Bamboo Propagation and Management

Bamboos can be propagated either by reproductive method or vegetative method. Reproductive method involves the production of new bamboo plants through seeds while the vegetative method makes use of vegetative parts such as rhizomes, culms and branches.

Seed Propagation

This method is very seldom used because of the rare and irregular flowering of most bamboos observed locally which produced infertile seeds or seldom deve- lop seeds. Moreover, most bamboos generally die soon or a year after flowering. Read more

FAQs and Growing of Wheatgrass

What is Wheatgrass?

Wheatgrass is a variety of grass that is sprouted from wheat kernels that possesses therapeutic and nutritional properties. The optimal level of growth of wheatgrass is from 6-10 inches of height, sprouted and grown for 7-14 days, depending on the temperature (warmth) of the growing conditions.

Wheatgrass is available in juice, concentrate, extract, powdered and in tablet forms.

What can it do for me?
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Guide to Growing Lettuce

From baby leaf lettuce to big, crisp heads, lettuce is easy to grow in spring and fall, when the soil is cool. Leaf color and texture vary with variety. All types of lettuce grow best when the soil is kept constantly moist, and outside temperatures range between 45 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lettuce is one of the longstanding high-value crops in the Cordillera. This vegetable is appropriate for the said location because of the location’s cold climate. Currently, an approximate of 407 hectares of Cordillera land is used for growing lettuce. Read more

Guide to Growing Organic Mango

The growing domestic and export market demands for organically grown fruits and vegetables compel us to learn to grow ORGANIC MANGO using the Natural Farming System. This is a simple and basic study to help mango growers produce naturally grown mango free from toxic chemical residue, using both herbal organic fertilizers and concentrates with biotechnology and integrated pest management.

Let us recall that in the 1950s and earlier, before Dr. Ramon Barba discovered Potassium nitrate in 1970, as a good mango flower inducers; mangoes in the Philippines were not sprayed and cared the way we do today. They were producing good quality fruits, growing naturally. Read more

FAQ’s on Mango Production

Which microclimate in Mindanao is suited for mango production?

Mindanao is ideal for mango production primarily because many areas there are spared from typhoons, which is the single most important constraint in year-round mango production. The Mindanao area can be classified as the best producing area in the country in terms of  yield but in terms of quality, the best areas are those produced during dry season.

Does soil have an effect on quality of the fruit (example, taste)?

Soil has an effect on the quality of the fruit. In order to ensure acceptable fruit quality, there  must be proper balance of the essential nutrients. Correct fertilization practices, should  therefore, be followed.
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Growing Bell Pepper (High Value Crop)

Growing Bell Peppers is best in hot weather, full sun, and moist well drained soil. Bell Peppers are native to semi-tropical regions and and in frost free and low frost areas it can be grown as a small perennial shrub.

Bell Peppers are a fantastic source of vitamin C. Green Bell Peppers has two times the vitamin C by weight than citrus (oranges, lemons etc.) and Red Bell Peppers have three times that of Bell Peppers.

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L) is grown widely under rainfed conditions. High yields are obtained in areas with a total rainfall of 600 to 1250 mm, which is well distributed over the growing season. In Ilocos Norte alone, the total area planted to pepper in 1999 was 373.16 ha. Read more

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