What is the first step in planting seeds?

Digging a small hole in the soil

Why is it important to cover seeds with soil after planting?

To protect them and help them grow

To make it harder for the seeds to grow

To play hide and seek with the seeds

Planting seeds | Quizalize

METHODS OF PLANTING SEEDS BY HAND

METHODS OF PLANTING SEEDS BY HAND_2ND

Peas  Peas are one of the most important vegetables Zimbabweans can grow for export.  They are legumes  Legumes fix Nitrogen  IMPORTANCE OF PEAS  Peas have a lot of health benefits for human consumption.  They can be eaten raw or added to a variety of dishes  Peas have vitamins and antioxidants.  They are good for heart performance.  They are good for dealing with high blood pressure.  They have a very high protein content VARIETIES  Some of the common varieties to grow are Snowbird, Sabre, Serge, Alaska, Greenfeast and Recruit  Varieties are also called cultivars FAVOURABLE CLIMATE  Peas prefer cold conditions to grow well.  Temperatures of 22 degrees or below (starting at 13 degrees Celsius) are the best for peas farming.  The best temperature is 22 degrees Celsius.  Extremely hot temperatures will lead to lack of growth or hard pods. SOIL REQUIREMENTS  Soil should be fertile.  The soil should have good drainage.  Soil pH must be in the range of 6 to 7.5.  The best soil type is sandy loam – clay soils can also cut it  The soil should be deep LAND PREPARATION  Land preparation includes the following  Dig or plough to aerate the soil and improve drainage  Harrow to break the clods (big lumps)  Make ridges to keep water within the bed  level the bed to ensure equal water distribution SOWING AND PLANTING  Seeds must be sown about 2 to 3 centimeters into the ground  The germination process takes place within at most 1 week.  When sowing seeds, the in-row spacing should be 5 – 10 centimeters whereas the inter-row spacing should be 25 centimeters. Management Practices  Watering is necessary but does not overdo it – water depending on the state of the pea plants.  Generally, peas do not require lots of water.  WEEDING - Weeding should be done occasionally as informed by the state of the field.  MULCHING – to conserve soil moisture  PEST CONTROL – to protect crops from damage  DISEASE CONTROL – to protect crops from damage  TRELLISING – to support indeterminate varieties PEST, DISEASE AND WEED CONTROL  Aphids, beetles, leaf weevils, nematodes, and leaf miners are some of the common pests to look out for.  Powdery and Downey mildew, fusarium wilt are some of the common diseases to look out for.  As much as you can use chemical methods to deal with pests, diseases and weeds you can still use biological and cultural control methods.  Most of the pests and diseases that affect peas can be dealt with by usingcultural methods like weed control.  getting rid of affected plants and plant debris can control pest and diseases control.

Excerpt from Seeds of Change: Planting a Path to Peace

Land preparation •Carrots can be planted in beds. •The beds should be prepared before planting. (a)digging: this is done using a hoe or a spade so as to loosen the soil. •During digging , remove roots and stems of weeds. (b) manuring: add 2kg of well rotten manure per square metre. •Work the manure deeply into the soil so that the roots of the carrots do not come into directly contact with manure. •Improperly incorporated manure causes development of carrots that have side roots. •this condition is called forking. Planting •Carrots are planted in beds where they will mature. •Water the bed a day before planting. •Mark the rows 30cm apart. •Carrots seeds are very small, therefore due to their size sow the seeds thinly along the rows. •Rub the seeds between your fingers as you sow. •Cover the seeds with fine sand. •The bed can be covered with grass so that the soil remain moist. •Water the bed soon after sowing using a watering can fitted with a fine rose. Caring for carrots (a) Thinning: is when you remove some of the baby plants in a row to free up space for the rest so that they can grow to full size. • Thinning in carrots is usually done two weeks after germination. • Thin out to leave a spacing of 4 -6 cm from each plant. (b) Watering: If carrots are not watered enough they will not grow fast. • Therefore carrots need a steady supply of water to keep the soil moist during the growing period. (c) Weeding: weeds are removed by hand, especially those in the rows. (d) Top dressing: carrots are usually not top dressed. •Fertilizer can only be applied after one has noticed leaves turning yellow. (e) Pest and disease control: aphids and nematodes attack carrots. •Dimethoate is used to control aphids. Harvesting carrots •Carrots are harvested 2 to 3 months after planting. •Bigger ones are harvested first inorder to leave more room for the young seedlings to develop. •Water the bed first the lift the carrots by hand. •A garden fork can also be used to loosen the soil, then pull up by hand. •The carrots can then be tied into bunches of 5 – 7 carrots

Ornamental horticulture is growing of plants for decorative and beauty purposes. •There many different types of flowers such as, daisies, roses and lilies. Establishment of flower beds •Choose the best place or site for your flower bed. •The site should get enough sun and have fertile soil. •After choosing the site, dig the area to a depth of 20- 30 cm. •Remove any large stones or rubbles as you dig. •Use a rake to level the prepared bed. This will also break up any big lumps of soil. varieties of flowers ✓Flame lilly ✓Rose ✓Marigold ✓Lavender star Propagation of flowers • Flowers can be grown from seeds or cuttings, tubers and bulbs. From seeds From cuttings From tubers and bulbs Petunia roses Flame lilly Dahlia Elephant ear Lavender marigold Planting time • Flowers can be planted all year round depending on the suitable varieties. •In winter they can be planted in pots, beds and greenhouses. •Varieties which need a lot of water should be grown during the rainy season. Management of flowers 1. weeding: ensure that the flower beds are weed free. •Weeds are removed by hand pulling with the help of a hand fork. 2. watering: watering should be done regularly during the dry season and less frequently during the rainy season. •make sure the beds are moist but avoid waterlogging. 3. fertilizing: soil should be well fertilized with super phosphate at planting. •Flowers should not be top dressed with ammonium nitrate as this will affect flower production. 4. pruning: use a pair of secateurs or very sharp knife to remove weak shoots and dead or diseased parts of the plant. •Pruning also encourages new growth and controls the height of the flowers. Harvesting •Cut the flowers in early bloom. •Allow 30cm stems, grade and remove lower leaves. •Tie in bundles •label accordingly, cure by setting 20cm of the stem in boiling water for 20 minutes. (this will make the flowers last longer) •Store the flowers in cool conditions Marketing • Flowers need fast transport to the market. • Flowers can be sold in bundles, boxes or in pots. • Flowers are sold in bouquets at a local market or are packed in boxes for export market. • They are bought for different occasions such as weddings, funerals and parties.

We grow crops or plants for many reasons. •Crops can be damaged which leads to reduced yields. •Therefore farmers need to protect crops against weeds, drought, veld fires and animals. 1.animals: •Plants need to be protected from animals like sheep, goats, donkeys and cattle. •These animals are grazers and browsers, so they destroy plants. •Therefore plants can be protected from the animals by using fences. •Barbed wire, or thorn bush wood can be used as fence. 2. Veld fires •Veld fire are usually experienced during the dry season. •These fires may destroy plants in fields and plantations. •Plants can be protected from veld fires by a fireguard. •A fireguard is a strip of land without grass on it. •A fire guard must be at least 9 metres wide. •The strip runs around the area planted to prevent the veld fires. 3. Drought •Drought is the shortage of rain water for a long time. •When plants do not enough water they wilt, resulting in poor growth and even death of plants. •Low rainfall also causes low yields and poor growth. •Drought can be protected by: ✓Plant drought resistant seeds. ✓Using irrigation ✓Practice water conservation methods such as mulching and terraces. 4. Weed control • Crops can be affected by weeds. •Weeds compete for nutrients with plants resulting in poor growth. • Some weeds provide shelter and food for pests that later attack the crop. •Weeds have to be removed from planting or transplanting until the end of the rainy season.

Classification of plants • Plants can be classified as cultivated and wild plants. • Both cultivated and wild plants are very useful to people, animals and the environment. 1. Cultivated plants: • Cultivated plants are plants grown by people for selling. • They can be grown in the field, vegetable garden, home garden and orchard. Classification of plants 2. Wild plants Wild plants are plants that grow on their own outside the garden, orchard or field. They have many uses such as: • Food for people and animals • Shelter • Source of fuel in form of firewood. • Examples include, grasses, msasa, yellow wood, mahogany, mopane Plant Nutrition • The presence of plant nutrients in the soil make them grow well. • The three major plant nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Sources of plant nutrients • The source for plant nutrients are grouped into organic and inorganic sources. Organic sources of plant nutrients • These are found in nature. • They are natural materials such, decayed plant and animal matter which include: • Animal manure from cattle, sheep, goats, poultry and pigs. • Green manure • Legume crops like beans, peas and groundnuts. • Humus • These material sources may also be called natural fertilizers. Inorganic sources of plant nutrients • These are sources of plant nutrients made by people in industries. They include: • Compound fertilizers like compound A, B, C and D. • These have two or more nutrients. • Straight fertilizers like ammonium nitrate, single super phosphate and urea. • A straight fertilizer supplies a single or more nutrient to the crop. A straight fertilizer A Compound fertilizer Sources of N,P,K • Ammonium nitrate and Urea- contain nitrogen Double super Phosphate, Single super phosphate-contain phosphorus • Muriate of Potash contains Potassium 2 . Compound fertilisers -have two or three of the three major plant nutrients (N.P.K). N-nitrogen P-phosphorus K-potassium Examples Compound D Wednesday 17 May 2023 Revision exercise (Plant nutrition) 1 .Name the 3 plant nutrients needed by plants. 2. What are the 2 groups of plant nutrients sources? 3. Give 3 examples of organic sources of plant nutrients. 4. What is a straight fertilizer? 5. Compound fertilizer supplies ……………or ………………. Nutrients. Vegetable crops • A vegetable is any part of a plant that is eaten by humans as food part of a meal. • Vegetables are grouped and named according to the part that is eaten. • These are leaf, root, fruit, flower, bulb, tuber and legume vegetables. Leaf vegetables Types of veg Legume etable cropsvegetables Fruit vegetables Root, bulb and tuber Flower vegetables Cabbage Peas Tomato Root: carrots Cauliflower Rape Green beans Pepper Parsnip broccoli Spinach Melons Beetroot Tsunga Cucumber Bulb: onion Lettuce Squash Garlic kale Egg plant Leek chillies Tuber: Irish potato Wednesday 31 May 2023 Vegetable crops 1. What is a vegetable? 2. Which one is not a vegetable from the list below? a. Covo B. cabbage C. wheat D. tomato 3. Choose a vegetable which is not a fruit vegetable. a. tomato B. pepper C. kale D. egg plant 4. From which pair of vegetables do we eat the flower? A. cauliflower and garlic B. broccoli and cauliflower C. broccoli and rape D. cauliflower and pepper 5. Give one example of a vegetable belonging to each of the following groups. a. root b. legume c. bulb 6. Name any 5 groups of vegetable classification according to the parts eaten. Growing leaf vegetables • Although there are many types of vegetables, the leaf, fruit and bulb vegetables are widely grown. • Leaf vegetables form the greater part of vegetable crops. • Leaf vegetables belong to a family called brassica. • Brassicas include cabbages, lettuce, spinach, covo and many others. • Each brassica family has got its own varieties called cultivar. • They usually grow under the same climatic conditions and are affected by the same pests and diseases. • The selection of a variety depends on the following : The intended use of the vegetable, for example, salad, stew or snacks. Days taken to mature. Disease resistant Season of the year Seedbed preparation • Brassica vegetables are usually raised in seedbeds. • The seedbeds are prepared by: • Marking the position of the bed 1 meter in width by any length using a tape measure, hammer and pegs. • Digging a seedbed to a depth of 25 to 30cm using a hoe. • Breaking lumps of soil using a garden rake. Soil requirements • Brassicas need: • Well drained soils. • Fertile soil for good growth • Slightly acidic soils (pH 5.5-6) Climatic requirements • Brassicas need cool to warm temperatures. • Very low temperatures cause cabbages to flower which is called bolting. • Brassicas can be grown throughout the year. Seedbed preparation • Brassica seedlings are usually raised in seedbeds. • A seedbed is prepared by: Marking the position of the bed 1 metre in width by any length using a tape measure, hammer and pegs. Digging a seedbed to depth of 25 to 30 cm using a hoe. Breaking lumps of soil using a garden rake. This is done in order to have a fine tilth and improve soil to seed contact. Making ridges that a 15cm high. Apply 3 to 5kg/m² of well decomposed manure. 60 to 100g/m² of compound fertilizer can be added into the soil. Management of vegetable crops • After transplanting the seedlings, the seedlings need to be looked after. (a)Controlling weeds: all vegetables must be kept weed free. • This is done either by hand pulling weeds or shallow cultivation using a hand fork. (b) Pest control: common pests that affect the brassicas are aphids and diamond black moth larva. • Aphids are small green insects that suck the juice from the leaves leaving them with curls. • They are controlled by spraying malathion using the instructions on the label. (c) Disease control: bacterial diseases are common in brassicas. • Common diseases are black rot and soft rot, especially in cabbages. • These are controlled by: Crop rotation Early planting Planting resistant cultivars (d) Top dressing: brassicas are top dressed using Ammonium Nitrate at a rate of 2.5g per plant. • Top dressing is usually done 3 or 4 weeks after germination. FIELD CROPS • Field crops are crops that are grown on a large piece of land. • Example of field crops:  Maize  Cotton  Groundnuts  Roundnuts  Wheat  Sunflower  Tobacco  Sugar cane  Tea  Coffee  Soya beans  sorghum Classification of field • Field crops can be classified according to use such crops cereal, fibre, sugar and oil. 1. Cereal crops: • A cereal is a grass grown for its edible seeds. • They are also known as grain crops. • The major cereal crops are maize, wheat, rice, barley, sorghum and millet. 2 . fiber crops : • these are crops which are grown for their fiber and are used in making textiles, ropes and rugs. • Important fiber crops are cotton, flax and sisal 3. Oil seed crops: • These crops are grown for the purpose of extracting oil from their seed. • The main oil seed crops are groundnuts, sunflower, soyabean and cotton seed. 4 . Sugar crops : • Sugar crops include sugarcane,

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