Greenhouse Farming | How to prepare soil in greenhouse farming

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Greenhouse farming is a very popular farming method in Kerala. Many people double the yield in greenhouse cultivation by using non-soil compost as a medium. But good soil management can double the yield from greenhouse farming. Therefore, it is essential for greenhouse growers to know many things related to soil treatment.



Soil treatment


In Kerala, farmers generally build greenhouses with an area of ​​1,000 square meters. Manure is an excellent fertilizer for improving soil fertility in greenhouses. Farmers say that soil mixed with red rashi is suitable for greenhouse cultivation. Weed control should never occur in greenhouse cultivation. For this, first of all, the stones and lumps should be completely removed and the soil should be thoroughly fertilized by adding cowdung powder.


20 tons of cow dung and 50 tons of red clay are required for greenhouse cultivation of 1000 square meters. Before starting the cultivation, first spread the soil to the same thickness using the tiller on the farm where the greenhouse is to be built. After that, the formaldehyde solution should be sprayed on the soil so that it reaches all the places. Then cover the sheet completely with a large sheet and cover the edges with two feet of soil to prevent air circulation. In some places apply lime for 15 days before planting to adjust soil acidity. After that, make a small hole in this mixture and fill it with water and keep it for about ten days. Only then should there be basin. When making the basin, make it 40 cm high. A width of 90 cm is sufficient. After that, neem cake and bone powder should be taken in equal quantity and added to the basin. For this, just take one ton of neem cake and bone powder. Apart from this, it is good to add trichoderma which is a fine fertilizer to get more yield and increase immunity.


After adding this mixture, spread it on the beds, water it and keep it for a few days and start cultivation. A sprinkler system is best for greenhouse cultivation. In this, the use of water is enough. And don't forget to prepare the best hybrid seeds for cultivation. When using fertilizers, be careful to use good quality fertilizers that are soluble in water.


High yielding varieties in greenhouse cultivation


Double yield can be made by using green house method than soil cultivation. But just follow the right precautions. Cultivation of varieties like salad cucumber, tomato, capsicum by greenhouse method will give good yield.


  • Tomato

It is best to plant good quality hybrid seeds. Harvesting is best done during summer. Up to 10 tons can be cultivated in a season in three months.


  • Capsicum

Like tomatoes, up to 10 tons are available in a three-month growing season. But the market should know the farming method. Capsicum is not as much in demand in the market as other varieties. It is better to cultivate according to market demand.


  • Salad cucumber

Salad cucumber is a perennial yielding variety. Up to 10 tons can be cultivated in three months. Can be cultivated up to four times in a year.


  • Ladies Finger (Okra )

Hybrid seeds give better yield in Ladies Finger cultivation. One and a half feet between the steps and two and a half feet between the rows can be cultivated and yielded


  • Beans

It is a high yielding variety utilizing four growing seasons in a year. All crops can be grown in greenhouses. But when choosing crops to grow, choose self-pollinating crops and varieties. Leafy greens also grow well in these as they do not require pollination. Greenhouse method is also good for flower crops. If self-pollination does not occur, artificial pollination can be done.



Can Greenhouse Agriculture Make a Profit


Greenhouse is the new face of innovative agriculture. Greenhouse method has become a symbol of new generation agriculture. As the acceptance of green house agriculture is increasing in Kerala, the state government has brought many schemes to promote this agriculture. Banks and other financial institutions form special assistance schemes for conservation agriculture including this crop.


Several budgets have already been earmarked for green house agriculture through the various budgets brought by the state government. This has also increased the popularity of greenhouse farming.


Green house farming gives us the freedom to grow as we like regardless of the variations in rainfall, soil and climate. This method of providing all the artificial conditions required by the plants is better than doubling the yield.


The greenhouse is the new face of modern agriculture. The greenhouse method has become the motto of the new generation of agriculture. Today, many people are achieving hundreds of thousands of crops using plastic tents that are prepared with precise control of heat, humidity and fertilizer. Greenhouse farming produces ten times more yield than conventional farming. Greenhouse farming also has minor drawbacks. The most important of these are hybrid varieties of cucumber, tomato, chili etc. which are generally said to be the best yielding varieties. It is also said that when cultivated well on a commercial basis, there is often no market for them.


But if the market is found and cultivated as a variety, green house cultivation is one thing that reaps good benefits. Apart from this, it is possible to succeed in greenhouse farming only if there is science and care. A single plant disease often spreads widely and results in complete destruction. No one should forget this basic point.