AGRICULTUR

E9
AGRICULTURAL CROP
PRODUCTION – HORTICULTURE
(PREPARE LAND FOR PLANTING
VEGETABLE CROPS)

2nd Quarter – 2021/2022

Prepared by: Mr. Carlo B. Sabales
 Importance of Proper Land Preparation
Proper land preparation is a major prerequisite for a good yield.
The benefits derived from well prepared soil are as follows:
1. Helps control weeds through uprooting or burying.
2. Softens the surface soil and prepare a good seedbed to allow
easier seeding of crops.
3. Exposes soil organic matter to oxygen and help release soil
nutrients for crop growth.
4. Reduces compaction of the soil’s bulk density to allow for
rooting and improves soil structure.
5. Helps improve the infiltration of water.
6. Incorporates any soil amendments including organic materials,2
When to plow the field?
In tropical and sub-temperate areas, the field
may be plowed and then allowed to be idle for about
two weeks. The purpose is to allow weeds and plant
debris to decay and to allow weed seeds to
germinate. Plowing should be done when the soil is
not too dry nor too wet in order to preserve the soil
structure.

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How to determine when the soil is in a
workable condition?
Get a handful of soil and press it to form a ball
of soil. When the fingers are relaxed and the mass is
formed into a compressed mud ball, the soil is too
wet and sticky to work on. Working or plowing the
soil in this condition makes it cloddy and hard to
work on.

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