excanny:


Hi, was this cucumbers farm rain-fed?

Looks like that harvest is from the bush and not near your house.

Hello, How do you know where I live?? lol

My farm is located in a small village in Owode, Ogun state. I use drip irrigation and fertigation. Obviously during the rains, I only use the drip irrigation to fertigate the plants.

Wizs2019:


Hello, How do you know where I live?? lol

My farm is located in a small village in Owode, Ogun state. I use drip irrigation and fertigation. Obviously during the rains, I only use the drip irrigation to fertigate the plants.

did you connect the water pump direct to the drip system or do you have overhead tank for fertigation

okoroemeka:
did you connect the water pump direct to the drip system or do you have overhead tank for fertigation

The drip is connected direct to the pump, it is way more powerful and efficient than overhead tank.

Wizs2019:


The drip is connected direct to the pump, it is way more powerful and efficient than overhead tank.

hmmm, but how do you fertigate,I am thinking 200ltr drum attached to pump and connected to drip system.pls elaborate

okoroemeka:
hmmm, but how do you fertigate,I am thinking 200ltr drum attached to pump and connected to drip system.pls elaborate

Okay this is the setup I have. I am located near a natural stream so I dug a shallow well (reservoir) where I placed my submersible pump. The piping from the well run into the farm and to the drip system via a venturi. The venturi (see attached image) can then be used to suck (using pressure) a fertiliser solution (dissolved fertilisers in water) contained in a 200ltr drum into the drip system and to the plants. The process of passing fertilisers to the plants via drip irrigation is called fertigation.

Hope the information helps!

Wizs2019:


Okay this is the setup I have. The venturi (see attached image) can then be used to suck (using pressure) a fertiliser solution (dissolved fertilisers in water) contained in a 200ltr drum into the drip system

How does one calculate the amount of fertilizer to put/mix in the venturi? Thanks.

DeLaRue:


How does one calculate the amount of fertilizer to put/mix in the venturi? Thanks.

Great question!

How to explain easily without confusion ehmm, I will try. Please ask me to clarify anything you don't quite understand.

Every crop has its own unique nutrient requirements. These requirements have been identified through research and experiments. So once you know the requirement for the crop you are planting and you know the total area you are planting on, you can now use that information to formulate your total fertilisers needs.

So now it gets interesting. Plants are like human beings, you have to feed them at different intervals just like a human cannot eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same time, you have to divide and apply the total amount of fertilisers you formulated into either daily, every 3 or every 5 days interval for life of the plant. Also just like humans start as a baby with milk and then to solids (because milk is not filling the baby and doesn't contain enough nutrition anymore) so it is with plants. In dividing your total fertilisers, you have to take in account the different stages of the plant growth and the nutrients most required at each stage. For cucumber, the growth stages are vegetative growth, flowering/fruit-set and the fruit production. All this information is available at:

https://www.haifa-group.com/cucumber-fertilizer/crop-guide-plant-care-fertigation

Passing comments, it is better to apply some fertilisers directly into the soil because they don't dissolve easily and the nutrient they give stay in the soil for long (SSP contains Phosphorus which stays in the soil for long). Also you cannot mix certain fertilisers because they will react together and clog up you pipes. See attached image.

So please read the article in the link, comment about your understanding and ask any other more questions you have.

Wizs2019:


Hi, I didn't register with the association. I have a broker (middleman) who handles the sales in Mile 12 so all I do is drop the bags for him and typical within 24 hours they are sold and money is sent to my account. The broker takes 10 percent of the total sale value.

thanks Boss. For this info

Wizs2019:


Hi, I didn't register with the association. I have a broker (middleman) who handles the sales in Mile 12 so all I do is drop the bags for him and typical within 24 hours they are sold and money is sent to my account. The broker takes 10 percent of the total sale value.

thanks Boss for the info

[quote author=Wizs2019 post=80200820]

Great question!

[/quot

Great, thanks.

okoroemeka:
we spray ridomil every Wednesday and zforce every Saturday or Sunday,DM must be crushed!!!

Why are you mixing the two fungicides?

EMMAACHILE:

Why are you mixing the two fungicides?

we don't mix the two we use ridomil every Wednesday and zforce every Saturday,providing weather permits,it has been raining every day for 1 week now,God save us from Downy mildrew.

Actually Ridomil Gold plus (RGP) and mancozeb (Zforce) can be mixed, it just wont be as effective as when they are applied separately a few days apart.

The mode of action of RGP is different from that of Zforce.

RGP can be effective (not 100%) where plants are already infested with Downy Mildew, whereas Zforce is preventative only. So, if your plants are already infested, the idea is you use RGP and allow it to work for a few days, then apply Zforce to protect the plant against new infection. But be aware that most of the Zforce protecting the leaves is likely to be washed away each time it rains heavily.

Only God can help in my situation. The sun has barely broken out in the past 2 weeks and it has been raining virtually every day. Perfect condition for Downy Mildew. It's a battle. No easy solution. Cant wait for October and some sustained period of sunshine.

@DeLaRue
Where is your location?
Imagine whereas in Lokoja, rain is very scanty like once a week.

FMCASH:
This the first time you will be stating 2 to 3 inch part. I applied to the root as you normally said before and this cause me a fortune. A bitter experience in my first trial. I know its normally 30cm apart, but just try what you said. Lesson learnt.

I would have informed you if we chatted before that, because the video he sent to me shows the spacing, and he was reiterating it in the video again and again.

okoroemeka:
try as much as possible to get maximum crop density and spacing in your farm to increase yield,after sowing make sure that some spare seeds will remain to replace ungerminated seeds,we even do nursery to replace and fill any gaps,the last batch we planted we used 30cm spacing for half of the land,and then used anyhow spacing for the rest,we got roughly 1500 crops on a land slightly bigger than half plot,but now we have cleared the old crops and used 30cm the whole and we got 1850 crops,it will translate to more yield.

I tried maximizing land and I think it had an effect on the speedy spread of mildew on the farm. Although I take major share of the blame for not preparing ahead by getting my fungicides down

okoroemeka:
we don't mix the two we use ridomil every Wednesday and zforce every Saturday,providing weather permits,it has been raining every day for 1 week now,God save us from Downy mildrew.

pls I need expert advice, I will like to go into cucumber farming but don't know much about it apart from my little experiment in bags two years ago. I will like to know how much will be needed for a plot of the plant without irrigation. Thanks

vosquare:






See beta ginger .. Thanks bosses
I'll still get Cu999.. The comments I have been reading about that seed is very encouraging. Now that the rain is going little by little, DM won't give much problem again.. Thanks once again

Next one is 10 fruits per plant.. . O boy.. Big task to embark on o

How much do you sell the CU999 seed?

.

EMMAACHILE:
@DeLaRue
Where is your location?
Imagine whereas in Lokoja, rain is very scanty like once a week.

Ogun State my bro.

Even today, rain again

I dread what I'm likely to see in the farm tomorrow. I pray it's not going to be a sea of yellow leaves.

Xlyad:
How much do you sell the CU999 seed?

I don't sell seeds

okoroemeka:
Total monalisa,first pic and total cu999,last pic,I just pity any farmer that plants monalisa,cu 999 yielded 97% of the cucumbers we harvested today was cu 999,we got 7 bags and I doubt if it's monalisa we planted through we may not have up to 2 bags,the results surprised even us,I know that cu999 will win but I didn't forsee a comprehensive demolition

Please telling people about the sweetness of planting CU999 should come along with the warning that its not every state that accepts it into their market as it has season when its favourable to plant it. I'm speaking from experience with someone who has made and lost money with CU999 in Rivers State...Every state has its unique specie and marketing should always be the numbers one thing to be done in farming before venturing into any crop or veggie. Please let's be guided properly ooooooh

pipi84:


Please telling people about the sweetness of planting CU999 should come along with the warning that its not every state that accepts it into their market as it has season when its favourable to plant it. I'm speaking from experience with someone who has made and lost money with CU999 in Rivers State...Every state has its unique specie and marketing should always be the numbers one thing to be done in farming before venturing into any crop or veggie. Please let's be guided properly ooooooh

it's left for a good farmer to research his market very well before committing funds,I remember when we planted Murano and it was a disaster,no customer wants it,we have to take it to enugu to be sold,there's a limit to the info you will get on the internet,to complete the jigsaw you must go out on fieldwork,my farmer friend in PH is having similar problems with marketing of cu ,999,so he want to try cu 986 ,it's medium size and lighter olive green in colour,any farmer that depends only on internet info is shortsighted,for me the first stage of farming is the market.

okoroemeka:
we didn't do ridges we dug rectangular holes that contain 2 plants that is dry season planting in that hole we pour water,manure,fertilizer etc

How about the raining season, is it okay not to do ridge?

pipi84:


How about the raining season, is it okay not to do ridge?

ridges is for rainy season,if you do only hole and August-sept rain comes the holes will be filled with water,not a good idea in cucumbers.

okoroemeka:
ridges is for rainy season,if you do only hole and August-sept rain comes the holes will be filled with water,not a good idea in cucumbers.

Good day, Sir. My piece of land is currently affected by downy mildew, as in both the cucumbers, okra and other plants there. Im planning to remove them all and replant. What steps should I take before replanting to avoid a reoccurrence, or can I just replant after removing the Ines there!

okoroemeka:
it's left for a good farmer to research his market very well before committing funds,I remember when we planted Murano and it was a disaster,no customer wants it,we have to take it to enugu to be sold,there's a limit to the info you will get on the internet,to complete the jigsaw you must go out on fieldwork,my farmer friend in PH is having similar problems with marketing of cu ,999,so he want to try cu 986 ,it's medium size and lighter olive green in colour,any farmer that depends only on internet info is shortsighted,for me the first stage of farming is the market.

I also fell for that in my first season. Cu999 came out big, beautiful and I was happy. I entered the market with my big cucumber, I saw small small cucumbers everywhere, I just hiss and was feeling like the federal minister of agriculture.
The buyers came one after the other and returned the hiss on my cucumber. That was when I knew that I was worst than the local farmers that can't read nor write. I knew before then that I had to visit the marker first but in my mind, who would see big cu999 and reject them
I was wrong. Experience is truly the best teacher
First picture is my cu999
Second picture is the hot cake here. Who knows the variety?
I'm waiting for dry season farming. I can't battle downy mildew and still sell a full bag for 2k, when a bag can go as high as 7k during dry season

that last cukes will be any of this darina,Tokyo,kenzo or super marketer

Yampotatocarrot:


Good day, Sir. My piece of land is currently affected by downy mildew, as in both the cucumbers, okra and other plants there. Im planning to remove them all and replant. What steps should I take before replanting to avoid a reoccurrence, or can I just replant after removing the Ines there!

I guess nothing,just remove the plant and debris and dispose it ,the best approach to DM is using good fungicide as early as possible on the crops to prevent it in the first place,fungal spores are carried by wind and no amount of land preparation will aviod that,we are now spraying from 1 week old,weekly.ridomil gold/zforce combination.

okoroemeka:
hmm,we have not done anything to the melon,we are so busy that we forgot the melon, even common fungicide or foliar we have not sprayed, thank God we applied good manure and nematicide before planting that why all insects ran away,they are crawling now with small tendrils appearing,it's time for 1st NPK/urea application,but I will give it to this melons no amount of sunlight can shake them,we irrigate every 3 days but their heat tolerance is unbelievable,no wonder they said it originated from the desert,and thing noticed is that no nematicide ,no vegetables farming for us as simple as that,that thing kills anything that flew,crawl,jumped or wriggled near the melons, including snails, centipede, millipedes,worms of various categories, caterpillars of different models,bettles of all colours,but only drawback it also kills earthworm,but a small price to pay for a good yield.

rabbit droppings can easily replenish earthworm population! or u cud buy vermicompost to replenish d soil...I think since d nairaland crash incident years ago, this ranks amongst d top 10 most educative and honestly open agric thread I've read, abeg no use paid seminar spoil am o

ideepaul:
rabbit droppings can easily replenish earthworm population! or u cud buy vermicompost to replenish d soil...I think since d nairaland crash incident years ago, this ranks amongst d top 10 most educative and honestly open agric thread I've read, abeg no use paid seminar spoil am o

it will get more interesting when our peppers start to come out and we start our dry season sack farm with drip to tackle once and final the #500k from 1 plot issue.

okoroemeka:
it will get more interesting when our peppers start to come out and we start our dry season sack farm with drip to tackle once and final the #500k from 1 plot issue.

pls no matter what happens, pls endeavour 2 post updates abt d peppers when u start cos I will start my nursery next february. I'm raising rabbit cz of the potential manure yield 4 d small trial farm f abt 20 by 15m...do u hv an idea abt 'real' yield of avenir