Nature Demonstrations – 2

Cucumber cultivated with green manure (Phaseolus vulgaris)

This demonstration was initiated on 3rd June, 2009, by planting the green manure in between the plots prepared for cultivating cucumber. The plots for cucumber had dimensions of 15 m x 1.2 m. These were managed as per techniques of Nature Farming promoted by APNAN.

The cucumber seeds was planted on 10th June, in the prepared beds and was covered with a mulch of rice bran (1 Kg per sq meter) and EMAS (dilution 1:10; 500 ml per sq meter) was applied. Three seeds were planted at one point and later thinned to one plant per point. The spacing adopted was 50 cm between plants. Rice straw was applied as a secondary mulch two weeks later to a thickness of 3 cm to cover the soil.

June 3rd

Planting the bean seeds in the rows between beds prepared for cucumber.

　　

Weed control before planting beans

The beans growing in between the beds

June 10th

Beds prepared, cucumber planted and rice bran applied as a mulch. EMAS was sprayed thereafter.

Planting cucumber seeds


Applying rice bran mulch to prevent weeds 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
and conserve moisture, spraying EMAS


June　19th



The Luscious growth of the beans and
cucumber seedlings




A　Cucumber seedling growing through the
straw mulch



July　２nd


　
The beans were cut at the flowering stage　　　　
and applied to the beds uniformly as a mulch.　　



Weeding the plots.　



The weeds were also cut and applied to
the same bed as a mulch.

　

There were some inspect problems
but it did not cause a major damage　
to the cucumber.


July　１４ｔｈ


　

A bountiful harvest of cucumber grown　　　　　　

through Nature Farming methods　



Contented staff harvest the cucumber
he says.. See its very good fruits.