I decided to try out planting yam in sacs this year. This is supposed to be a test so I'd plan for the next year.

On the 12th of February, We started filling Sac with soil.
The soil was from previously used mounds in which they had planted sweet potatoes.

I paid some guys on site to help me do that at the rate of ₦1,500 for 50 bags

Prior to filling the sacs I bought 100 pieces of seedlings from a canteen owner around the area.
That's what I intended to plant with.

And on the 13th, I started planting into some of the sacs that had been filled

Each one I planted, I mulched to prevent water from directly hitting the soil, parting it and exposing the yam seedlings.

Please note that I used dry grass and they were still in excess at the time of the year

I planted about 50 that week. Tried to get them to fill the remaining sacs so that I could be done with my planting on time but they kept delaying for some reasons. They filled 30 sacs again then the sacs finished...
Meanwhile, I made sure to water the ones I already planted every three to four days

On the 21st of February, work took me away from home to Adamawa.
I made sure to arrange watering with someone else which she did regularly for a week before emergency moved her away from the area too...

Still tried to get someone else to water them but I can't really be sure how often it was done

The remaining seedlings were planted after about two weeks and some of them had begun to rot according to what I was told.
This is the result of not seeing things through by yourself

Fast-forward to 20th of March when I came back home... And I was met with some surprises ...
At least a little something to smile about

That's after about 36 days, some of the seedlings have germinated and are coming out

Today the 26th of March, I did a little weeding. Picking out the weeds from the sacs... It's way easier than weeding the conventional land farm

Those that had insufficient dry grass cover, I repaired and rearranged the covers.
None will take care of your things like yourself...

Fingers crossed to see what happens in the next couple of weeks

Anyone who wants to get into it should give it a try too

orogodoganyin:
Anyone who wants to get into it should give it a try too

Very interesting.
I planted about 22 bags last week but I have not been watering them ooo! Hope they wunt rot?

Wow good innovation.
But what do you intend to achieve with this?

Hatesin:


Very interesting.
I planted about 22 bags last week but I have not been watering them ooo! Hope they wunt rot?

you should try to water them from time to time till rain becomes frequent. they might not rot but they will take longer to germinate

iFESTAC680:
Wow good innovation.
But what do you intend to achieve with this?

if they do well, it means I don't have to worry about having acres of land to plant yam... A plot might take 500 or more seedlings, and in the comfort of my surroundings

This morning, I went to my sacs again to make holes in the sacs. These holes are to prevent waterlogging when the rain becomes more frequent. They were made close to the bottom of the sacs.
It's probably better to make them at the beginning while the sacs were still being arranged.
It's not as easy now, because of the proximity of the sacs with each other but I still had to.

It's probably till weekend again before I go to check up on them... But watering will continue

I'm actually thinking of adding 50 more by weekend

Visited the site yesterday and noticed the person in charge of watering hadn't been there this week... we agreed on watering twice or thrice weekly... when I confronted him, he claimed his target was to water on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
I told him I want it on Sunday, Tuesday and Friday... In the end, He agreed he'd start all over on Friday, which is today. I hope he keeps to his words

About adding an extra 50 sacs to the farm, he has filled 22 sacs with soil. there's a bit of sac shortage. should be seen through by the weekend cos that's when I intend to plant.

I had to go do some farm labour myself this morning... The guy in charge of watering traveled for the fasting period..

He only filled 22 sacs with soil which I planted this morning

I hope he outsourced the contract to someone else who's around. I'll go check in the evening

Anyway, I did watering and a bit of weeding too...
If you're looking to do this, be aware that some some small reptiles n amphibians cool off under the mulch or within the shade of the sac flaps inside...

Here's a growth report in pictures

They're coming out one at a time..
Some just have buds and some are starting to emerge under the mulch... I guess this will take time.

I'll be there later in the evening again to mulch the newly planted ones... And if possible, make holes at the bottom of the sacs too

orogodoganyin:
I'll be there later in the evening again to mulch the newly planted ones... And if possible, make holes at the bottom of the sacs too

good job, I'll be following your thread. Please, how many yam moulds can you plant on a plot of land measuring 50feet×100feet?

abouzaid:
good job, I'll be following your thread. Please, how many yam moulds can you plant on a plot of land measuring 50feet×100feet?

I'm not an expert in this but anything from 450 (1m x 1m spacing) and 1800 (1m x 0.25m)
Depending on the size of the yam seeds you're planting...

orogodoganyin:



I'm not an expert in this but anything from 450 (1m x 1m spacing) and 1800 (1m x 0.25m)
Depending on the size of the yam seeds you're planting...

thanks a million.

abouzaid:
thanks a million.

You're welcome sir

I really couldn't go out yesterday to mulch the newly planted ones and make holes in the sac. the fasting was really hitting hard.
However, concerning the water boy that left, I was able to meet one of his guys this morning. He said that he wasn't told anything but agreed to fill the remaining sacs and help water the plants... hopefully, he keeps his words.

So the guy still hasn't filled the remaining sacs and I also had to go water the plants today.
The ones that have sprouted seem to be growing pretty fast. I have to start worrying about staking pretty soon...
I should consider that by the weekend.

I don't even know if that's a good idea since less than 10% have sprouted and I want to do a general staking.
I'll see how it goes though...
hopefully the others come out pretty soon too

I still haven't mulched the last 22 I planted. I ought to do that this weekend. Before the heavy rains start.
we still haven't had a second rain in Abuja yet