Gardening
AGRICULTURAL sciences are making great strides, just like many other fields.
What we have learned in colleges and universities are gradually replaced by new discoveries and researches, in order to catch up with better production skills and knowledge of the crop physiology, agronomy, botany, as well as chemical analysis of the medium and plant’s needs.
Further, we have found that many are using deserts for planting by using water restraint or even saline water for cultivation of rice.
Horticultural development already includes the usage of third-dimension spaces for vertical gardening. Recently, we saw the growth of the auto-pot system devised for growing Japanese rock melon right here in lowland Malaysia.
Promotion has been done for smart gardening through computerised software for fertigation production of high-value crops and species – chillies, for instance. Using a combination of factors, new results are emerging to surprise the old-fashioned farmers.
Fields of animal sciences, fisheries
Likewise in animal sciences, one would never dream of having dairy cows producing A2 milk better suited for the Asians in Kuching. Cows are not fed with grass or turf, but barley sprouts and fermented sweet-corn sludge. It is all done through digitalisation and Internet services.
There are lots of new skills generated in China for other meat production, and the wonder of pork production in a multi-storey complex.
Likewise, the use of organic waste for gas generation is sufficient to replace coals for domestic needs. It is both environment-friendly as there is less carbon production.
In fisheries, prawn production has already overcome some virus problems. Our world also relies on fisheries improvement in the methods of culturing to feed the hungry mouths, in that the seas are getting polluted and beginning to have scarce stock for us.
Large-scale productions are being fully explored in various bodies of water – the lakes, the dam reservoirs, the rivers and the seas – to generate maximum returns.
Fishing vessels are better equipped nowadays, aided by scanners to look out for schools and shoals of fish in the depth of the water.
Human inventions are seen in various processes of the catch being landed.
Contributing factors to better agriculture
In the field of improvement of crops and horticulture, there are many factors that are contributory to the new production methodologies. The need for the growing media has been greatly explored to introduce back nature’s way of reusing soil, compost and nutrients. Slash-and-burn is less effective for nutrient conversion and is not recommended even in large-scale land use for crops for over 30 years. The problem of bushfires in Miri or from Kalimantan, Indonesia is not new to us, but with better understanding and management, things have greatly improved.
Nevertheless, the world faces temperature increase, with climate change being another major issue besides the coronavirus that the human civilisation has ever known.
Factor 1: Soil, other media for growth
Soil in its natural state in Sarawak consists of many types.
The mineral soil for crops and vegetables is predominantly acidic in its pH level, and this would require adjustments to ensure good success in planting pepper, cocoa or durian. Potting mix uses filtered top soil with adjusted pH using lime or dolomite suitable for vegetables and other general usage. However, specific growing of horticultural fruits and ornamental plants would still need further adjustments with expanded soil particles, charcoal and coco peat, etc. Those for cacti and orchids may require another component, and there is the need for coco peat in fertigation and auto-pot components for growth.
Factor 2: Nutrients for growth
This is the major factor where science has offered details about plant physiology and minerals, hormone and key growth regulators. Today’s nursery and fertiliser suppliers, plus websites on the Internet, can offer planters readily-available information and chemical requirements for very specific needs under different growth conditions.
‘Agroworld’, ‘Dunia Pertanian’, ‘Alam Pertanian’, ‘Info Pertanian’ and ‘National Durian’ magazines and technical publications offer a whole range of information about nutrients for agriculture activities.
There are now more specific reasons for application of nutrients. For durian alone, we can find different brands for planting start-up covering basal fertilisers, quarterly application on young trees, or even monthly foliar treatment. On mature plants, aged five to six years old, one more key treatment is the flowering fertiliser high in K2O and other recommendations. To rejuvenate old trees, there are another series of treatments.
One can get very confused easily, even by the advertisers.
Factor 3: Growth techniques
This area of expertise comes from experience and technical back-ups. What one has learned from previous lectures and classes is rather outdated today. Through own doings – from propagation to field-planting – there is a vast technical knowhow for different crops and fruits.
We are indebted to many new researchers like my one-time colleague, Mr. I. Ten, who has worked for international fertiliser/chemical manufacturers – he has been able to get into the details of various physiological needs of durians.
From the basic growth techniques, some special attention is needed for growing various crops and fruits. Take an example of growing Musang King durian – the height of a grafted or budded tree taken back from the nursery is already two feet (0.6m).
First, we select the land and area for planting. Soil medium needs additional work as aforementioned – to ensure a good growth medium.
Dig up a fairly big hole, at least two feet square and two feet deep; refill the hole with crashed charcoals and basic nutrients before planting the seedling; and top up the base as a mound.
This is the usual technique – follow up with maintenance work and nutrients addition.
Factor 4: Pruning
Many plants need some pruning to obtain the required formation, and for them to shape better for flowering and fruiting.
Firstly, we go for the shape formation. Take the cases of orange, pomelo, avocado, ‘jambu’ (guava) as examples
– it is important to open up the centre portion of the bushy tree to allow more sunlight to reach there; water shoots and vertical growth are sometimes pruned to attain the result.
Secondly, plant-height control by pollarding the central stem after it has reached a convenient height for wrapping or harvesting for some fruits like avocado, longan, or even the ‘dabai’ (local olive), of which trees tend to grow with a heavy top branching formation of about 15 feet (over 4.5m) in height, or more.
Pollarding at a convenient height of eight feet to 10 feet (2.4m to 3m) rejuvenate the branches early and keep all the side branches for bearing fruits. I have experienced this formation.
Rambutan trees are to be kept low for good harvesting too. My ex-colleague Mr Tie is able to share with us all these in his orchard practices.
Thirdly, we prune for better fruit quality as size – taking watermelon or starfruit as examples; we allow not more than the optimum bearing capability of the vines, or the trees.
Factors for speciality
Nowadays, we all like to experience new fruits or flowers to be successful as done in the temperate or high-attitude regions. Take the case of growing water lilies in ponds, special container for housing the bulb inserted in the soil and placed just about two feet below the surface.
Growing a fig tree is not easy in our weather conditions, as I have learned from Mr A. Wong, who loves making his own compost.
He got a cutting from me for trial at home, using a large pot.
Planting in the open had not been good until he reminded me that ‘fig trees grow in the Mediterranean region, where there is no tropical rainfall’.
Placing the fig tree under the morning sunshine should do it. Yes, it is suitable now. Happy Gardening!