Chapter 3 Land Preparation For Transplanting

Having clear the land,the next step should be to prepare the land for transplanting of fruits etc.The land now cleared still has many tree stumps lying around which ought be eradicated.

A backhoe can easily dig up all those rooting plus the stumps.Here getting a correct driver was utmost important lest you be cheated.Obtain one recommended by friends or failing which get one recommended by known kampong folks or its "ketua".

Those stumps on digging up should be allowed to dry properly before set on fire..Thereafter the land could be planted as it is but should want a better cleared land and have sufficient funds then have the land plowed up and cross plowed.If possible give another rond of harrowing.

 This should loosen up much of the top soil.Thus preventing a fast regeneration of weeds in that land,thus saving substantial amount of money on weeding.The planting points should also be lined.Should you be planting fruits the lining of 25' by 25' will be good enough.Thereafter the planting holes dug. 

The planting holes should be dug before planting.The size should wider than one a half feet and another foot or so deep  Bigger should your plants be bigger.I for one had planted durians with much bigger planting holes.

Of course my method many cannot follow or agree. For in my last planting of durians my planting holes were ten feet by ten square and two feet deep.Following the dug holes filled with top soils gathered from around that area 

My loose soil  areas were bigger, providing the plant more soft space to spread its roots around faster easily.Water retention in those planting holes were better with more water for the growing durians. That was why my plants grew faster and fruited after the third year of planting.....Adapt my method and you would never regret it that you did.


My friend erected a  wire netting fencing around his land at another cost of  $12,000/= for his two acres.Rather expensive I think.To me these were unnecessary.Because judging from its locality I think that area was safe.Those kampong folks around were a friendly  lot,not  much in fact no foreigners living nearby.

It should a peaceful place for a orchard or a farm. No pilfering can be expected from such peaceful environment.Should the immediate neighbors be around allow them to pick a fruit or two,so what?. No big deal ain't it so?. That was to promote good relationship.In fact as a courtesy if they do not request for them you should make the first call to give them some first fruits.

Erecting a wired netting fencing also prevents wild animals from going into your farm.That to me meant that you be losing another source of income. There are cash values in such wild animals like wild boars and wild chickens.I will discuss this in later chapter,please bear with me and my ideas..

To me a boundary drain will suffice.A small drain that is not necessary a wide one but a small one about one feet  in width and two feet deep were enough.That were sufficient to define your boundary.When draining make sure the earth were all laid back on your side.

If I were to do it I would establish a row or two of pineapple on the side where the earth were place.The rows of pineapples should serve as a sort of fencing. The thorny leaves can prevent people from crossing over besides its fruits can yield sme profits for the orchard. Pineapple seedlings can easily be obtained.There are few varieties around. 

Should  the area be water logging after rain the area should be drained. Care should be undertaken making your drains  lest those drains were excessive and the lad over drained. Some fruits required plenty of water while they are some which required lesser water.

My friend's land  has two low lying patches at the both ends of the land which  should he deepen to collect the excess water which could be used during dry season for the newly established fruit trees.The deepen land could be used to breed fishes but my friend thought otherwise.

He prefers to flatten his land further with any access earth filled up those two low lying areas.That was the dumbest ideas I ever heard.By so doing his land will one fine day be flooded and his established fruits trees especially durians will be destroyed.

I am not joking - that can happened.Whatever it were never disturbed the topography of the land without a valid reason.Established the land accordingly and your orchard or farm would be fine..