WEEK III
May 26
The Orchard
In order to conduct an observational study on how two different varieties of crop will grow under different environmental conditions, monocrop vs. intercrop, a set of five experimental plots were laid down in the orchard’s Zone B: one plot of corn, one plot of squash, and one plot of squash and corn intercropped (Fig 1)
The initial plan was to have 5 rows of squash in 30 inch spacing on the southern plot, only four beds in the northern plot, and 16 inches spacing for the squash at the center where it would be interplanted with rows of corn (Fig. 1).
Once we went in with the rotary plow, this initial spacing was hard to achieve, so we ended up with 3.5 to 4 feet spacing between each row. As a result we only did squash in the southern plot and corn in the northern plot, with a mix of both crops at the centre. The centre rows were laid down by extending row#1 from the squash plot, all the way to the end of the center plot, skipping row#2, extending row#3, etc.
We were able to plant some squash from West Coast Seed, Small Sugar Variety. These small pumpkins will mature in 110 days.
We also prepared the beds for planting nine rows of potatoes that were donated by West Coast Seeds. Although the timing for planting potatoes was considered to be over, we thought we give it a try, since warm weather has been lasting well into the end of September over the last few years.
An interesting trick for making sure the beds had a rectangular shape was used by first marking the corners with flags, then connecting them with a string that would make a rectangular shape around the perimeter, and then measuring a triangle in one of the corners of the plot, where the base was 3 feet, the height 4 feet and the hypotenuse 5 feet. This is called the 3-4-5 technique.
In order to conduct an observational study on how two different varieties of crop will grow under different environmental conditions, monocrop vs. intercrop, a set of five experimental plots were laid down in the orchard’s Zone B: one plot of corn, one plot of squash, and one plot of squash and corn intercropped (Fig 1)
Fig. 1. Layout of Experimental Plots in The Orchard, Zone B
The initial plan was to have 5 rows of squash in 30 inch spacing on the southern plot, only four beds in the northern plot, and 16 inches spacing for the squash at the center where it would be interplanted with rows of corn (Fig. 1).
Once we went in with the rotary plow, this initial spacing was hard to achieve, so we ended up with 3.5 to 4 feet spacing between each row. As a result we only did squash in the southern plot and corn in the northern plot, with a mix of both crops at the centre. The centre rows were laid down by extending row#1 from the squash plot, all the way to the end of the center plot, skipping row#2, extending row#3, etc.
We were able to plant some squash from West Coast Seed, Small Sugar Variety. These small pumpkins will mature in 110 days.
We also prepared the beds for planting nine rows of potatoes that were donated by West Coast Seeds. Although the timing for planting potatoes was considered to be over, we thought we give it a try, since warm weather has been lasting well into the end of September over the last few years.
An interesting trick for making sure the beds had a rectangular shape was used by first marking the corners with flags, then connecting them with a string that would make a rectangular shape around the perimeter, and then measuring a triangle in one of the corners of the plot, where the base was 3 feet, the height 4 feet and the hypotenuse 5 feet. This is called the 3-4-5 technique.
May 28
Farmwest.com
The Farmwest website is a non-profit venture developed by the Pacific Field Corn Association, a non-profit society. Informaton in the web becomes a useful tool for farmers.
Farmers look at things such as Evapotranspiration and Effective Precipitation. The difference between these two gives the Moisture Deficit Index to plan for their irrigation schedules. For example, in May the total evapotarnspiration rate was 88mm, while effective precipitation was 0mm, a record low in the Lower Mainland, this means that farmers will require to provide 88mm of water via their irrigation systems.
Effective Precipitation (EP) is the amount of precipitation that is actually added and stored in the soil. During extended warm dry periods rainfall less than 5 mm may not add any moisture to the soil reservoir as most of it is evaporated before entering the soil. If rainfall is less than 5mm no effective precipitation. Only 75% of the rainfall over 5mm is considered to be effective precipitation.
Evapotranspiration – The sum of evaporation and plant transpiration from the Earth's land and ocean surface to the atmosphere.
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