Grass cultivation: grass cultivation increases soil aeration porosity and organic matter in soil.

Grass cultivation has many advantages, such as improving soil environment and maintaining orchard ecology. after it is popularized to farmers, many examples prove the benefits of grass cultivation. However, before choosing the method of grass cultivation, it is suggested that we should evaluate it in many ways and choose the suitable grass cultivation method of the farmland. As long as we find the right method for grass cultivation, it is believed that it will be helpful to improve the soil properties and the growth of fruit trees.

Most people often have negative impressions of the grasses in the orchard. However, if fruit trees and grasses can co-exist and thrive, it can not only improve soil properties, but also help protect the environment and ecology, but also beautify the environment and create a beautiful orchard.

The so-called grass cultivation is not to let weeds grow wantonly, but to make grasses grow among the rows of orchards, or to plant non-native grasses and green manure crops, and then manage them properly.

In the past, many studies have shown that grass cultivation can improve the physical and chemical properties of soil, such as increasing the content of organic matter and increasing soil drainage and aeration, etc., in addition, it can prevent soil from harming the roots of fruit trees due to sudden changes in temperature, and grass roots can also intercept soil water and nutrients, so as to prevent rapid nutrient loss. In addition, after the aging grass root is decayed, it can supply a large amount of carbon and nitrogen sources rich in beneficial microorganisms, which can promote the activation of beneficial microorganisms in the soil.

Grass cultivation in orchard has positive effect.

General orchard grass cultivation methods can be divided into miscellaneous grass phase and single grass phase cultivation, the two methods are currently implemented by fruit growers in Gaoping area.

The weed phase orchard is the original grass species retained in the orchard. The higher the mowing frequency, the simpler the grass phase in the orchard. In addition, it is also feasible to use selective herbicides to control the grass species that grow too fast.

On the other hand, the herbaceous cultivation of single grass species and the selection of fine grasses for orchard grass cultivation and management can not only avoid weeds, but also have a positive effect on protecting soil and crops and creating environmental ecology. however, the selection of grass species should consider the key points such as high coverage, no competition with crops for nutrients and no interaction between diseases and insect pests.

In previous years, the author conducted experiments and observations on the grass cultivation of several important fruit trees (such as lotus, jujube and red dragon fruit) in Gaoping area. it was found that the soil porosity, organic matter content, water conservation and fertility in the grass cultivation area were significantly higher than those in the surface bare area (clear tillage cultivation). The performance of improving fruit quality (if fruit size, average single fruit weight, total soluble solids) and reducing fruit cracking rate are also better. It is speculated that the grass root retains soil nutrients, which promotes the fruit trees to absorb more rich and multiple nutrient elements, which has a positive effect on the improvement of fruit quality.

An example of Peasant extension of Grass cultivation in Orchard

In order to maintain the soil environment of the orchard, we can reduce the use of herbicides, and then create a beautiful and elegant orchard. Under the guidance of the agricultural improvement farm in Kaohsiung District, many fruit growers chose the method of "making grass with grass". Grass cultivation of fine grass species such as four-petaled purslane, yellow cauliflower and mint were carried out in the orchard.

Their common feeling is: "it's like being in a park in my orchard." "and they agreed that grass cultivation in orchards has the benefits of soil and water conservation, weed control, soil fertility improvement, water conservation and fertilizer conservation, and should be promoted. The following are the examples of several farmers who have successfully cultivated grass in the orchard.

Unlike the ordinary Red Dragon Orchard, where weeds are overgrown or nothing grows, Gao Ruifeng, a farmer in Neipu Township, Pingtung County, and Zheng Qinsheng, a farmer in Fengliao Township, grow grass species such as four-petaled purslane and cauliflower in his Red Dragon Orchard. The scene is like a beautiful carpet, and walking into the orchard is refreshing.

Among them, Gao Ruifeng returned to his hometown for farming for three years and insisted on not using herbicides. He learned that Kaohsiung Farm actively promoted grass cultivation, so under the guidance of Kaohsiung Farm, he planted heart-leaf mint, Portulaca oleracea and other grass species in Honglong Orchard, and produced safe and non-toxic red dragon fruit. at present, the whole park is as beautiful as a dream.

On the other hand, Zheng Qinsheng has been farming for more than 40 years, planting mango, litchi and red dragon fruit, and planting yellow nectar and heart leaf mint and other grass species in Honglong orchard for the first time. He thinks that it is effective to control weeds and improve the originally barren soil properties. He even observed a significant decrease in snail density in the heart leaf water mint area. Both farmers hope to build a "non-toxic sightseeing orchard" in the future.

As for the jujube garden of Chen Yongde, a farmer in Ligang Township, Pingtung County, it was found that the diseases and insect pests of jujube were significantly reduced, and because the malignant weeds in the field were well controlled, compared with the previous cultivation methods, the cost of weed management could be saved by 3.8 times.

On the other hand, Wu Xinshui, a farmer in Changzhi Township, Pingtung County, has been tutored by Kaohsiung Field to grow yellow nectar and heart leaf mint in the orchard, which has improved the soil fertility of the originally poor gravel land and reduced the cost of weed control. At present, an elegant orchard environment has been created. The examples of the above farmers show that grass cultivation in the orchard does have many benefits.

Grass cultivation in Honglong orchard not only has a good effect of soil and water conservation, but also can improve soil properties.