Chapter 8 Maintenance of The Orchard

Maintenance should begin as soon as transplanting completed.Of course should have established cash crop there after weeding should begin immediately .Thus keeping all planted areas free of weeds.Under the rainy condition season  noxious weeds regenerate at a fantastically fast space.

That was why I advocated immediate planting just anything even vegetables as soon as after burning or clearing,especially in spots where burning done..It is best to plant up these areas as soon as possible.That was to utilize the fertile burnt soil as soon as possible..Before long or before you even know it you be harvesting vegetables Should have planted seeds of bayam or other greens..

Pumpkins would be one of the easiest .Just simply spread its seeds ion simple planting holes.They would germinate almost immediately.Their  growth would grow very fast , spreading all over the vacant spots preventing other weeds to germinate.When that happened there be lesser growths of weeds.If there are could be esialy cleared.

It is the same if you choose water melons,but planting water melons attracts many insects to  devour its leaves.That why when planting them it should be treated with Furadan 3 G,maybe this was banned if so look for another substitute.There should be no lacking in cheacking those insect attacks.

Woody regeneration ought to be uprooted by either pulling them up or dug out whole plant.It should be easy to eradicate them at its infant stage.Noxious weeds such as lallang should also be weed likewise.Allow them to grow and within a short time you have to weed them out by spraying weedicides which could be disastrous to the fruiting durians.

That was so because certain weedicides do not decomposed duly away in the soil but kept on accumulating within it.Thus retaining its toxicity.Many of these had been banned by the government but unfortunately many still obtainable under the counter.Such weedicides as glyphosphate is definitely one of them.Used it and be prepare to face the consequences.

Fertilizers usages should adhere closely to recommendation.Fertilizers Companies normally supply all necessary information  on their products.Of course all companies would claimed their were always the best.I was lucky for when I first planted durians we had plenty of organic fertilizers from the Mill's effluent ponds.


Should your planting of durian be without shade,do mulching on all the planting points.Mulching can be of grasses or empty bunches from the oil Mill,only thing do not lay them too close to the young buddings.That should keep the soil around the young  budding moist most of time until your next watering.That should more reliable then depending on you worker on watering those plants in your absence. 

Erecting a fence around an orchard were never a necessity .However that would depend on what sort of neighborhood you have.If it were like my friend's property which was with a nice kampong area with an immediate villager with their rubber holding on that area Directly opposite his house he faced another farm land which had been caltivated with some orchards without any one staying there.

Next to that was Felcra.with their staffs quarters on a small hill.At the the end a small secondary jungle whose owners were all living in Kuala Lumpur.This secondary forest provided a santuary for some wild animals.From foot prints left behind in the newly cleared land I can visualized the type of animals around.

There was a wild boar roaming freely,digging and eating around.The boar's print was followed by a single foot print of that of possibly a huge cat,possibly a panther ,not a big definitely but a young one prowling around..Wild fowls also made their presence felt. I did not see any monkeys around but judging from the surroundings of oli palms I think those pests were lesser than expected 

When fruits mature pilfering from neighbors were I think were none if not negligible with such wonderful neighbors.There goes the relationship with them.Always maintained a close rapport with all of them.It pays when you be courtesy with them.Share  a few fruits with them and they be your unpaid guards all the time.

Should you require any workers to do weeding always give them the first preference.Do not get someone from outside that kampong.Of course it be best should you make full used of your immediate neighbor.Maybe he coud lazy but it pays to make him work for you even he or she were as such.Even he sleeps around your farm when he ought to working.Never mind he very presence would deter thieves from stealing your fruits..