Watermelon (Pakwan) Farming Update - 1 month




1 month old watermelon

 

How time flies! One month has passed since we started planting the watermelons for the 2013 season. Look at those greens! How I wish I was there to go around the field and enjoy the view. I wonder how hard it is for my guys working everyday from very early in the morning (most probably they start watering at around 1-2 am just like last year) until lunch time (cleaning and cultivating).






with rice hay as mulching

 





It is so hot nowadays in the area so my guys are watering the plants twice a day. You can see in the picture that they have put rice hay around each plant to act as mulching. This will prevent the soil to dry faster.









   



ready for trimming

 









It is very relaxing to see the plants growing faster because they are being taken care of by my guys. In the picture this plant is ready for trimming the bud to let 2-3 new buds grow for proper selection of 1 fruit to be taken care of until harvest time.

  







2 rows with water way at the middle







Several rows of watermelon also showing the water way in between rows. See the lead technician busy checking the plants in the field.  







without mulching yet

  More pictures showing 1 month old watermelon plants.









without mulching yet







See how dry the land is! Although this is better than it is flooded. The guys are watering twice a day because of the very hot weather.



The main problem only for watermelon is when there is a storm which could damage the entire farm. I have encountered that once during my first time to venture in watermelon farming. There was a storm and for several days it rained which flooded the farm and the strong wind damaged the plants which have started bearing flowers already.  I was so upset when the news was relayed to me by my father who at that time was the one managing the people. One big mistake of my people was that they did not make first water way or canal during the field preparation and only they started making when it was flooded already.

But my people did not gave up after that, they still continued and patiently sold whatever fruits were harvested in the field. I was able to get back the money that I used and the workers just managed to earn a little income. That is why we are praying that no storm comes until harvest time in December.