It is the desire of every farmer to produce and to maintain high crop yields all the time. However to achieve this goal requires paying constant attention to the soil and meeting the nutritional needs of the crop plants growing on the farm. Certainly there are other factors responsible for soil fertility and productivity apart from regular application of fertilizers. They include sufficient rainfall, high water holding capacity, absence of pests and diseases among others. Peter Bamwesigye, Principal Agriculture Officer, Lwengo District, says it is good for the farmer to incorporate green plant material into the soil.
‘During cultivation the weeds should be buried into the soil, and not left on the surface to dry and be burnt,’ he says. ‘Upon rotting green weeds enrich the soil with organic matter, which is good for the soil.’ Bamwesigye also suggests the use of mulches to preserve soil fertility. He says the mulching material should be vegetable or organic like maize stalks, bean husks, dry grass, banana leaves, Napier grass, tree leaves, and a few other such materials. Mulching mitigates soil erosion by wind and water. It conserves soil moisture and facilitates rain infiltration.
The direct beating of rain drops on the soil is prevented which prevents the formation of deep gouges in the garden. Mulching is another way of fighting weed growth. Weed seeds don’t easily germinate under mulches and the crops grow well without competing with weeds for both light and soil nutrients. Upon decay organic mulches turn into manure which enriches the soil with plant nutrients and organic matter. Soil scientists recommend that the soil should be replenished regularly since with every harvest soil nutrients are taken from the farm with the harvested crops.
To grow the crops consume soil nutrients which become part of them and when they are harvested the nutrients are lost to the farm. They must be replaced for the farm to remain fertile and productive. It is also good to apply other organic manure such as livestock droppings, farmyard beddings, and urine. Not all farmers can get sufficient organic manure all the time. With the guidance of the area Agricultural Extension Officers farmers can resort to purchasing artificial or inorganic fertilizers from farmers’ shops.