AFTERCARE OPERATIONS


 * There are many things to do. They are called aftercare practices
 * 4. What are they?

Soil cover

Adequate water

Fertilization

Bush Mnagenent

Bunch covering

Bract removing

Intercropping

SOIL COVER

 * In the dry zone soil is frequently dried up.
 * Therefore you have to save water in the land by covering the land You can use paddy straw.
 * Lay paddy straw 6'' away from the plant as a circle
 * If you can lay paddy straw in whole cultivation field, that can be better.
 * This will reduce the weed growth and add organic matter to the soil.
 * It will alos ensure proper drainage.

WATERING

 * Water is frequently use by the plant for their growth and production of foods.
 * Therefore we have to supply water to fill their needs
 * Avoid supplying excess water as well as avoid no water supply. That is we called adequate water


 * Irrigation through drains




 * If you have a cannel near the field you can practice cannel irrigation through pumps or without pumps.
 * You can pump water and allow to flow over the field.




 * If you have drains in the field you can fill water in to the drains. Then plants get water from it.


 * In the first month you should supply water once a day in afternoon.
 * After 1 month to 3 months use two days interval.
 * 3 months to 6 months 3-4 days interval.
 * 6 months to 12 months 5 days interval.

FERTILIZATION

 * You can use chemical fertilizers or organic fertilizers

Chemical fertilizers


 * Chemical fertilizers contain chemicals, Urea, Triple super phosphate(TSP), Murate of Potash (MOP) are the 3 components
 * Fertilizer mixtures vary according to the climatic zone.


 * After first month of cultivating, add the mixture

1/ away from the plant as a circle.
 * After first month of cultivating, add the mixture

1/ away from the plant as a circle.
 * After 3 months of cultivating, add the mixture

2/ away from the plant as a circle.
 * After 3 months to 12 months, add the mixture

2/ away from the plant as a circle within two months interval.

Organic fertilizers
 * Organic fertilizers are prepared by natural components.
 * They are compost, cow dung, poultry manure or goat manure.
 * You can prepare compost by your self as mentioned earlier.
 * You should apply 5Kg for one bush in 3 months intervals




 * Yes, there are so many
 * It is a low cost method. You can supply those by natural components
 * No harm to the environment
 * You can protect the water content in your soil
 * Activity of soil organism is increased. Then your soil become more fertile
 * The roots of the plant distribute easily
 * There are high demand for products getting by organic farming
 * Organic farming means growing of plants using organic fertilizers
 * No harm to the people


 * To ensure proper growth and getting high yield.


 * Before fertilizing you should practice weeding and wet the soil.

BUSH MANAGEMENT



 * If there are large numbers of plants around the mother plant you can’t get high yield, due to lack of nutrients.
 * You should destroy all suckers emerge until 4 months.
 * After 4 months, you can maintain one sward sucker in the direction of sunlight.
 * When fruiting, you can maintain another healthy sward sucker in the direction of sunlight.
 * After 7-8 months from cultivating you can see fruiting of plants.


 * If there are large numbers of plants around the mother plant you can’t get high yield, due to lack of nutrients.
 * You should destroy all suckers emerge until 4 months.
 * After 4 months, you can maintain one sward sucker in the direction of sunlight.
 * When fruiting, you can maintain another healthy sward sucker in the direction of sunlight.
 * After 7-8 months from cultivating you can see fruiting of plants.

BRACT REMOVING

 * Banana flower is an inflorescence.That means a bunch of flower. There are rows of flower and they are covered with bract.
 * In certain time bract is not opened for fertile
 * Then you have to remove the bract after opening the bunch completely.
 * The bract should be removed 15 cm below from the last hand.
 * You also have to remove 1st hand of the bunch.
 * Then you can ensure proper growth of other hands.



BUNCH COVERING

 * When 1st hand appears you have to cover the bunch using 2/ wide blue color polythene bags with holes.




 * You can increase bunch weight from 18%-23% by covering.
 * Avoid thrips damage. Then there are not patches on the fruits.
 * Tied the bag 6// above from the 1st bunch.

INTERCROPPING


Actually yes, it is called as intercropping

INTERCROPPING