Organic Ampalaya in the Backyard

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ORGANIC AMPALAYA IN THE BACKYARD

by : Felix B. Daray, (published in the Agriculture Magazine, Sept. 2010)

LIKE MANY PEOPLE , my favorite pastime is gardening. It is my relief from stress and source of joy, especially when it’s harvest time.

These days, I am growing organic ampalaya in my backyard. I enjoy sharing my harvest with my friends and neighbors. Likewise, I like to impart my little knowledge on it.
I suggest to those who plan to grow ampalaya in the backyard to plant it in an area that is exposed to sunlight. They should also plant the crop near a compost pit. Eight months after the biodegradable waste decomposed, sow two seeds near the pit.

As soon as the vines start growing and crawling up on the trellis, water the plant with rice wash or fish wash or meat wash .It would be best for the plants as they are very rich in nutrients and minerals.
To prevent infestation, bag the fruits with cellophane or old newsprints as soon as the flowers fall down. Doing so would hinder sucking insects and fruit flies to lay eggs on the young fruits.

I also inspect my ampalaya plants every morning to see if there are tiny holes or scratches on the leaves. These are indications that the plants are infested by pin worms or cutworms, which I remove manually .I also suggest that biodegradable waste be burned under the trellis in the early morning or late afternoon as the smoke will drive insects away.
In fact, I grow the native variety as it is resistant to pest. It is shorter to other cultivars but it has thicker pulp.

I start to harvest after 45 days. And for about 90 days, I pick one to two fruits every other day. Like most households, my family often cooks pinakbet or ampalaya con egg. And we don’t mind its bitter taste as we know it’s because ampalaya contains momordicin, a compound found to be effective in treating diabetes.

GRAFTING BOUGAINVILLEA

Written by Felix Daray, published in Agriculture Magazine, July 2010 issue

Bougainvillea is a beautiful flowering plant that is easy to grow. But it could be more beautiful when grafted, which means it will be more marketable , too.

One plant grower who sell grafted bougainvillea is Reynaldo Balansag. of Cabligan, Matanao, Davao del Sur. He got this idea in 2008 when he accompanied his friend to as well-known flower garden in Davao City. It was there Rey first saw beautiful, multicolored grafted bougainvillea plants.

He was so attracted to bougainvillea plants that he became curious on how to grow these. So even though with his little knowledge on grafting he learned from high school and from his friend who worked in the flower garden, he tried to do it in his flower garden in Cabligan.

What Rey does is that he buys big potted bougainvillea plants and uses these as rootstocks. When he first tried it, he used rootstocks measuring 2 cm to 5 cm in diameter. “The biggest rootstock I grafted is 10 cm in diameter. And I couldn’t believe I did it, said Rey.

For Each rootstock, he inserts three scions of different colors. The plants will bloom after six months.

“Bougainvillea will thrive is almost any soil as long as it is well drained and fertile. At least five hours of exposure to full sunlight is the minimal sunlight requirement for full bloom. Less than that, the plants may not bloom well, but have satisfactory vegetative growth.” says Rey.

“Do not apply fertilizer to dry soil. Use complete fertilizer and apply it every two weeks.” To lessen production cost, use organic fertilizers with humus soil. Moreover, since this flowering plant is not susceptible to fungus, furthers Rey, then there’s no need for insecticide.

Reys sells these at P600 to P800 each depending on the color and the size of the rootstock. The most attractive species, he said, is the variegated bougainvillea from China. Its leaves have three colors: gray pink and light green.

Rey also propagates and sells other ornamental plants, but it’s the grafted bougainvillea that amazes him the most. This is because “from ordinary flowering pots, bougainvillea when grafted turns into an exotic plant.

By Felix B. Daray

Growing Pechay in Pots

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Growing Pechay in Pots
by: Felix Daray, published in Agriculture Magazine,July 2009


Gardening has always been a favorite pastime of many people including me. That’s simply because it’s a relief from stress and brings joy, especially when it’s harvest time.

I am growing pechay organically in my backyard. I have 15 pots planted to pechay, and I enjoy sharing my harvest with my friends and neighbors. Likewise, I want to share my little knowledge on backyard gardening for the benefit of those who are interested in it, too.

I suggest to those who are planning to establish a garden to select an area that is exposed to sunlight and is near the kitchen. With the garden being one stone’s throw away from the kitchen, it would be convenient to water the crops with rice wash or with fish or meat wash, which are all good for the plants as these contain nutrients and minerals. Preventing infestation would be easy, too, as it would be easy to see
from the kitchen window the condition of the crops.

I also suggest that they construct a stand to elevate the pots to maximize use of space. Fill the pots with humus soil or compost. Plant one seed in small pots and two in bigger pots through direct seeding. When the pechay begins to sprout, start to water the same with either rice wash or fish- wash or meat wash.

As for pest management, I inspect my pechay plants every morning to see if there are tiny holes or scratches on the leaves. These are indications that the plants are infested with small pin worms or cutworms. I remove these greenish black worms using a stick and puller.

I start to harvest after 30 days. I do not uproot pechay plants until these start flowering. Pechay grow up to four months. Replace the soil in the pots with new garden soil and replant again.

By Felix B. Daray

Popularity: 18%
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The Booming Mango Industry of San Roque, Digos City

by Felix Daray, published in Agriculture Magazine,Manila Bulletin, March 2009

San Roque is a remote barangay in Digos City. Corn was the staple, food in this town in the 1940s, and then in 1970, some farmers started to plant sugarcane as their main crop. But since the price of sugar fluctuated, they shifted to mango production, which has been booming up to now due to the high demand of both export and local markets.

About 75 percent of the mangoes produced in Digos City came from San Roque, hence it is dubbed as the “mango country of Digos City.” More and more farmers are venturing in mango growing because they earn twice of their income from sugarcane. I am one of them. Like my neighbors, I planted my 2-hectare lot to grafted “Mango Cebu”, a sweet and juicy variety.

But the first farmer in San Roque who has succeeded in mango production is Arnold Nebria. He started as a tenant, and with his net profit, he bought agricultural lands and planted these to mangoes. Today, he grosses an average of P1 million every harvest. Another successful farmer is Victoriano Ramos. In September 2008, this 70-year-old farmer and councilman of San Roque has earned almost a million pesos from mangoes.

That’s how profitable mango growing could be. Yet, a capital of P80,000 is needed to start a 1-hectare mango farm, and the harvest, of course, depends on how well the production has gone through.

Regarding production, it is ideal to spray for flowering when the leaves of the latest buds matured. The buds usually mature after nine months. Spraying can be done earlier if the chemicals used are for hastening the maturity of the leaves. Insecticides and fungicides are sprayed at the same time since most of these are compatible with the fertilizer.

To control sucking insects, wrap the fruits with newspapers at 65-70 days. The fruits are ready for harvest after 105-110 days from the first day of spraying for flowering.

Based on my sampling, a 10-year-old mango tree will bear an average of 500 kilos of fruits. So in 1 ha with an average of 70 trees, 35,000 kilos of mangoes could be harvested. If a kilo sells at P20, a gross income of P700,000 could be earned from 1 ha in one harvest or P1.4 million in a year.

The fruits also undergo quality control. The biggest fruits without spots and rusts are mark as, first class and are exported to Hong Kong and China. Second class fruits or those which are of medium size are shipped to Manila, while the third class are sold in the local market.

The biggest problem in mango production, however, is successive and excessive rain during pollination stage. Pollen grains are washed out and thus, few fruits are developed. At this point, the price of mango drops to as low as P10 if there is no export. Farmers can only break even if the price is at least P15 per kilo, but that, of course, still depends on the supply and demand.

On the other hand, this shouldn’t discourage farmers from venturing in mango production. Remember, says Benito Ayop, another successful mango producer in San Roque, “Farming is like gambling. Although you spend and work hard, sometimes you win or lose. Don’t stop and think positive that you will recover next harvest.”

Popularity: 5%
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Pointers on Applying Fruit Inducer to Mango Trees

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Written by Felix Daray, Agriculture Magazine,Manila Bulletin, July 2009

Pointers on Applying Flower Inducer to Mango Trees

Simultaneous fruiting is possible nowadays with flower inducer. By spraying it to mango trees, not just more, but bigger fruits are produced.

Potassium nitrate is the generic name of chemical flower inducer in mango, and the chemical symbol for this compound is or KNO;. It contains 13% nitrogen and 46% potash, hence it is also called 13-0-46. KNO supplies the potassium requirement of the tree and in the process, induces flowering.

Another flower inducer used, nowadays is calcium nitrate (CaN). It contains 45% calcium and 15% nitrogen. It is affordable, yet the effect is just the same.

Here are some pointers on applying flower inducer to mango trees.

1. Flowering and fruiting vary, depending on the variety.
2. Chemical flower inducers should not be used under the following circumstances:

• when the tree is 10 years old or below
• when the leaves and buds are young
• when the tree is weak and sickly
• during rainy days

3. High dosage of flower inducer should be applied when the tree is healthy and starting to mature, the leaves and buds are maturing, and the weather is cloudy.
4. Use low dosage of flower inducer (1% – 2% of KNO;) when the tree is already mature, healthy, and has dormant buds; the leaves and buds are mature; and the weather is sunny.
5. Induce flowering once a year. However, if it did not flush during the fruiting time, spray again after harvest, but do not expect full bloom.
6. Spraying should be done when the tree and leaves are dry, and with no expected rain within the next six hours.
7. Use Apsa-80 as sticker.
8. Using the same formulation, spray again after two days to hasten the emergence of flowers.
9. From flowering to harvest, it takes 7 to 8 months to rejuvenate and accumulate nutrients for the next fruiting season.
10. Trees that have yielded in the previous season but have not flushed can be induced, but do not expect a full bloom.

In spraying potassium nitrate, prepare a 1% – 3% solution, depending on the condition of the tree. Or, mix 4 kilos per 200 liters of water. Spray it onto the leaves and branches, totally wetting but not dripping. Spray early in the morning (from sunrise to 9:00 a.m.) or late in the afternoon (from 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.) to prevent leaf burning due to sunlight. In applying CaN, one one hand, mix 5 kilos to 200 liters of water.

After 12 days, when the flowers start to emerge, spray pesticide and fungicide. The flowers would be fully opened after 20 days. At this time, the flowers are susceptible to pest, so inspect the plants every day to see if there are damages caused by insects, and spray appropriate pesticide.

Applying flower inducer at the right time and amount indeed results in significant increase in production. One mango farmer in San Roque, Digos City, Davao del Sur who uses inducer is Arnold Nebria. In fact he is the first one in San Roque who has succeeded in mango farming. At present, he grosses an average of PI million every harvest. Also applying inducer is Victorino Ramos, and in September 2008 this 70-year-old farmer and councilman of San Roque has earned almost P1 million.

In the same year, I grossed P960,000 from my 2-hectare lot planted to grafted Cebu Mango; and it was the biggest income that I ever earned in my entire life! So consider the said tips on using flower inducer, and you, too, would have a hefty profit.



The Booming Mango Industry of San Roque, Digos City
by Felix Daray, published, Agriculture Magazine, March 2009

San Roque is a remote barangay in Digos City. Corn was the staple, food in this town in the 1940s, and then in 1970, some farmers started to plant sugarcane as their main crop. But since the price of sugar fluctuated, they shifted to mango production, which has been booming up to now due to the high demand of both export and local markets.

About 75 percent of the mangoes produced in Digos City came from San Roque, hence it is dubbed as the “mango country of Digos City.” More and more farmers are venturing in mango growing because they earn twice of their income from sugarcane. I am one of them. Like my neighbors, I planted my 2-hectare lot to grafted “Mango Cebu”, a sweet and juicy variety.

But the first farmer in San Roque who has succeeded in mango production is Arnold Nebria. He started as a tenant, and with his net profit, he bought agricultural lands and planted these to mangoes. Today, he grosses an average of P1 million every harvest. Another successful farmer is Victoriano Ramos. In September 2008, this 70-year-old farmer and councilman of San Roque has earned almost a million pesos from mangoes.

That’s how profitable mango growing could be. Yet, a capital of P80,000 is needed to start a 1-hectare mango farm, and the harvest, of course, depends on how well the production has gone through.

Regarding production, it is ideal to spray for flowering when the leaves of the latest buds matured. The buds usually mature after nine months. Spraying can be done earlier if the chemicals used are for hastening the maturity of the leaves. Insecticides and fungicides are sprayed at the same time since most of these are compatible with the fertilizer.

To control sucking insects, wrap the fruits with newspapers at 65-70 days. The fruits are ready for harvest after 105-110 days from the first day of spraying for flowering.

Based on my sampling, a 10-year-old mango tree will bear an average of 500 kilos of fruits. So in 1 ha with an average of 70 trees, 35,000 kilos of mangoes could be harvested. If a kilo sells at P20, a gross income of P700,000 could be earned from 1 ha in one harvest or P1.4 million in a year.

The fruits also undergo quality control. The biggest fruits without spots and rusts are mark as, first class and are exported to Hong Kong and China. Second class fruits or those which are of medium size are shipped to Manila, while the third class are sold in the local market.

The biggest problem in mango production, however, is successive and excessive rain during pollination stage. Pollen grains are washed out and thus, few fruits are developed. At this point, the price of mango drops to as low as P10 if there is no export. Farmers can only break even if the price is at least P15 per kilo, but that, of course, still depends on the supply and demand.

On the other hand, this shouldn’t discourage farmers from venturing in mango production. Remember, says Benito Ayop, another successful mango producer in San Roque, “Farming is like gambling. Although you spend and work hard, sometimes you win or lose. Don’t stop and think positive that you will recover next harvest.”

Popularity: 5%



How to Ripen Mangoes With Calburo
Published, Agriculture Magazine, July 2009


It is a known fact that mango tastes sweet if it is allowed to ripen on the tree. But for commercial purposes, mangoes are induced for simultaneous ripening.

Mango vendors and traders in Davao Region use calcium carbide, which is known as calburo, to ripen mangoes. It is also used with banana, papaya, and other tropical fruits. Due to the moisture content of the fruit, chemical reaction happens, producing moderate heat and acetylene gas inside the fruit, which hasten the ripening process.

Calburo costs P35 per kilo, and a kilo can ripen 120 kilos of mangoes. It is easy to use. The materials needed are big rattan basket or a thick box, newspapers, and plastic straw. Here’s the procedure.
1. Set the newspapers in portrait position at the base and at the side of the basket.
2. Wrap the calburo with newspaper and place it at the base of the basket. The ratio of calburo to mangoes is 250 grams for every 30 kilos of fruits.
3. Place the fruits in the basket; arrange them in layers then cover the top.
4. Seal the top of the basket by tying with plastic straw. It must be sealed well to trap the air inside to ensure good ripening effect.
5. Put the basket at normal room temperature.
6. Remove the mangoes after four days then set aside for storage

By Felix B. Daray