NewStats: 3,263,499 , 8,180,355 topics. Date: Friday, 06 June 2025 at 09:44 AM 604x3

I intend to farm in my compound and I need guidance from experienced people on here. Available space is half plot of land. I intend planting yam, water melon and some vegetables. I have embarked on this before and failed due to disturbance of bush rats eating my crops, insects invasion and worms destroying my maize plantations. Pls I need recommendations on the types of low cost fertilizers I would need for small scale farming, types of pesticides/insecticides to buy and how to get manure to boost crop production, and how to farm successfully with guaranteed reasonable harvest. Kindly guide me through. Thank you.

Speak to ActiveFarms. He's a thousand fold!

https://nairaland.sitesunblocked.org/8198084/rate-farm-produce-guys#131730026

Watianoengineer:
I intend to farm in my compound and I need guidance from experienced people on here. Available space is half plot of land. I intend planting yam, water melon and some vegetables. I have embarked on this before and failed due to disturbance of bush rats eating my crops, insects invasion and worms destroying my maize plantations. Pls I need recommendations on the types of low cost fertilizers I would need for small scale farming, types of pesticides/insecticides to buy and how to get manure to boost crop production, and how to farm successfully with guaranteed reasonable harvest. Kindly guide me through. Thank you.

In other to better manage space, focus on following crops /plants

1. Yam - you wouldn't have much for sale except your target is for consumption due to small land space.
2. Pepper using a spacing of 2ft x 3ft. You could stagger it to maximize space
3. Ugu - very profitable if you have water source and sells directly to market women. ignore middle wo men
4. Onion using spacing of 1ft x 5inches - Onion needs very small space and matures approximately 3-months
6. Tomatoes
7. Bitter leaf - just 5 plants is enough
8. Efo Iyana Ipaja - you could plant 5 stands. People who don't know about it would buy if they hear about it. it's even better than Ugu, just not so popular


Left to me, would suggest you focus more on Ugu and Pepper. Na gold dem be at the moment. Should you have available during dry season, you would be tempted to get additional space. Plant the yams at edges (so they act like fence) so they don't use up available space.

Watianoengineer:
I intend to farm in my compound and I need guidance from experienced people on here. Available space is half plot of land. I intend planting yam, water melon and some vegetables. I have embarked on this before and failed due to disturbance of bush rats eating my crops, insects invasion and worms destroying my maize plantations. Pls I need recommendations on the types of low cost fertilizers I would need for small scale farming, types of pesticides/insecticides to buy and how to get manure to boost crop production, and how to farm successfully with guaranteed reasonable harvest. Kindly guide me through. Thank you.

should you need knowledge, just ask google

use search format like "Ugu farming in Nigeria" or a much broader search term such as "Ugu farming" . 

Go through different search results and you should get much more than what you might get in here. 

Focus more on text, than videos

bassdow:

In other to better manage space, focus on following crops /plants

1. Yam - you wouldn't have much for sale except your target is for consumption due to small land space.
2. Pepper using a spacing of 2ft x 3ft. You could stagger it to maximize space
3. Ugu - very profitable if you have water source and sells directly to market women. ignore middle wo men
4. Onion using spacing of 1ft x 5inches - Onion needs very small space and matures approximately 3-months
6. Tomatoes
7. Bitter leaf - just 5 plants is enough
8. Efo Iyana Ipaja - you could plant 5 stands. People who don't know about it would buy if they hear about it. it's even better than Ugu, just not so popular


Left to me, would suggest you focus more on Ugu and Pepper. Na gold dem be at the moment. Should you have available during dry season, you would be tempted to get additional space. Plant the yams at edges (so they act like fence) so they don't use up available space.

Thanks for your response. Any ideas on how to make my plants unattractive for Bush rats (okete) ? Do you know cheap and good fertiliser?

Watianoengineer:




Thanks for your response. Any ideas on how to make my plants unattractive for Bush rats (okete) ? Do you know cheap and good fertiliser?

amongst the plant I listed above, only the Yam could be affected by bush rats.

unfortunately, I am a City person. Born and bred in the city. Most things I happen to know now, learnt by trial and error + using the internet.

But I would say you cover the yam with bush (as in gather a couple of weeds, and place on top of the yam heap).

Also to distract them, get pawpaw or cassava, and set a trap for them and you would be having as FREE meats as many as how many such traps you set.
Could have suggested you ask farmers but most are clueless despite being in it for long.

Once had issues with birds disturbing my corn to extent out of 20 corn plants, I couldn't harvest up to 3. I asked around but they couldn't help. Na common sense I use solve the matter. All I did was pick as many Plastic mineral bottles as I could get, cut off the bottom and place it on top of the corn's cob as soon as they develop and are big enough to interest birds and the issue went away.

budaatum:
Speak to ActiveFarms. He's a thousand fold!

https://nairaland.sitesunblocked.org/8198084/rate-farm-produce-guys#131730026

Very well Boss



Get Dried Chicken Manure. Make sure it is not fresh. If you are not sure of the age of the manure, after you get it, keep it aside for 30 days without applying it. This would make it unharmful when you are ready for use.

When applying, keep a gap of 5-7 cm from the stem/main root to avoid direct with the plant


Try to buy Rabbit Urines. They would serve as pest and insect repellent and organic compost


For rodents, get regular maize seeds from the market, buy insecticide , apply it to the seeds then sprinkle around your land before you plant, a week and some days before planting applying multiple times


If you can't get chicken manure, try to get regular Fertilizer. Go for 15:15;15. A couple of custard.paint bucket of three should be more than adequate for your entire land space if you apply a spoon per plant. Make sure you apply 5-7 cm away from your roots otherwise say good bye to your crop.


For worms and flies, get Caterpillar Force. Just 3,000 - 4,000 Naira

ActiveFarms:



Very well Boss



Get Dried Chicken Manure. Make sure it is not fresh. If you are not sure of the age of the manure, after you get it, keep it aside for 30 days without applying it. This would make it unharmful when you are ready for use.

When applying, keep a gap of 5-7 cm from the stem/main root to avoid direct with the plant


Try to buy Rabbit Urines. They would serve as pest and insect repellent and organic compost


For rodents, get regular maize seeds from the market, buy insecticide , apply it to the seeds then sprinkle around your land before you plant, a week and some days before planting applying multiple times


If you can't get chicken manure, try to get regular Fertilizer. Go for 15:15;15. A couple of custard.paint bucket of three should be more than adequate for your entire land space if you apply a spoon per plant. Make sure you apply 5-7 cm away from your roots otherwise say good bye to your crop.


For worms and flies, get Caterpillar Force. Just 3,000 - 4,000 Naira

Thanks sir. This is helpful

Watianoengineer:
I intend to farm in my compound and I need guidance from experienced people on here. Available space is half plot of land. I intend planting yam, water melon and some vegetables. I have embarked on this before and failed due to disturbance of bush rats eating my crops, insects invasion and worms destroying my maize plantations. Pls I need recommendations on the types of low cost fertilizers I would need for small scale farming, types of pesticides/insecticides to buy and how to get manure to boost crop production, and how to farm successfully with guaranteed reasonable harvest. Kindly guide me through. Thank you.

Get Rabbit poo. Rabbit faeces. They are good for plants as organic manure. Cheers.

Watianoengineer:
I intend to farm in my compound and I need guidance from experienced people on here. Available space is half plot of land. I intend planting yam, water melon and some vegetables. I have embarked on this before and failed due to disturbance of bush rats eating my crops, insects invasion and worms destroying my maize plantations. Pls I need recommendations on the types of low cost fertilizers I would need for small scale farming, types of pesticides/insecticides to buy and how to get manure to boost crop production, and how to farm successfully with guaranteed reasonable harvest. Kindly guide me through. Thank you.

Good evening sir...
I'm Olamilekan by name, graduate of unilorin (Agric. Econs)
I've working experience as a poultry farmer, please sir
I don't know if there's any way you can connect me with a good paying job around you

And also if you could please assist me with a token to survive the moment.....

Things have been a little tough on me lately sir
Please I'm begging 🙏🏼

Watianoengineer:




Thanks for your response. Any ideas on how to make my plants unattractive for Bush rats (okete) ? Do you know cheap and good fertiliser?

Those guys love pawPaw and the likes e.g potatoes.

Get pawpaw and poison it. Keep it close to the plant. They come, eat it instead of your valuable plant, and die.

They currently disturbing the Potatoes in my garden and have even Multiplied from just a single one to over 6 now.

Yet to get affected as I currently farm the potatoes as cover crop to suppress weeds BUT I might have to act fast else they might move onto the new yams (about 30) recently planted.

Watianoengineer:
I intend to farm in my compound and I need guidance from experienced people on here. Available space is half plot of land. I intend planting yam, water melon and some vegetables. I have embarked on this before and failed due to disturbance of bush rats eating my crops, insects invasion and worms destroying my maize plantations. Pls I need recommendations on the types of low cost fertilizers I would need for small scale farming, types of pesticides/insecticides to buy and how to get manure to boost crop production, and how to farm successfully with guaranteed reasonable harvest. Kindly guide me through. Thank you.

For low cost Fertilizers, either rear your own Goats, Rabbit, or (local) chicken, and use their poo. Goats and especially Rabbits would be super easy if you have access to grasses and leaves.

Alternatively, you could buy Goat, Rabbit, Chicken, Pig poo and use as Manure.

Whatever you do, ensure operating costs is no where close to cost of the produce (e.g) yam in the market else it becomes a wasted effort.

Imagine if a sizable tuber of yam costs 2,500 naira. you planted and harvested 10pcs of similar size but it cost you about 18,000 naira (in of fertilizer, manPower, etc) to produce them, then it wouldn't really make much sense EXCEPT you after organic version of what's mostly non-Organic in the market

No pests, please.

MrLekan95:


Good evening sir...
I'm Olamilekan by name, graduate of unilorin (Agric. Econs)
I've working experience as a poultry farmer, please sir
I don't know if there's any way you can connect me with a good paying job around you

And also if you could please assist me with a token to survive the moment.....

Things have been a little tough on me lately sir
Please I'm begging 🙏🏼

Currently on my first attempt at farming water Melons. Planted over 40 water melons and they currently doing well.

Read online that water melon planted during rainy season is not as sweet as those planted during dry season BUT no problem. I started when I started. After this set, I do it again.

And they all for personal consumption. Would have planted cucumber but it's like Okra. you need get seed of one that really really matured on the parent plant else you buy seed from the market BUT me I'm too frugal to spend such money when all I need is few seeds. Would keep an eye open sha

budaatum:
No pests, please.

Thank you sir🙏

bassdow:
Those guys love pawPaw and the likes e.g potatoes.

Get pawpaw and poison it. Keep it close to the plant. They come, eat it instead of your valuable plant, and die.

They currently disturbing the Potatoes in my garden and have even Multiplied from just a single one to over 6 now.

Yet to get affected as I currently farm the potatoes as cover crop to suppress weeds BUT I might have to act fast else they might move onto the new yams (about 30) recently planted.

Thanks for your response. I planted a thousand pine apple as cover crop too plus some plantain suckers. I intend to sell after harvest and expand further. Those rats can't make me plant yams. They dig it out

bassdow:
Currently on my first attempt at farming water Melons. Planted over 40 water melons and they currently doing well.

Read online that water melon planted during rainy season is not as sweet as those planted during dry season BUT no problem. I started when I started. After this set, I do it again.

And they all for personal consumption. Would have planted cucumber but it's like Okra. you need get seed of one that really really matured on the parent plant else you buy seed from the market BUT me I'm too frugal to spend such money when all I need is few seeds. Would keep an eye open sha

I planted 5 plantains currently doing well, one thousand pineapples, ( I source for the pineapple suckers from fruit sellers as it is waste to them). I planted 4 pawpaw trees doing well, I planted grape fruit like orange grapes, and 200 cassava stem. I have tried water melons in the past but I don't seem to understand how to make it grow beyond the seed sprouting stage. It dies off. I did okro too and tomatoes. I chose to plant all this because bush rats have no business with them.

Watianoengineer:



Thanks for your response. I planted a thousand pine apple as cover crop too plus some plantain suckers. I intend to sell after harvest and expand further. Those rats can't make me plant yams. They dig it out

Reason I said you get pawpaw, poison it, drop it nearBy. When they see and eat it, that's their end.

Their dead Bodies would even act as Manure for you sef.

Never knew pineApples could act as cover crops Ooo. Myself have planted and currently even have PineApples (I get their sucker from roadSide sellers) but my issue is their long maturity period, hence I kinda lost interest. Why spend so long for something I would consume within 5-minutes.

bassdow:
Reason I said you get pawpaw, poison it, drop it nearBy. When they see and eat it, that's their end.

Their dead Bodies would even act as Manure for you sef.

Never knew pineApples could act as cover crops Ooo. Myself have planted and currently even have PineApples (I get their sucker from roadSide sellers) but my issue is their long maturity period, hence I kinda lost interest. Why spend so long for something I would consume within 5-minutes.

I'm not going to consume but sell. I will try to poison the pawpaw and hope it works

Watianoengineer:



I'm not going to consume but sell. I will try to poison the pawpaw and hope it works

Things such as Ripe PawPaw, Yam, Potatoes, Cassava, cut in big pieces would work because those are the kinda things they love.

No sane animal would ignore a ready-made meal, to go dig one it's not sure even exists.

bassdow:
Things such as Ripe PawPaw, Yam, Potatoes, Cassava, cut in big pieces would work because those are the kinda things they love.

No sane animal would ignore a ready-made meal, to go dig one it's not sure even exists.

What kind of poison do you use on the rats?

Watianoengineer:



What kind of poison do you use on the rats?

Meet those selling Rat Poison. Ask them for the ones they don't display easily. They would understand as those are more potent.

bassdow:
Meet those selling Rat Poison. Ask them for the ones they don't display easily. They would understand as those are more potent.

Good morning. I am interested in planting corn this rainy season but my previous experience with it was that the plant usually get attacked by worms and the corn when matured are very tiny unlike the ones in the market. How do I improve upon this?

Watianoengineer:


Good morning. I am interested in planting corn this rainy season but my previous experience with it was that the plant usually get attacked by worms and the corn when matured are very tiny unlike the ones in the market. How do I improve upon this?

For Pest attack, Use relevant insecticides and pesticides.

For smallish corn problem, check your spacing, Soil type, and Nutrient level. Also ensure they are watered well enough. Most people rely on RAINs and when that disappoints, they experience poor harvest similar to yours (either dries out, or small sized).

Mind you, I'm a Gardner, not a commercial farmer.

bassdow:


For Pest attack, Use relevant insecticides and pesticides.

For smallish corn problem, check your spacing, Soil type, and Nutrient level. Also ensure they are watered well enough. Most people rely on RAINs and when that disappoints, they experience poor harvest similar to yours (either dries out, or small sized).




Mind you, I'm a Gardner, not a commercial farmer.

I will try it out. Thank you

bassdow:


For Pest attack, Use relevant insecticides and pesticides.

For smallish corn problem, check your spacing, Soil type, and Nutrient level. Also ensure they are watered well enough. Most people rely on RAINs and when that disappoints, they experience poor harvest similar to yours (either dries out, or small sized).

Mind you, I'm a Gardner, not a commercial farmer.

Good morning bro, I planted some vegetable leaves few weeks ago in commercial quantity. I keep wetting it daily coupled with few rain falls. To my surprise, all the vegetables leaves have holes. Seems something is eating them up. I can't even harvest and sell because the leaves are perforated. What can I do about this?