How to ... Grow Upland Foodcrops Under Forest Trees in the Cordillera

Introduction

Growing cash crops or upland vegetables in open spaces under the stands of trees can be a productive and income-generating venture. It would be a very wise move to plant vegetables in all available areas or lots near the home on a backyard scale. Vegetables can even be raised in pots, as it will practically lighten the burden of the family's budget during an economic crisis.

This will not only provide the family's supply of fresh and pesticide free vegetables but the surplus can also be sold to generate additional income when a small patch of land is maintained for vegetable production.

More so, vegetable gardening is not too difficult to do. One needs a little know-how on the method of gardening, using simple tools. Once vegetable gardening becomes a productive hobby, one would be motivated to engage in large-scale vegetable farming.

Note, however, that the particular technology for each vegetable component applies specifically to farms or areas under Benguet pine stands and in semi-open areas. This is because what is presented here are results of an ongoing adaptation trial of agrocrops under the Benguet pine ecosystem.

Under this condition, it would be wise to handpick or remove the fallen pine needles in the vegetable patch so as to minimize leaf puncture and thus improve the quality. Also, when the planted area is generally acidic, the right amount of lime should be applied after soil analysis is done. In the absence of lime, a liberal amount of organic matter or compost may be applied.

Furthermore, light penetration/transmission of about 40 to 60% would allow for the proper growth of crops. Less than 40% light penetration is not conducive for the growth of crops but more than 60% would be ideal. With this light transmission range, semi-open areas can therefore be planted with agrocrops even without cutting or pruning the trees. Pruning should be done only when light penetration is less than 40%.

Finally, the technology presented here may also be applicable to conditions or situations similar to that under the Benguet pine microenvironment.

Pechay
Chinese Cabbage/Wombok
Snap Beans/Baguio Beans
Tomato

Pechay

a. Seedling Production

Sow seeds thinly on shallow furrows across the seedbed/seedboxes, and cover lightly with fine top soil. Do not broadcast seeds when sowing to avoid thick germination in one place.

Water the seedbed/seedbox daily using a sprinkler so as not to expose the seeds which might be eaten by insects. However, when seeds have germinated, regulate watering to produce sturdy seedlings.

Weeding, watering and other cultural management practices should be regularly done until the seedlings are ready for transplanting, or after about one month.

b. Transplanting

Moisten thoroughly the seedbed a day before pricking out the seedlings for transplanting. This will facilitate easy pricking out of seedlings for transplanting from the seedbed to minimize root injury.

Gently prick out the seedlings and transplant them in the prepared plots or in pots, after which water adequately the plots or pots.

Spacing usually depends on the variety of pechay to be planted but the common distance used is 15 cm between hills and 20 cm between rows.

c. Care and maintenance

Apply liberal amount of organic fertilizer at the base of the plants, then cover lightly with soil and water immediately.

Water the plant whenever necessary or depending on your own judgment or observation of the plant.

Weeding must also be done to minimize competition for soil nutrients. However, weed carefully so as not to disturb the roots of the pechay.

To control pests and diseases, spray the right amount/dosage of pesticides as prescribed on the label, which should never be increased. If possible, plant green onions along the sides of the plot. This plant is offensive to some insects/pests and thus would act as a deterrent to the attack of some insects/pests to the crops. Mechanical or hand picking of worms may be resorted to on a limited number of plants.

Chinese Cabbage/Wombok

a. Seedling Production

Chinese cabbage or wombok can be grown through direct seeding or by transplanting. In direct seeding, plant 2 to 3 seeds per hill. When these have germinated, thin out the poor growers but leave one robust plant per hill. Sometimes when many seedlings are growing well in a hill, transplant the excess in other plots or use them to replace dead ones, after which cultural management practices should be applied.

In the transplanting technique, first sow the seeds thinly in shallow furrows on the seedbed made for the purpose. The seedbed should be made of topsoil and compost to ensure better growth of the seedlings. Seeds should not be broadcasted for this may result in the overcrowding of plants in certain parts of the seedbed and sometimes waste of seeds/seedlings that may be scattered outside the seedbed.

After sowing, cover the seeds with fine topsoil or if possible, use ashes as this would act as deterrent from the attack of insects/pests especially ants.

Water the seedbed daily but not excessively to minimize the incidence of damping off and to insure high rate of germination.

b. Transplanting

Moisten thoroughly the seedbed/seedbox before getting the seedlings for transplanting so as to facilitate pricking out and minimize root injury. Before transplanting the seedlings, apply organic fertilizer basally on the plots and thoroughly mix the fertilizer with the soil so as to distribute the concentration of soil nutrients.

Space the seedlings at about 30 to 50 cm between hills and rows' wider spacing may be necessary for "bigger head" Chinese varieties.

Transplanting should be done late in the afternoon to reduce "shock" to the seedlings and therefore attain a high rate of survival. Transplant only the healthy seedlings and water immediately after.

c. Care and Maintenance

Apply fertilizer, both organic and inorganic if available, at the base or within the root-feeding zone of the plant then cover with soil through area "hilling-up." Water the plants after fertilizing and hilling up. Also adequate watering should be done whenever necessary until the heads have reached the desired size for harvest.

Weeding should be done as the need arises so as to minimize competition and fast depletion of soil nutrients by the weeds. Likewise, spray pesticides by following the prescribed dosage given on the label of the pesticide being used.

Other cultural management practices such as mulching, garden fencing, cultivation, and others may be applied whenever necessary and if local resources are available.

Snap Beans/Baguio Beans

a. Planting

Cultivate the plots thoroughly and incorporate fertilizer before planting.

Directly plant two or three seeds per hill in double rows in each plot. The distance of planting should be 20 cm between hills and 35 cm between rows. Water the plot immediately to attain good germination.

Watering should then be done every two days during the first two weeks from planting. A weekly irrigation interval should be followed thereafter. Also, adequate watering is necessary during the germination and flowering stages.

b. Trellising

After 3 to 4 weeks from planting, climbing beans need trellises for their growth and development. To minimize vine intertwining, install "rono" or sticks about 2 to 3 meters long as poles/trellis for their support.

The poles should be inclined at about 60 degrees along the plot and interlaced to make a firm and continuous net of poles extending through the plot.

d. Care and Maintenance

As in the case with the other agrocrops, the other cultural management practices are applied. Weeding and watering should be done whenever necessary.

On one hand, hilling-up is done when the beans have started to cling to the trellis. But it is wiser to apply fertilizer before hilling-up after which watering is done. This would minimize labor inputs.

To insure higher yield, apply pest and disease control methods or techniques specially in the control of powdery mildew that commonly attack the plant. Furthermore, another technique applied to limit the attack of mildew on the surface of the leaves is to thin or remove the leaves particularly the unhealthy ones at the lower portion of the vine.

Tomato

a. Seedling Production

Cultivate the soil in the seedbed or seedbox by thoroughly mixing the soil with compost or any organic matter with little river sand to promote soil porosity and prevent water logging. The prepared areas should be fully exposed to sunlight.

Do not broadcast the seeds when sowing. Sow them thinly and evenly on shallow furrows. Cover the seeds with fine topsoil and gently press the soil to prevent seed exposure when watered.

Moderately water the seedbed/seedbox daily using a sprinkler. But when the seeds have germinated, reduce watering to once every two incidence of damping-off. Remove sick-looking seedlings.

b. Transplanting

Seedlings are usually ready for transplanting at 3 to 4 variety as spreading varieties are spaced wider apart than the compact ones. However, a distance of 50-70 cm between plants would be adequate.

Source: DENR-CAR, 1991. Technology Transfer Series, Vol. 1(1).