Why garden Sanitation is Important to Farmers
Mary Nakirya
Garden sanitation is garden hygiene. It involves removal and destruction of sources of diseases, pest infested crops and weeds from the field.
It is important in all field activities especially because un clean fields lead to multiplication od pests and re infection of diseases. One of the biggest problems of farmers in most developing countries is that of pests and disease. It should how ever be noted that these can be minimized if maximum hygiene is kept in the garden.
While carrying out garden sanitation, it is important that even support plants or items are removed before the next crop is planted. For example people who plant tomatoes continuously need to remove the support poles before the next season. When other tomatoes are planted,new poles should be used.
Good practices include:
Removal of all the crop residues after harvest. Barry these in the ground or even add these to your compost pile.
Remove all diseased crops carefully making sure that there is no close contact with health plants.
Pruning is important as weeding takes place to remove diseased and extra branches.
Clean all farm tools including hoes,panga,knives,gumboots and ploughs as these may be transmitters of diseases and pests.
In case of fruits, remove all those that are rotten or beginning to rot and bury them in the ground.
While weeding, ensure that all weeds are removed and buried in the ground. Also areas around the garden need to be weeded as these may act as habitats for pests.
The water channels in the plantations also need to be kept clean at all times.
Leave spaces where people pass so as they don’t pass every where in the garden.
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