I know you are a successful crop producer!
But do you cultivate a single crop at a time?
If yes, then let me tell you just by trying a simple technique, you can significantly increase your profit margin.
But before I name it, let me share its two advantages with you. I promise you will also get amazing results just like I got after trying this farming method.
By trying out this farming technique, you can increase land usage efficiency by 19% & enjoy 28% more crop productivity.
Well, I am talking about “intercropping”, the practice of cultivating more than one particular crop simultaneously in one farming land.
So, stick with me till the end to learn about it in detail, how it works, the popular methods, pros & cons, etc.
What Is The Intercropping System?
In simple words, it is a “polyculture” farming method. As you can guess already, following this method, you cultivate multiple crops at the same time & in the same field.
This way, you can produce more crops in a given period & use the natural farming inputs & resources more efficiently.
However, one important thing is to ensure that all the farmed crop species get equal amounts of nutrients.
4 Types of Popular Intercropping Methods
Now, you should know the right farming methods before you can try it out!
Do not worry, they are simple & easy to do.
Mixed Cropping
Will you believe me if I tell you that this is a thousand years old practice?
Though it is a relatively modern practice, mixed cropping was popular in medieval England as well. They used to farm oats, barley, and corn simultaneously to feed livestock & food production. Not just that!
French farmers also used to cultivate rye & wheat together to produce a special type of bread made of mixed grains. Popularly known as pain de méteil was immensely preferred by the common French people.
Today, it is widely popular in Eritrea, Ethiopia, & Georgia as this technique supplies more food to the local market. Also, in India, the process is gradually making its way to sustain the ever-increasing national population.
Row Crops
When you plant multiple crops in rows it is called row cropping. However, it can be a bit space-consuming because individual crops should have enough space to grow. Also, it is a technology-intensive farming process for proper drilling, transplanting, & tilling. Originally, it was China who invented this “truck” or “kitchen” farming process back in the 6th century BC.
Temporal
This is the most profitable farming technique.
So, you cultivate one fast-growing & one slow-growing crop together. This way, the former one will grow faster & you will get the profit by the time the latter one matures.
Relay
When you sow the second crop during the first crop’s reproductive development, it is called relaying. So, you make space for the second crop to fully develop while you sell the first one & earn revenues.
2 Effective Intercropping Ideas To Boost Soil Fertility
The above-mentioned farming ideas are great for better productivity & profit earning.
However, if you want to boost your soil’s fertility, here are the techniques that you should follow!
Strip Intercropping
It refers to planting two crops in alternating strips, one that conserves soil’s nutrients & the other that absorbs them. For example, you can cultivate maize & legumes with strawberries as the former two return lost nutrition components to the soil.
Companion Planting
Cultivating some set of crops together can make your land highly fertile by restoring the lost nitrogen into the soil. For example, you can farm maize & potato simultaneously.
3 Unique Benefits of Intercropping
Resource Partitioning
Planting diverse tall & short crops with deep & shallow roots complements the absorption of individual crops’ nutritional requirements. When one particular crop absorbs the vital nutrients, another crop restores them.
Mutualism
It refers to farming two crops planted nearby so that they can support one another while growing. For example, climbing plants like black pepper might need supporting plants like bamboo to avoid tipping over.
However, I suggest trying out the multi-tier farming system to help crops stay firm in strong wind or heavy rainfall. So, cultivate coconut at the top, banana in the middle, & pineapple, ginger, or fodder at the lowest tier.
Pest Management
I am going to suggest three natural pest management solutions. The goal is to increase the number of predators who feed on the pests & insects. So here they are:
- Trap cropping or farming a crop near the main food crop can attract pests more & the latter will remain safe.
- Repellant cropping or planting repellent crops can mask the smell of the main food crops & drive the pests away.
- Push-pull cropping is the practice of combining the previous two types of farming. Together, they can protect the food crops from pests for longer.
3 Limitations of Intercropping
Despite these advantages, the farming method also has some limitations. The worst one is probably the unpredictability of the results.
Unpredictable Results
Trying out repellant or trap cropping might not be 100% successful in keeping pests away. Also, the success rates of this farming method depend on the combination of crops planted or the types.
Increased Risk of Pests
Sometimes, this technique can increase the risk of pest infestations. For example, nematode roundworms often attack crops like soybeans.
Labor & Resource Intensive
Planting crops with different nutrient absorption abilities might require high involvement of human labor or machinery to ensure equal nutrient distribution. Also, you might need to invest in more fertilizers or insecticides for better land management.
4 Reasons to Try Out Intercropping
Now comes the real question!
Should you try this?
Well, it has a lot of benefits to offer. Check these out once!
Increased Yield
When performed properly, this farming process can boost the crop production rate & reduce crop failure.
Better Soil Fertility
Due to better & efficient usage of organic farming resources in this method, it enhances the fertility levels of the soil.
Environmental Health
Cultivating diverse plants not only encourages healthy biodiversity but also makes the environment suitable for all species to sustain.
3 Latest Technologies Transforming Intercropping Practices
Now, you must be thinking about how to analyze the soil quality, manage the right resource supplies, etc.
So, to make your task easier, researchers have invented several modern technologies.
Robots
Automated technologies can help you have better control over a few crucial farming aspects. So, analyzing root density, performing seed placements, supplying the right amount of inputs & resources, & space management is now easier!
Sensors
The modern temperature & moisture sensors can help you in better crop management.
GPS
You can track the crop growth & other factors with aerial images & GPS trackers.
Should You Try Intercropping?
If you want a one-word answer, then yes!
It will not only help you to produce more crops but also, increase the farmers’ earnings to some extent.
Apart from benefitting the soil, this farming technique reduces negative environmental impacts & promotes a healthy ecosystem.
But, for me, the biggest benefit is that the process requires less investment. So, I can grow more crops in a small space without investing in large quantities of fertilizers or pesticides.
In India, the farming process is getting highly popular due to the increased market demand for food crops.
So, when are you planning to try it out? Let me know for sure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ans: Through practicing this technique, you can farm wheat, soybean, corn, etc. that have high market values.
Ans: If you plan to cultivate maize & cowpea together, then dedicate 50*50 cm land areas for the main food crop, maize. However, for farming cowpeas or fodder crops, a land area measuring 25*25 cm is enough.
Ans: Mixed cropping is better if you want to avoid crop failure due to bad weather. However, go for the former one if you want to boost your crop productivity.