Before planting the farmer should take their soil to the lab for testing in order to know the soil acidity, the diseases in the soil, and the nutrition value of the soil. Soil testing allows the farmer to know the fertilizer to use, the soil disease to treat or the soil pests to be controlled.
The spacing between furrows should be between 80cm – 1m. The furrows are watered before planting so as to cool the soil and avoid burning the cabbage seedling. The cabbage seedlings should be planted 60 cm apart from each other. When planting, the farmer should not bury the seedling above the root level. The planting process is as easy as placing the seedling in the marked area and burying it up to the root level.
Soil testing
Before planting the farmer should take their soil to the lab for testing in order to know the soil acidity, the diseases in the soil, and the nutrition value of the soil. Soil testing allows the farmer to know the fertilizer to use, the soil disease to treat or the soil pests to be controlled. The next thing a farmer should know is the cabbage variety suitable for their area as different areas have different varieties. Farmers in lowland/medium arid areas should not plant varieties made for highland areas and vice versa.
Land preparation
Land preparation involves ploughing the whole land then making the furrows. The spacing between furrows should be between 80cm – 1m. Before planting, the furrows are watered so as to cool the soil and avoid burning the cabbage seedling. The farmer may choose to apply the fertilizer during planting, before planting, or plant directly without any application.
One of the reasons a farmer may choose to not apply fertilizer/manure is if the cabbage is working as a crop rotation and the soil analysis states that there is no need. The cabbage seedlings should be planted 60 cm apart from each other.
Watering
Before planting, the furrows are watered so as to cool the soil and avoid burning the cabbage seedling. Irrigating the furrows before planting drowns cutting insects such as crickets and kills them, preventing them from cutting the seedlings. After transplanting, the farmer should do the second round of watering commonly known as ‘flashing’.
This can be done two or three times a week depending on the water condition in the area. There is no specific amount of water to be used, the most important part is making sure the soil is well moist and the seedling has enough water to ensure growth.
