as a vegetable in interior central and south central India, though not commercially farmed.


The green peels of the fruit and the leaves are said to be posionous. Hence, they are fed to cattle.

Swapped the sword beans seeds from one of the organic farm. Sown one seed for trail. Presently it has grown 6 feet tall. But still no flowering. Will update the status soon.

#swordbeans

Edit: would not able to grow due to rains. Everything spoiled.

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Recharging Borewells

This is an article on Recharging Borewells. The ground water level is decreasing. When we recklessly draw water water from the ground which has limited rain water catchement sources, we need to think on how it can be compensated. Atleast to reduce the impact on ground water level, there is a need to revive the rain water harvesting catchments.

     Here, let us discuss on how recharging borewells in the farm can help to increase the ground water level.

 The traditional method to recharge the Borewells which made the major role in increasing the ground water level. This method is mainly dependent on rain water.

Step by step guide to set up the recharging borewell system in your farm. 
* Find your borewell casing pipe and clean the 10 feet radius, if you find any big rocks or other materials.
* Find the rain water flowing pathway and make a plan on how it can directed to borewell.
* Exactly 3 feet far distance from the boewell casing, dig a pit of depth 10 feet and 6 feet width.
* Connect two 2 inch PVC pipes to the Borewell.
* Fill first 3 feet with boulders stones.
* Next fill 40 mm Jelly stones for 2 feet.
* Next fill 20 mm Jelly stones for 1 feet.
* Next fill coarse Sand for half feet.
* Next fill 20 mm Jelly stones for 1 feet.
* After filling up, place netlon on top of the Jelly stones. So, it can act as a medium to stop the contaminated water.

 When the rain comes, make sure the rain water flows through the pit. The water will be filtered and directed to the Borewell for refilling.

 It is not preferred to let unfiltered water into the ground, for the contamination found in the surface water will spread into the ground water.

 While recharging is most advisable to dry and drying up well with reducing yield, even a running borewell can have recharging in case of surplus surface water which otherwise goes to drains.

I am also looking to implememt the same technique in my farm. Will update soon. We cannot reverse all the harm we have done, but we can at least reduce the impact of our harmful acts.

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