Farmers and home gardeners share many of the same tasks when it comes to planting their crops. Although there is a difference in scale and because of that, practices. Here is a look at some of the things that successful farmers know that home gardeners can apply to their summer gardens.
Things All Producers of Crops Can Do in the Spring to Increase Production
1. Prepare the soil prior to planting. This begins with a soil test. It is important to know what nutrients need to added to the soil for it to produce the optimum yield for the crop you are growing. In addition to adding nutrients, the soil needs to be tilled to reduce weeds and improve water infiltration and aeration. In some cases deep tillage is required to break up hard pan.
2. Understand your crop’s normal cycles. By understanding what your crop is supposed to do and when will help you identify potential problems early. Things such as how long after planting should you expect the seeds to germinate and how long after germination should you expect flowering are good to know. Also knowing the number of days it takes to produce a crop can help you schedule planting dates.
3. Know the nutrient and water requirements at different stages of growth. This can help you adjust fertilizer and irrigation schedules. Also know if you crop is susceptible to insects or disease a various stages of growth. This can help you develop a spray program to minimize disease and insect damage.
4. Keep in mind that you will improve your harvest if you alternate how you do things from year to year. Farmers learned many years ago the importance of crop rotation. This same principle applies to home gardeners as well, just on a smaller scale. For the home gardener, simply plant your crops in different places in your garden each year.
Contact W.P. Law, Inc. for Help with Your Crop
If you need help with your crops, contact W.P. Law, Inc. for help with irrigation, chemicals, frost protection, and many other services to keep your fields or gardens growing and healthy. Whether you have thousands of acres or orchards, vineyards, and vegetable or a backyard garden, we can help improve your harvest. Contact us for more information and help.
