Kofi’s FARMERS NOTES: Tips for Better Crops!

1. Kofi’s FARMERS NOTES: Tips for Better Crops! WEEDS • In your crops, weed control must be done frequently while the crop is growing. • Control weeds by pulling when they are in their seedling stage as they are easiest to remove at this stage. • Using light hoes to weed reduces the drudgery of weeding, and minimizes soil disturbance. Avoid large, heavy hoes, as these both tire the user and cause excess soil disturbance. • Using your hands, shake weeds very well to return soil to your plot. Allow no soil to remain on the weed roots. Weeding with hand hoe Maize in need of thinning! Ideal use of mulch! USE OF MULCH • Spread out crop and weed residue evenly and close enough to the crop to ensure uniform soil cover, as this limits evaporation and helps build the soil. • Avoid letting clumps of mulch build up in the center of the row, as this is less effective at reducing evaporation. CROP MANAGEMENT TIPS • Plant crops according to proper spacing rules for each crop. • Be sure to thin crops! Plants trying to grow too close together can not thrive. Overcrowded plants will produce low yields. Be firm! Thin your crops when they are still very small. • Velvet beans make an excellent fallow crop to restore nitrogen to depleted soils. • Don’t burn off old stalks; instead, chop and cover soil with them to add organic material back to the soil. Poor use of mulch!!

2. Kofi’s FARMERS NOTES: Skills for Better Crops! Gliricidia sepium Use of Gliricidia sepium • This tree-like plant helps restore nitrogen to the soil. It can be used as a hedgerow to reduce erosion or planted near crops. • Trees can be started from seeds simply by planting individual seeds from pods. • Trees can also be started from cutting branches off existing trees and planting the cut ends. Use only cuttings at least 1.5 m long and 3-4 cm in diameter. • Staking these up initially will help them get started, and they should put out new growth within 4 weeks. • Prune plants 5-8 months after they take hold, to prevent over growth. Striga or witch weed Lemongrass Striga Control • This lovely flower is DEADLY to maize crops! It grows as a parasite on maize roots, killing slowly! • Don’t wait until you see the flowers! Any of these plants seen in your plots must be weeded and destroyed! • Practicing crop rotation using legumes such as soya bean or velvet bean can reduce striga growth. REDUCE EROSION • Both lemongrass and vertiver are perennial grasses that do well in wet ground. • Planting either of these plants in areas which slope away from your plot will help reduce run-off. • Plantings can be started by cutting and separating root clumps from existing plants. • These can also be commercial crops as tea made from crushed leaves of either plant is very healthy! • Rubbing crushed leaves of these plants on your skin may help repel mosquitoes!