okoroemeka:
It's 6 days since we planted and the results are slowly coming in,we noticed that cu 999 had 50-70% germination in 5 days,but monalisa is around 20-30% germination in 6 days,it's interesting to see a side by side comparison,more results will be coming in as the project progresses,I think it better for my fellow farmers to see and judge for themselves,the first pic is cu999,the second is monalisa all is 6 days old

hmmmm so you planted one seed per hole....interesting

johnnyblaze424:


hmmmm so you planted one seed per hole....interesting

no two seeds,we just took pics of two best crops from both variety

O P I really learnt a lot from this thread , my question is what variety of cucumber seeds that is good for farmers in the west? I notice most farmer's in the west here don't encourage new farmers plant cu999

Very impressive thread loaded with so much knowledge and experience.

nuppyjay:
O P I really learnt a lot from this thread , my question is what variety of cucumber seeds that is good for farmers in the west? I notice most farmer's in the west here don't encourage new farmers plant cu999

listed according to popularity,Murano,Murano 2f1,Tokyo,Nagano,greengo,monalisa,darina,kenzo,etc,these are the varieties loved in the west,there are others but these are the major players

Bond27:


Thanks alot for the prompt response. But i put the cukes in polythene bags mixed with Poultry wastes. the sun shine in Abakaliki can be compared to those in far North like Sokoto and Borno states. The heat is much, is there any cuke specie that is heat tolerant and less bitter that i can plant in that area. Also I will be grateful if I will be given the opportunity to visit your farm to study the practice. May God bless and keep you for the humanitarian service you are doing.

I visited a fellow farmer that is complaining about his cucumbers been bitter and I asked myself what does all the farmers complaining about fruit bitterness have in common,hmmmm!!they all planted in bags,i think in the dry season it will be a disaster to grow cucumbers in bags,they will be stressed with high root temperature, inadequate water contentment,high soil temperature and many factors.

Two days ago and yesterday, the cucumbers I've seen around Mile12 have turned yellowish and they still put them up for sale. Does this have any effect on consumers and what could be the cause?

okoroemeka:
It's 6 days since we planted and the results are slowly coming in,we noticed that cu 999 had 50-70% germination in 5 days,but monalisa is around 20-30% germination in 6 days,it's interesting to see a side by side comparison,more results will be coming in as the project progresses,I think it better for my fellow farmers to see and judge for themselves,the first pic is cu999,the second is monalisa all is 6 days old

Cu999, the biggest and baddest.

nuppyjay:
O P I really learnt a lot from this thread , my question is what variety of cucumber seeds that is good for farmers in the west? I notice most farmer's in the west here don't encourage new farmers plant cu999

Visit the market where you plan to sell your cucumber. Please don't just buy any seed and plant without knowing the variety that has most value in your area

okoroemeka:
I visited a fellow farmer that is complaining about his cucumbers been bitter and I asked myself what does all the farmers complaining about fruit bitterness have in common,hmmmm!!they all planted in bags,i think in the dry season it will be a disaster to grow cucumbers in bags,they will be stressed with high root temperature, inadequate water contentment,high soil temperature and many factors.

Good Day Sir, I want to ask some questions on your observation above,

1. talking about air, i understand poly bags are airtight, so ventilation will be a problem but will water also be a problem, considering the fact that no water will be lost to the ground and only a small surface will be available for evaporation?

2. For those using sac bags will there also be an issue with air since there are air pores in the sacs? talking from a general understanding about air, shouldn't there be more air available to the roots of plants in sac bags since the whole area of the bag(and by extension the soil) is exposed above the ground as compared to farming on normal land?

3. What are the solution around these issues if sac farming is the only available option?

I'm asking these questions because i'm about to start cucumber farming and the only option available for me right now is sac farming, the land i have access to is sandy and thus not suitable for direct soil planting

austinomd:


Good Day Sir, I want to ask some questions on your observation above,

1. talking about air, i understand poly bags are airtight, so ventilation will be a problem but will water also be a problem, considering the fact that no water will be lost to the ground and only a small surface will be available for evaporation?

2. For those using sac bags will there also be an issue with air since there are air pores in the sacs? talking from a general understanding about air, shouldn't there be more air available to the roots of plants in sac bags since the whole area of the bag(and by extension the soil) is exposed above the ground as compared to farming on normal land?

3. What are the solution around these issues if sac farming is the only available option?

I'm asking these questions because i'm about to start cucumber farming and the only option available for me right now is sac farming, the land i have access to is sandy and thus not suitable for direct soil planting

whatever type of bag u will use should be well and strategically perforated for oxygen to penetrate to the roots

okoroemeka:
whatever type of bag u will use should be well and strategically perforated for oxygen to penetrate to the roots

thank you for your prompt response sir, i will send more messages when i start planting.

okoroemeka:
The whistle had been blown and the race is on, between monalisa and cu 999 we will know which one that will cancel the other,in every contest there must be a winner,we used a standard measure bowl that dispenses 1 kg of pig manure per hole so all the crops will have equal ration of nutrients ,all the crops are planted on may 2,so we will know which one will flower,fruit and mature first.we planted 500 monalisa and 1200 cu 999,but we pegged off a portion that has 500 cu for the test.

Well done bro.. A question about the beds

When there's a heavy rainfall, won't too much water cover the plant or will there be no effect when rain covers the plant in the holes? Hope you got my point sir

vosquare:


Well done bro.. A question about the beds

When there's a heavy rainfall, won't too much water cover the plant or will there be no effect when rain covers the plant in the holes? Hope you got my point sir

the soil is a fast drainage soil,after a heavy rainfall the farm drains in 20-30 minutes you not see any surface puddle of water again,that is another reason we are using huge amount of organic manure to enhance water retention

@okoroemeka it's hard to get ridomil gold copper in my location, please can I use red force fungicide as replacement due to Copper and metalaxyl as it's active ingredient?

lahify:
@okoroemeka it's hard to get ridomil gold copper in my location, please can I use red force fungicide as replacement due to Copper and metalaxyl as it's active ingredient?

yes,you can there are replacement for ridomil, like redforce and tandem,but we prefer the ridomil because it's more original and made by a known agro company syngenta.

okoroemeka:
yes,you can there are replacement for ridomil, like redforce and tandem,but we prefer the ridomil because it's more original and made by a known agro company syngenta.

thanks sir

Insect Manure At N5,000 Per Ton. Never Use Poultry Litter Or Dung Again

Good day,

We have Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae frass, aka manure, called NatSoil available for sale. It’s an excellent organic fertilizer with chitin that deters pest and thus acts as a natural pesticide. It has no odor and contains all the vital nutrients for plants (see attached analysis for dried variant).

Please contact me on WhatsApp 08176499981 or on sales@magprotein.ng . Our factory is based in Epe.

Price is N5 per kg. Minimum order 2tons. Pick up from Epe.

Description and use.

Our product NatSoil is a 100% organic fertilizer and soil amendment that acts primarily as a rich soil conditioner and pesticide. It is derived locally from the digestate of the black soldier fly larvae. It is rich in essential nutrients such as;
• Nitrogen: 31.5g/Kg
• Phosphorus: 7.9g/Kg
• Potassium: 3.41 g/Kg

Made from insect exoskeletons and excrement, NatSoil is full of beneficial microbial life and chitin – the substance that sets NatSoil apart from other fertilizers. Chitin stimulates the plant's defence response leading to increased resistance to pests and disease, replenished microbe populations and boosted yields at harvest.
NatSoil also has “chitosan”, when applied foliarly, will protect plants from powdery mildew, and botrytis and other fungal disease. In summary, NatSoil is a natural fertilizer and has the following benefits for plants and crops:
o Promotes early plant growth and seed inoculant
o Beneficial microbes for plant growth and production
o Improved growth compared to competing products
o Low C/N ratio that promotes rapid mineralization and faster nutrient release
o 1 to 2% addition rate into soils and potting mixes
o Water soluble and can be used in hydroponics and fertigation
o Contains chitin and chitosan
o No odour
o Not a pesticide or fungicide, will not bring new insects into your garden or farm o Improves soil organic matter, soil condition and crop yields
Utilization
NatSoil can be used in the following applications;
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Greenhouses: Incorporate 7.5 kg per cubic metre (12.5 lbs/cubic yard) of container medium.
Home Use - Urban Gardens, Established Plants, Lawns: Incorporate 2.5 kg per 10 square metres (5 lbs/100 sq ft) into soil prior to planting. Apply 2.5 kg to soil surface after seedlings have emerged.
Containers - Incorporate 15-20 mL per litre (1–11⁄2 tbsp. in 4 cups) of planting mix. Frequency
Applications may be repeated after 8 weeks.
Available in 50kg bags

Well done.You are doing a great job! Pls,what is the measurement of ridomil gold(macrozeb)for 16ltr sprayer.
Thanks.

Senkay2016:
Well done.You are doing a great job! Pls,what is the measurement of ridomil gold(macrozeb)for 16ltr sprayer.
Thanks.

50 grams

The grand challenge cu 999 and monalisa,I noticed some farmers are concerned that the experiment could be compromised due to effects of cross pollination due to close proximity,yes it's true cross pollination can affect small changes in fruit size, colour or taste,but it can never change the yield output which is the most important thing to a commercial farmer

Good day! I planted 2 sachet of cu999 yesterday and one today. I am praying for rain now. Is there need for me to wet? I am planing to wet on Monday if no rain. Will that be too late?
Please I need advice sir!
@ okoroemaka

Idemujoseph:
Good day! I planted 2 sachet of cu999 yesterday and one today. I am praying for rain now. Is there need for me to wet? I am planing to wet on Monday if no rain. Will that be too late?
Please I need advice sir!
@ okoroemaka

if u did not wet planted seeds in this scorching heat the seeds will turn to roasted pop corn, if we plant seed we water it everyday
till it germinated or less the day is full and over cast,if the soil is not wet the germination process will not take place.

Idemujoseph:
Good day! I planted 2 sachet of cu999 yesterday and one today. I am praying for rain now. Is there need for me to wet? I am planing to wet on Monday if no rain. Will that be too late?
Please I need advice sir!
@ okoroemaka

pls sir, ensure where u planted is moist and warm or else it will not germinate

Today is a happy day,our cattle breeding program has finally kicked off with first delivery of female cows out of 35 planned for the cattle ranch farm,I think this is the way forward in cattle husbandry to reduce war between herdsmen and farmers,a lot of blood has been shead due to a particular group of people refused to change and preffered to live in the stone ages in 2019.kudos to our pathners they are the ones that keeps the ball rolling.

Our test farm is flying off the chart,is it because of the 1 kg pig manure we applied before planting?all I know is that the crops are flying off the radar,we sprayed the first cocktail of fungicides,foliar fertilizer and insecticide today and we will speed up the staking and finish it in 3 days time,we used a spacing of 10-12 inches interval we don't care if it's congested or not , we found out that the more crops you have the more you will harvest.monalisa vs cu 999 we are watching!!!

okoroemeka:
if u did not wet planted seeds in this scorching heat the seeds will turn to roasted pop corn, if we plant seed we water it everyday
till it germinated or less the day is full and over cast,if the soil is not wet the germination process will not take place.

Thanks you!

Juliana7:
pls sir, ensure where u planted is moist and warm or else it will not germinate

Thanks

Good morning!
Please I want to know if I can plant without applying organic manure first because I don't have enough of fowl and pig waste at my disposal?
If I use only inorganic fertilizer will i still get the same yield?
Thanks for quick response!!!

Idemujoseph:
Good morning!
Please I want to know if I can plant without applying organic manure first because I don't have enough of fowl and pig waste at my disposal?
If I use only inorganic fertilizer will i still get the same yield?
Thanks for quick response!!!

well you can plant without manure,it will germinate and if the soil is good,it will boost it for at least 2 weeks before you can apply fertilizer,but I will not advice putting fertilizer before planting ,we have tried that and all the seeds did not germinate,NOTE you can only try the no manure before planting on a fertile soil,if it's our type of soil,hmm!!

okoroemeka:
well you can plant without manure,it will germinate and if the soil is good,it will boost it for at least 2 weeks before you can apply fertilizer,but I will not advice putting fertilizer before planting ,we have tried that and all the seeds did not germinate,NOTE you can only try the no manure before planting on a fertile soil,if it's our type of soil,hmm!!

Noted sir! Many thanks!!

Necessity is the mother of inventions,the quest for high yield and productivity in cucumber farming is driving us to uncharted territory,we noticed an interesting development in our test farm,the monalisa had poor germination, but it later started coming up to 50-60% germination and surprisingly we went to the farm this morning and all the monalisa has small female modes coming up from the branches of the first true leaf,this is a gynoecious behavior,but we noticed unlike a true gynoecious, it didn't set a female flower at every leaf branch,from what we are seeing it tend to jump one or two leafs then set female flower on the next, which is a good thing because some true gynos set so much fruits that the plant simply crash under the strain,we can even spot two small fruits already in some monalisa crops already,the next stage results I am predicting is at 27-28 days the monalisa will come out with female flowers ready for pollination, while the 999 will still be coming out with only male flowers and its interesting to note that 999 don't come out immediately with female flowers,it will push the males first like a true mono and after 5-10 days female flowers will start opening,I am betting my pot of soup that monalisa will mature first.