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LIST OF COMPETENCIES
INTRODUCTION
NOMINAL DURATION:
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1. Establish nursery
2. Plant seedlings
3. Perform plant care and management
4. Perform harvest and post-harvest activities
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
CONTENTS:
1. Seeds
2. Care and Maintenance of Seedlings
3. Prepare Seedbeds
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
CONDITIONS:
All supplies, materials and farm implements needed during farm
operations should be readily available at the farm site.
METHODOLOGY:
Demonstration
Discussion
Oral questioning
Video presentation
Field demonstration
Film viewing
ASSESSMENT METHODS:
Direct observation with oral questioning
Demonstration
Written exam
Interview
Learning Outcome 1
Establish Nursery
Learning Objectives:
Seeds are the vital part of agriculture. Selection of good quality seeds is a
challenge for famers. Only good quality seeds which are sown properly can
give an expected result or yield. Seeds of variety of types and strains are
available; cultivators have to choose from these and these have to be sown in
the field. Let us see selection of seeds and methods of sowing.
Seed Selection
Sowing
After the preparation of soil, the previously selected seeds are scattered in the
field. This is called sowing. Sowing should be done carefully and uniformly. If
seeds are not sown uniformly, overcrowding of crop happens. For sufficient
sunlight, water and other requirements congestion needs to be prevented.
Traditional method: Here seeds are sown either by hand or by using tools.
Sowing of seeds by hand is called broadcasting. This is cheap but a uniform
distribution is not maintained. Alternatively, a funnel like tool filled with seeds
is used. Seeds are passed through pipes deep into soil.
Selection and sowing of seeds are two agricultural practices which demand
extreme attention and care.
Learning Objectives:
If seeds are enclosed in a fleshy fruit, remove as much as possible of the flesh
with a knife, wash off the rest under water, and plant the seeds immediately.
Fruit flesh attracts insects and fungi which may damage the seed, so it’s
important to plant the seed as soon as you can. For seeds in a seed pod, such
as a bean, let the pods split open naturally by laying them in a semishaded
place. Similarly, for other fruits with a woody outer coating, drying them in
semi-shade or gently cracking should open them and let you collect the seed.
Some sun is good, but be careful not to overheat, which might kill the seeds.
The seeds contain two parts: an outer protective coat, and the inner embryo
that develops into the plant. Germination begins when water penetrates the
seed coat and the seed swells. When seeds swell, plant immediately. Discard
seeds that float; they probably have air pockets caused by insects or dead
embryos. Always use 2–5 parts of water for each part of seed (e.g. two to five
tablespoons of water for one tablespoon of seed). Change the water every 12
hours to remove chemicals that may also slow down germination. Do some
Document No. AGR611306
Organic Agriculture Date Developed:
Issued by:
Production NCII March 2019
1. Cold water treatment: Soak seeds in cold water for at least 12 and up
to 48 hours. You can also try soaking the seeds in water during the day,
and leaving them to dry at night.
2. Hot water treatment: Boil water in a large pot, remove from heat and
cool for 10 minutes. Add seed to water and let soak for up to two days.
3. Boiling water treatment: Boil water in a large pot, remove from heat,
add seed and leave for two minutes. Pour off the hot water and replace
with cold water. Soak the seed for up to two days.
4. Mechanical: It is important not to damage the embryo, or the part of
the seed where the root will emerge (usually an indented place or a
pointed area). Nick the seed with a knife, crack it with a stick, or scratch
its surface on a concrete floor, or with sandpaper. For small seed, place
in a jar lined with sandpaper facing the inside of the jar, and shake
vigorously. It is not necessary to completely remove the tough outer
seed coat — just crack it so that water can enter the seed and trigger
germination.
Only clean, dry seed should be stored. Hang the sacks from a pole so that air
can circulate all around them. Keep the seed in a cool dry place, out of direct
sunlight. A fungicide may help reduce fungus attack. Moth balls or other
strong-smelling materials like cedar wood may also help reduce insect attack.
Check seed regularly for signs of decay, insect or rodent damage.
The length of time seed can be stored for varies greatly between species. Some
seed can be stored for many months, while other seeds lose their viability
(ability to germinate quickly). If the seed has been stored for more than one
month, a good nursery practice is to test the germination rate to see if the
Controlling germination
The substrate should not receive additional fertilizer because this could
increase the risk of diseases such as damping-off. Germinating seedlings
generally receive all nutrients they require from the cotyledons (or in the case
of palms, from the first leaf), that are formed inside of the seed. Thus, a
substrate like sand, which does not contain fertilizer, is generally a good
germinating medium. Damping-off is common with small seedlings and is
recognisable as either decayed seed or, more frequently, decay around the
stem at the soil line. The leaves of the seedling droop as though they need
water, although the substrate is wet, then the stem appears “pinched” and
brown near the base. Eventually, the seedling falls over at the soil line.
When you are direct sowing, follow these good nursery practices:
Watering
Although it’s a simple fact that plants need water, watering itself can be a
little tricky. Consistent watering will produce the best results. You may also
want to consider drip irrigation or a soaker hose, especially if you have a large
garden. This can save up to 60% of the water used by sprinkler systems and
will ensure that your plants are watered without getting their leaves wet,
which will help prevent disease problems.
You’ll know if you’ve over watered if the soil around the plant stem is soaked.
Mold or moss growing on the top of your soil is another dead giveaway as is
plants with wilting, yellowing or dead leaf margins.
Too little water has a different set of symptoms: wilting of plants, brown or
dead leaves, stunted growth (see Watering Guidelines).
Document No. AGR611306
Organic Agriculture Date Developed:
Issued by:
Production NCII March 2019
Different soil types have different watering needs. However, you don’t need to
be a soil scientist to know how to water properly. The following tips are
provided by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service:
Loosen the soil around plants so it can quickly absorb water and
nutrients.
Use a 1 to 2-inch protective layer of mulch on the soil surface above the
root area. Cultivating and mulching reduce evaporation and soil
erosion.
Clay soil: Add organic material such as compost or peat moss. Till or spade
to help loosen the soil. Since clay soil absorbs water very slowly, water only
as fast as the soil absorbs the water.
Sandy soil: Add organic material to supplement sandy soil. Otherwise, the
water can run through it so quickly that plants won’t be able to absorb it.
Loam soil: The best kind of soil. It’s a combination of sand, silt, and clay.
Loam absorbs water readily and stores it for plants to use.
Foliar feeding
Foliar feeding was earlier thought to damage tomatoes, but has become
standard practice.
Ocean-based sources
Effectiveness
Usage
Foliar feeding is generally done in the early morning or late evening, preferably
at temperatures below 24°C (75°F), since heat causes the pores on some
species' leaves to close.
Pest Management
Table 1. Common insect pests and diseases of vegetables (will vary between
crops and regions)
Insect Pests Diseases
Major Minor Major Minor/sporadic
Heliothis Rutherglen bugs Sclerotinia Anthracnose
Prevention
5. When foliar diseases are present avoid working in the crops while foliage
is wet to reduce spread.
8. Chipping out and removing (roguing) diseased plants will reduce the
source of host plants that assist in spreading infection to healthy
plants. Once chipped, the plants need to be properly destroyed: buried,
bagged or removed from site.
10. Use crop records to identify factors or management practices that may
be encouraging or discouraging pests. Because IPM is knowledge-based
and relies on local experience, this information will improve your ability
to use IPM effectively in subsequent seasons, by allowing you to see
what did and didn’t work.
Learning Objectives:
If you are going to be a serious gardener, you'll probably need a seed bed
where you can sow the seeds and bring on the seedlings for later transferring
to the final position of the plants (alternatively, sowing in trays will do just as
well for many plants). The main reasons for having a seed bed are:
Some young seedlings need less space than the mature plant, so less of
the garden need be committed to a crop until it is really necessary.
A crop may be started off in the seed bed while its final position has
another crop waiting to be harvested.
It must be noted that not all plant seeds are suitable for starting off in a seed
bed; a large number of plants cannot be successfully transplanted so these
seeds need to be planted in their final location.
A seed bed may be thought of, incorrectly, as a rather unimportant part of the
garden which can be tucked away in some corner. It must be remembered
that seed germination and early growth of any plant has an important
influence on the final quality of the plant - if the seed bed is shaded by hedges
or buildings, the seedlings may grow weak and spindly. Similarly drainage of
the bed is important, seeds generally don't do well if they become waterlogged
(nor if they dry out).
The requirement for a seed bed is basically the same as for any vegetable bed,
except that the soil need be only forked to a relatively shallow depth. If it is a
new bed (i.e. never previously used to grow plants), the bed will need to be
dug and prepared as with any new bed - see this other page.
If plants have previously been grown on the bed, the preparation required is
much less as the soil will have been broken up and most stones removed.
The biggest challenge to any gardener is to decide when the soil is suitable for
working - not too dry and not too wet. This depends to some extent on the
type of soil, a clay soil can turn from a sticky mass to hard as rock very
quickly. Choosing the right time is one of the hardest choices, especially for
new gardeners - it is largely a matter of experience with the particular soil
type in the garden.
Assuming the seed bed is established, the likelihood is that there will be some
seedlings in it when you come to prepare it for a new sowing, so any
preparation will just apply to the area you require and care must be taken to
avoid disturbing the existing seedlings. To prepare for a new sowing:
Lightly fork over, or hoe, the top 5 to 7.5cm (2 to 3 inches) of the bed.
If the bed has not been used for some time, or the soil is very wet, it
may be necessary to leave the soil for a day or two to dry out.
When the soil is dry enough for it to freely break up, rack the surface
back and forth to give a suitable tilth - some clods may need a hit with
the back of the rack or even breaking up by hand. Larger seeds
generally benefit for a rather coarse tilth while fine seeds need a fine
tilth.
As you rack back and forth, remove any stones, weeds or other
vegetation. Keep racking to get the surface fairly level.
A seedbed is a plot of garden set aside to grow vegetables seeds, which can
later be transplanted. It is the alternative to starting seeds in pots, and it is
best used when you can control the temperature, soil quality and water in the
bed. You can make a seedbed outside or in a greenhouse several months
before you want to plant your garden and flowerbeds.
Document No. AGR611306
Organic Agriculture Date Developed:
Issued by:
Production NCII March 2019
6. Thin the seedlings after they germinate and start to grow. This will
keep your seedbed from overcrowding before you transplant. Compost
the unwanted seedlings
Once the seed bed is ready, choose a day when the soil is moist and little wind
to plant your seeds.
Normally a 'drill' (or number of drills) is created on the surface of the seed bed
- a drill is a shallow depression into the bottom of which seeds are sown. The
drill can be formed either by pulling a hoe or a gardening trowel (backwards)
through the surface of the prepared bed with the earth pulled to the sides, the
depth required varies from seed to seedt. A line stretched above the soil before
drills are made will help keep them straight.
Check on the seed packet (or look here) to determine the appropriate spacing
for particular vegetables. Using more seeds than necessary will just waste
seeds and cause extra thinning later on.
Once the seeds have been sown, they are normally covered by pulling the back
of a rack or hoe over the surface of the bed to fill the drills.
Identify the drill and the seeds sown by putting in a short stick at each end
of each drill and attaching a waterproof label with the name of the plant
marked on it.
Stretching a line between the end sticks above each drill will help keep birds
off the seeds and young seedlings.
Watch out for other pests - for example slugs; young plants are tender and
will provide a good meal for a number of pests.
1. True
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. True
Performance Objective:
Given the materials you are ask to prepare seed bed within 4 hours.
Supplies/materials:
Greenhouse
Hoop house
Plastic sheet
Garden soil
Compost
Garden sieve
Sandy soil
Rake
Hoe
Water
Yogurt container
Beer
Seeds
Labels
Steps/Procedure:
Choosing a Location
Planting Seedbeds
Assessment Method:
10. Cover the soil with a plastic sheet and leave it for 10
days.
11. Prepare a slug trap by burying a small yogurt container
so that the lip is flush with the soil level.
12. Create “drills” in the soil with a hoe.
15. Rake a thin layer of soil over the “v” lines so that the level
of the soil is the same as the rest of the garden.