Module 1 – Plant Production

Hubert P. Loresto
Outcomes:
• Demonstrate understanding of the fundamental knowledge and skills
in plant production
• Ability to apply skills in using systematic approach in plant production
Objectives:
• Discuss the benefits of planting to one’s self, family and community
• Discuss different ways of planting; selection, planning, plotting, bio-
intensive plant production
• Discuss the plant protection equipment
Overview
• Plant commodities are understood to be field and special crops
cultivated for their primary and secondary products for use in human
sustenance and consumption and are used to feed farm animals and
for technical and pharmaceutical use. They include products such as
grain, pulses, root crops, fodder plants, and technical and special
crops that include vines, sugar beet, oil crops, hops fruit, vegetables
and curative and aromatic plants.
Plant
• Kingdom Plantae, any multi cellular eukaryotic life-form characterized
by (1) photosynthetic nutrition (except parasitic and underground
orchids), in which chemical energy produced from water, minerals and
cardon dioxide with the aid of pigments and radiant energy of the
sun, (2) essentially unlimited growth at localized regions, (3) cells that
contain cellulose in their walls and are therefore to some extent rigid,
(4) absence of organs of locomotion, resulting in a more or less
stationary existence, (5) absence of nervous systems, and (6) life
histories that show an alteration of haploid and diploid generations,
with the dominance of one over the other being taxonomically
significant.
Plants play a vital role
• Maintenance of life on earth
• Photosynthesis – conversion sun’s energy into consumable energy--
carbohydrates (sugar) and oxygen as by-product
• All food chains start from photosynthetic autotrophs (primary
producers)
• Fuels metabolic processes
• Food flavorings, raw materials, resins, oils, and rubber, fibers,
medicines, insecticides, and fules
Plant Categories
watch
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4L3r_XJW0I

• Vascular plants
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9oDTMXM7M8
• Nonvascular plants
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWaX97p6y9U
Types of Soil For Garden
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8sTIQD1tB0
• “Clay: Clay is essential to your soil. Clay soil is naturally high in
nutrients and holds moisture well, keeping your plants hydrated.
However, clay soil often gets a bad rap because of some of its
characteristics. Wet clay soils stick to your shoes when you walk on
them. And because the individual soil particles are so small, clay has
smaller air spaces. As a result, it drains water “slowly and is slow to
warm up in spring. When dry, clay soil cracks and makes your garden
look like the Mojave Desert.”

• Excerpt From: Paul Simon. “Urban Gardening For Dummies.” Apple

Books.
“Sand: Sand is the opposite of clay in many ways. Because of the large
particle size, sand has lots of air spaces, so it drains water quickly and
warms up fast (think of a kid’s sandbox or the beach). These
characteristics make it ready to plant in spring sooner than clay. However,
it’s also the first type of soil to dry out in summer and doesn’t hold
nutrients as well as clay.
Silt: Silt is like the right bed in Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It has
medium-sized particles, so it holds some water, but not too much. It holds
some nutrients, but not as many as clay. It warms up fast in spring, but
not as quickly as sand. A soil dominated by silt is a gardener’s friend.”

Excerpt From: Paul Simon. “Urban Gardening For Dummies.” Apple Books.
Plant Protection
• Keeping plants healthy-from diagnosing diseases to implementing
environmentally friendly pest-management practices.
• Optimizing the productivity of a given crop.
• Agricultural pests – all organisms such as fungi, bacteria, viruses,
insects, mites, nematodes, weeds, rodents, and grain eating birds.
• To minimize the losses caused and to ensure that full benefit is drawn
from other production inputs
Importance of plant protection
• Produce higher quality crops with minimal wastage.
The Process of Plant Protection
1. Ensure correct diagnosis of a problem
2. Assess the extent of damage
3. Consider various options available
Methods of Plant Protection
• Pesticides – attract or destroy garden pests
• Herbicides
• Insecticides
• Fungicides
• Biological—controlling insects, weeds, and diseases by using other living
organisms (ex ladybird for aphid control)
• Barriers—anything that creates a barrier between plants and pests, weather
or diseases (butterfly and bird netting, micromesh, garden fleece, plant
collars and garden cloches, electric pest deterrents.
• Psychology—anything that deter pests, animals or birds using psychological
methods (scarecrow)
Vegetables are available in many varieties and can be classified into
biological groups or ‘families’, including:
• Leafy green – lettuce, spinach and silverbeet
• Cruciferous – cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and broccoli
• Marrow – pumpkin, cucumber and zucchini
• Root – potato, sweet potato and yam
• Edible plant stem – celery and asparagus
• Allium – onion, garlic and shallot.
Plant Protection Equipment
• https://farmer.gov.in/dacdivision/Machinery1/chap4.pdf
Composting
• A beneficial, soil-like substance, compost is a mixture of decayed and
decaying organic matter that improves soil structure and pro- vides
nutrients for plants.
• If compost is the end product of your composting effort, what, then, is
humus? Compost and humus are terms that are often used
interchangeably, although there are subtle differences. Have you ever
taken a stroll in the woods and uncovered fallen leaves to spy a rich
layer of crumbly, sweet-smelling, black earth? That’s humus, which is
comprised of well-decomposed plant and animal matter. Resembling
dark coffee grounds, humus is aromatic, lightweight, and spongy in
texture, allowing it to hold water.
Watch
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjwZalZGmQA
10 Steps to Starting a Vegetable Garden
1. Choose the right location
Choose a location for the garden that has plenty of sun, ample space and close proximity to your hose or
water source. Find a level area to help prevent erosion.
2. Select your veggies
Decide what produce to include based on your climate, space, tastes and level of expertise. Newcomers may
want to consider some of the easier crops to grow, like carrots, beans, cucumbers, peppers and lettuce.
3. Prepare the soil
Mix compost and natural fertilizers into your garden to condition the soil for your plants. Garden-supply
stores can test the acidity of your soil and recommend supplements, or you can simply purchase specially
made soil in bulk.
4. Check planting dates
Growing conditions and ripening cycles are different depending on the plant and the season, so you should
not sow all the seeds at the same time. Planting dates can be found on seed packets. Review the ideal
conditions for each veggie you want to plant before creating a gardening schedule.
5. Plant the seeds
Place your seeds or plants into the soil, following the depth and spacing
directions carefully.
6. Add water
Gently spray the garden with water to keep the soil evenly moist throughout
the growing season. Purchase a spray nozzle for your hose so you can create a
gentle rain-like mist for your garden.
7. Keep the weeds out
Mulching is the most effective way to prevent weeds. Add a 2- to 4-inch-thick
layer of organic mulch to your garden to keep the weeds from overtaking your
crops. If weeds do appear in the garden, grab them low on their stems and
yank sharply, making sure to extract the entire root.
8. Give your plants room to grow
Check the spacing guide on the seed packets and be sure to remove crowded
seedlings right away.
9. Fertilize as needed
Lightly till the soil by hand and add fertilizer to keep it rich. You can
purchase prepared garden fertilizer or make your own from items like
Epsom salt, eggshells, fish tank water and kitchen compost.
10. Reap what you sow
Harvest vegetables when they’re young and tender—but only pick
them when you plan to use them. Pull root crops as soon as they reach
edible size. Collect leaf crops by cutting them to within 2 inches of the
ground. Finally, enjoy your harvest!
Watch:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myMatYyjO8A
Activity:
• Pagtatanim ng gulay sa Bakuran
• Start your own vegetable garden.
• Use bulbs, roots crops, and seeds available at your home or local
stores.
• Document your progress by following the 10 steps.
• Provide pictures for planning, creating, and weekly development of
plants until harvest.