Let us take advantage of the rainy season
What you need to know:
- Early planting also enables crops to grow vigorously before the weeds emerge from the ground to join the competition for soil nutrients.
Rain fed agriculture is the mainstay of food and feed production in Uganda. It is also the backbone of our country’s economy. Farmers therefore plan their activities with the weather conditions in mind.
We are witnessing the onset of the first rain season this year which is expected to last up to the middle of June. Planting and sowing are in reality cultural practices, involving certain rituals in some communities, and nothing is left to chance as the crops have to be planted correctly and in real time.
Go to a licensed and well trusted farmers’ shop to purchase your seeds. It is important to have an idea how long the seeds you want to plant will take to germinate and to mature.
If you want to grow beans or maize you should remember that the seeds germinate faster in moist soil and therefore it would be prudent to plant after one or two rainfalls.
It is also good for you to estimate when you are likely to harvest the crops since they will need drying under the sun. If you harvest them when the rains are still going on you might have issues with protecting them from damage by rainwater.
On the other hand most agriculturists recommend early planting to take full advantage of the rains and to escape serious pest and disease attack. By the time the pests erupt and multiply following the start of the rains the crops will have grown to almost full maturity.
Early planting also enables crops to grow vigorously before the weeds emerge from the ground to join the competition for soil nutrients. Plant the seeds at uniform depth as much as possible observing recommended spacing to achieve uniform growth rate and to facilitate crop inspection.
