Republic Of the Philippines

Laguna State Polytechnic University

Province of Laguna
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

Ericka Ponteres
BTLEd-IA-2B

5 Steps in Land Preparation

Choosing The Farming Location
The location of your farming is important. It’s best to choose the right one for your ideal growth of crops.
Avoid choosing a random location without knowing the considerations you must look for in selecting an
appropriate place for planting.

Loosening The Soil

After finding the right farming location, it’s time to loosen its soil by digging it. You can loosen the soil
and transfer the soil’s nutrients to the top by using a plow. Loosening the soil improves air circulation and
allows plant roots to dig deeper into the soil by increasing soil air — making the plant grow better and
stronger, and breathe freely.
Not only loose soil offers improved root ventilation but it also helps the growth of microorganisms that
aid digestion while also increasing the humus and nutrients in the soil.

Reducing The Clod Size

Reducing the clod size of your land helps to set up a granular soil structure in the final seedbed. Once
your land is clear and free from plant leftovers from previous crops, then you can implement
direct harrowing or cultivator operations. Thus, other power-driven farming equipment such
as rotavators helps to dissolve clods throughout a wide range of soil moisture for a uniformed and fine-
sized clod in the seedbed.

Leveling Of Soil
Once the field has been shaken, the topsoil is then extremely loose. Therefore, there’s a chance that your
soil will be washed away once high winds or rain occurs. That’s why you have to level the soil by using
a leveler. This farming equipment also helps to aid water distribution by preventing logging during
irrigation.

Fertilizing The Soil

Fertilizing your soil helps to reimpose the soil nutrients to allow the crops to grow stronger and more
properly. Soils need essential nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium to enhance the land.
In addition, it offers a variety of organic benefits for the soil such as improved soil structure, retention of
soil moisture, and water penetration.

Direct Seeding
'Direct seeding' means applying seed directly to the site where plants are wanted.
Direct seeding has several advantages:
 Areas can be revegetated quickly and cheaply
 Seeds cost less than seedlings
 Seed is easier and cheaper to transport and store than seedlings
 Seeding requires less time and labour than seedlings
 A mixture of trees, shrubs and groundcovers can be sown at the same time. The different rates of
germination mimics natural regeneration
 The mixture of tall, medium and small species can make a more effective windbreak
 Direct seeded plants tend to have better root growth and are therefore more prepared for climatic
extremes
 More plants may germinate in the years following sowing
  On farm machinery can be used to prepare seed beds. This removes the need to use specialised
seeders.

Dry land direct seeding techniques

1. Broadcasting
You can broadcast 80 to 100 kilograms of seeds per hectare evenly on the field or in furrows in a 1
hectare field. Make shallow furrows by passing a furrower along the prepared field. After broadcasting,
cover the seeds using a spike-tooth harrow.
2. Drilling
Another technique is drilling 80 to 100 kilograms of seed per hectare by hand on prepared furrows, or by
mechanical seed drillers. A benefit of drill seeding is that fertilizer can be applied at the same time as the
seed. Also manual weeding is easier in machine-drilled crops than in broadcast crops.
3. Dibbling (hill planting)
The third technique is dibbling, or hill planting. This is usually practiced along mountain slopes or where
plowing and harrowing are difficult. Use a long wood or bamboo pole with a metal scoop attached at the
end for digging holes. Then drop the seeds into the holes and cover them with soil.

Transplanting
Transplanting is the process of relocating a plant, either from one spot in your garden to another or from
a pot to pot. Nursery pots are designed to be a temporary home for seedlings, and all plants should be
transplanted or potted up into a more permanent pot. But, transplanting can be a stressful experience
for plants.