Methods of Planting Cassava

Hello good people! Your are welcome to the 1st farming season for cassava and other cash crops. Let me specifically talk about planting of cassava.

Botanical name
Manihot spp

Varieties
(I) Sweet cassava (manihot palmata)
(ii) Bitter cassava (manihot utilissima)

Land Preparation

• The bush is cleared with cutlass or machines
• Allow the grass to dry,
• Controlled bush burning is done in some areas to reduce some dangerous pests.
• Making of mounds or digging of holes/stumping.

Tools Required
Plough, harrower, etc(commercially)
Cutlasses, spades, indian hoe etc( manually)

Climate Requirements
Temperature between 21°C-35°C
Rainfall: between 150cm-200cm

Soil Requirements
(a) Well drained rich friable loamy soil
(b) It can also strife on poor soil (with fertilizer or manure application)

Method of Planting
The use of cassava stem cuttings which have 4-6 growth buds.

• Insert the stem in the soil, laying it at 180° (for planting in the holes).
  

• Insert the stem into the soil at 45° angle (for planting on the mounds).
  

Planting period
√ In the Northern part (June-August)
√ In the Southern part (March-September)

Spacing
~ 90cm × 150cm, small cuttings
~ 1m × 1m, for long cuttings.

I cleared the land earlier in February and was waiting for the first rain which is sometimes in early or late March. The rain came early this year.
That gave me motivation to burn my cleared bush. I packed the remaining debris/stump the next day and burnt what left.

Planting in small holes
I started making holes 90cm × 150cm on the soil in readiness for planting. But the soil had to be cooled after burning, so I postponed planting till the next day.
I carefully selected varieties of stems that can be planted, do the cutting to the required number of germinating buds and planted with 2-3 melon seeds in the same hole. The planting of melon on the same plot saves as cover-crops to reduce evaporation and to control weeds growth.

Planting on mounds
On another plot, I chose to make mounds for planting because I did not burn that area of farmland.

This was done to control excessive weed growth.
I hope to share with you the progress of the farm in due time.