Garden/ orchard sanitation is integral to orchard health. It includes:
Removing weeds
Weeding is an essential aspect of gardening and farming. Weeds are constantly present and growing. However, the weeding is more frequent in summer. Since weeds will grow faster and more aggressively due to the heat and the humidity, the weeding may be done by hand or with tools if the Orchard is small enough. Others may use weedkillers to lower the weed burden.
- If the weeds are not removed, they take up plant nutrients.
- They are also reservoirs of pests and diseases that may spread to the fruit trees, herbs, spices, and flowers.
The best time to remove weeds is before they flower or form seeds as they spread through self-seeding. Eventually, the density of weeds will reduce as they fail to spread their seeds. If you use weed killers, ensure they act on plants different from your crops. Otherwise, the crops will also die.
Removing low-hanging branches
- As you weed, trim the tree branches touching the ground. They will spread disease to the tree, and the fruits that touch the ground will rot.
Removing overgrown ground cover
- Overgrown ground cover and creepers may encroach on other plants, robbing them of nutrients. They may also harbour pests like slugs, snails and white flies. They may also block walkways and paths. Confining them to their designated areas is part of maintaining garden health.