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| Vengai Defu |
By
Vengai Defu
The 2020 -201 season
has seen the country receiving more rainfall which is normal to above normal in
many areas and this has seen some places
being affected by flooding.
In low lying areas,
famers were affected by too much rainfall and are likely not going to harvest
enough even to eat with their families.
However, there is still
time for farmers to act and make sure that plants being affected by the rains
survive the worst of the problems.
When there is excessive
rainfall, the soil becomes over-saturated and this results in roots of plants
rotting away.
Fertilisers
to use
Maize plants turn yellow
and top dressing fertilizers like Ammonium Nitrate (AN) and Urea are recommended
in such a situation.
Crops like beans do not
like too much rainfall and farmers are urged to start preparing to plant beans
as there is a possibility that the rains will start decreasing.
Farmers are urged to
use herbicides to control weeds as it is difficult for to weed using hoes in
most areas because of too much rainfall.
Farmers can use
herbicides like Glyphosate, Atrazine, Ascort 40, and Stella star.
Common
pests
A number of pests are
attacking the little that most famers have and pesticides like Ambligo, Lambda,
Ecoterex, Carbaryl 85, Amamectin-benzoate among others.
Since the soils are
saturated due to excessive rains, these chemicals need to be mixed with stickers like Agriwett so that they will not be washed away
when it’s raining.
Again it is this is the
right time to start preparing and plant onions because the rainy season is
going to an end and excessive rains will decline
Cattle farmers are
urged to make sure that cattle are dipped more often during these rainy days
because of tick and other parasites thrive in the long grasses that are
associated with plentiful rains.
Cattle are dying in
most parts of the country with diseases like January disease, lumpy skin among
others. If they are affected by any of the diseases, farmers are urged to consult
the vet and use anti-biotics.
For
more information on farming contact Mr Vengai Defu on 039-226424 0r 0772137202
or visit him at Masvingo Farm and City Centre.
