CARA PEMBERIAN PUPUK PADA TANAMAN

Untuk mendapatkan hasil pemupukan yang memuaskan, tidak hanya penting memakai dosis pupuk yang tepat saja tetapi juga penting diketahui cara pengunaan pupuknya. Dengan berkembangnya teknologi pertanian dan industri, telah melahirkan berbagai produk yang cara pemberiannya lain dari biasanya, namun secara garis besar dapat dikelompokkan menjadi dua cara pemberian/memupuk, yakni:

• Memupuk dengan cara pemberian melalui akar
• Memupuk dengan cara pemberian melalui daun

1. Memupuk melalui akar

Yaitu segala macam pupuk yang diberikan kepada tanaman lewat akar. Tujuannya tentu sudah jelas, yakni mengisi tanah dengan hara yang dibutuhkan oleh tanaman, supaya tanaman yang ditanam di atasnya tumbuh subur dan memberikan hasil yang memuaskan. Pada umumnya pemberian pupuk melalui akar dapat dilakukan secara:

1. Disebar (broad casting)

Pupuk yang disebarkan merata pada tanah-tanah di sekitar pertanaman atau pada waktu pembajakan/penggaruan terakhir, sehari sebelum tanam, kemudian diinjak-injak agar pupuk masuk ke dalam tanah. Beberapa pertimbangan untuk menggunakan cara ini adalah:

• Tanaman ditanam pada jarak tanam yang rapat, baik teratur dalam barisan maupun tidak teratur dalam barisan
• Tanaman mempunyai akar yang dangkal atau berada pada dekat dengan permukaan tanah
• Tanah mempunyai kesuburan yang relatif baik
• Pupuk yang dipakai cukup banyak atau dosis permukaan tinggi
• Daya larut pupuk besar, karena bila daya larutnya rendah maka yang diambil tanaman sedikit

Cara pemupukan ini biasanya digunakan untuk memupuk tanaman padi, kacang-kacangan dan lain-lain yang mempunyai jarak tanam rapat. Kerugian cara ini ialah merangsang pertumbuhan rumput pengganggu/gulma dan kemungkinan pengikatan unsur hara tertentu oleh tanah lebih tinggi.

2. Ditempatkan di antara larikan/barisan

Pupuk ditaburkan di antara larikan tanaman dan kemudian ditutup kembali dengan tanah. Untuk tanaman tahunan ditaburkan melingkari tanaman dengan jarak tegak lurus daun terjauh (tajuk daun) dan ditutup kembali dengan tanah. Cara ini dilakukan dengan pertimbangan-pertimbangan sebagai berikut:

• Pupuk yang digunakan relatif sedikit
• Jarak tanam antara tanaman yang dipupuk cukup jarang dan jarak antara barisan pertanaman cukup jarang
• Kesuburan tanah rendah
• Tanaman dengan perkembangan akarnya yang sedikit
• Untuk tanah tegalan atau darat
• Bila mengkhawatirkan akan terjadi pengikatan unsur hara oleh tanah dalam jumlah yang cukup besar

3. Ditempatkan dalam lubang

Pupuk dibenamkan ke dalam lubang di samping batang sejauh kurang lebih 10 cm dan ditutup dengan tanah. Untuk tanaman tahunan pupuk dibenamkan ke dalam lubang pupuk yang melingkari tanaman dengan jarak tegak lurus dan terjauh (tajuk daun) dan ditutup kembali dengan tanah. Cara ini dilakukan dengan pertimbangan sama dengan cara larikan/barisan.
Artikel lainnya

• CARA MUDAH MEMBUNUH POHON TANPA HARUS MENEBANG
• KEUNTUNGAN DAN KERUGIAN MENCANGKOK TANAMAN
• DAUN KARET KEBO UNTUK PENGOBATAN STROKE ALAMI
• Penyakit Rabun,Katarak,Minus Dan Plus Sembuh Dengan Kitolod

Sharing my garden

by Vicky Barney

There’s something magical about seeing butterflies and hummingbirds feasting on flower nectar, or watching birds foraging for berries.  Observing a bear, moose, or deer browsing on aspen or berries is a real treat.  But when their browsing removes the flowers intended for pollinators or the berries for the birds, or when all the strawberries disappear from the carefully tended patch, the magic is gone. My “gardening for wildlife” strategy needs some work.

Butterfly visiting garden

My yard is surrounded by native shrubs and trees and was an attractive feature when purchasing the house several years ago.  I imagined watching wildlife pass through the yard from one wild space to the next, stopping to nibble aspen volunteers or newly planted native bushes. The plan was to create a place where wildlife would linger, preferably while I was watching.  Red-osier dogwood was planted (deer and elk’s “ice cream bush,” says Karen Vail in Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Southern Rockies), grassy spots were encouraged, and game trail openings were preserved.   Success!  Deer and moose have been observed, sometimes eating and resting for long periods.  Bears have also been observed munching on native berries just beyond the tended yard.

Recently, though, visitors have come through after dark, pruning flowers, pulling up newly planted pansies and devouring my small crop of strawberries covered by bird netting.  They are welcome but I prefer they browse along their path, the one lined with tasty native bushes and flowers.  The wildlife – deer, I presume - have other ideas.

Deer candy

But is it deer in the strawberry patch?  There is no evidence they have browsed there – no prints and no torn leaves.  In fact, the patch looks untouched except for the missing berries.  Early one morning I frightened a flock of birds and realized they are the culprits.  They have learned to pluck the berries out of the netting that deterred them last season, and they have a quick getaway now that the nearby bushes have grown.

The more worrisome browsers in my yard are the deer.  They consume pretty blossoms, leaving behind shorn branches and torn leaves.  To be sure there is enough forage left over for butterflies and birds, I need to make a few changes.

Garden Design - Small modifications in design may discourage undesirable behavior.  For example, cutting back the bushes near the strawberry patch – reducing the birds’ safety zone – may reduce bird activity.  Moving the pansy pots onto the patio may discourage browsing, but some wildlife may to take a liking to the patio.  Another option is to surround pansies and other “deer candy” with less palatable plants.

Sharing the garden

Plant Selection - If hungry enough, wildlife will eat any plant.  There are a number of attractive plants, though, that are rarely browsed.  They include tough xeric plants (black-eyed susans and purple coneflower), fragrant plants (lavender, thyme, and Russian sage), fuzzy plants (lambs ear and lady’s mantle), and spiny or bristly plants (oriental poppies, rugosa roses, and oregon grape).  See CSU Extension Fact Sheet # 6.520 – Preventing Deer Damage for more plant ideas.

Garden management - According to Ruth Rogers Clausen in 50 Beautiful Deer-Resistant Plants, gardeners should cut back on nitrogen fertilizer and water, ingredients for a lush and soft garden that deer prefer.  As the weather becomes dryer, deer also seek out moisture in newly watered plants, so irrigation should be timed such that plants are dry before dawn and dusk, times when most browsing occurs. 

Other ways to deter unwanted wildlife included the use of repellents and netting, but they are effective for only for brief periods of time.  Wind chimes and barking dogs may frighten off deer but will likely annoy the neighbors.  Of course, tall fencing is the best deterrent, but not suitable for my yard. 

With a few small changes in design, plant selection, and management, sharing my garden all season with all of nature may be possible. I hope so.

Vicky Barney gardens for wildlife and is a member of the Master Gardener Class of 2011.

Verbascum

Verbascum thapus (Common Mullein, noxious!)

by Cherie Luke

The genus Verbascum has some good garden plants and one noxious weed that should never be planted.  Verbascum thapus, also known as common mullein, is a member of the Scrophulariaceae, figwort family. Currently Verbascum thapus is on the “C” list of Noxious Weeds of Colorado.  This means it is already widespread throughout the state, and should at least be suppressed when possible. It is a biennial that reproduces by seed that can live up to 80 years. It is native to Asia but it is thought that it got here by way of Europe.

It has long furry leaves and a tall yellow flower stalk. It is well known among herbalists. Mullein tea is a treatment for respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, and chest colds. Because it is a noxious weed, one can harvest unlimited quantities, but be sure that they have not been sprayed. The roots and seeds of this plant are toxic and should never be used for any reason.

Verbascum bombyciferum ‘Polarsommer’

Because of Verbascum’s  stately presence many people admire this plant. There  are about 300 species of Verbascum and some are considered “well behaved” in the home garden. There are some growing at Denver Botanic Gardens such as Verbascum bombyciferum ‘Polarsommer’, Arctic Summer Mullein.

Verbascum olympicum, Olympic Mullein

There was a Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ that I found for sale at the May, Denver Botanic Gardens plant sale this year in the “Grown at the Garden” section that is describes as being pastel shades of lavender, buff, cream, and rose. The plant tag says full sun, dry to medium well drained soil, drought tolerant, zone 5-8, so I'm giving it a try. 

Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ 

With so many beautiful and stately Verbascum’s available, there may be one that is just right for your own garden – except for the noxious weed!

Paint my Garden Purple

by Vicky Barney

Unintentionally, my garden is a sea of purple flowers.  The flowers are blooming on a few natives and a non-native, all in shades of purple and all in bloom at the same time.  Before now, I would have thought that a garden of only purple flowers would be rather boring, but it is quite striking.

The wildflowers in bloom are Showy Daisy (Erigeron speciosus) and Rocky Mountain Penstemon (Penstemon strictus).  A few Harebells (Campanula rotundifolia) are scattered about as well.  The non-native plant is the Clustered Bellflower (Campanula glomerata).  The last was a surprise; its roots were intermingled with clumps of daylilies from a friend’s garden.  All are perennials, all have been spreading for the past few years, and each complements the others in appearance.

Showy Daisy, also called Showy Fleabane or Aspen Daisy, grows from 1 to 3 feet tall and produces 1-10 small flowers that perch on top of each stem.  With yellow centers and numerous thin petals ranging in color from pink to blue to lavender, the flowers are a nice landing spot for a variety of insects including butterflies.  It thrives in moist areas and aspen groves in the Rocky Mountains, as well as in xeric gardens.  The native has naturalized in my garden, blooming in swaths of lavender in sunny and partly shady locations, and may rebloom if deadheaded, but I’ve not had firsthand experience yet.

Rocky Mountain Penstemon is another native that thrives in our area.  Like the Showy Daisy, it grows tall, is happy in both sun and part shade, is drought tolerant, and spreads easily.  It’s striking blue-purple tubular flowers bloom up sturdy stalks and are frequented by bees and hummingbirds.  It spreads by seed and now blankets several of my flowerbeds.

Harebell, the smallest of my purple bloomers, appears here and there in my garden and will continue to bloom all summer long.  It has blue-lavender bell shaped flowers on thin stems that grow to about a foot tall.  Native to the Northern Hemisphere, it is also called Bluebell.  It will grow in sunny and shady areas, in dry to moist conditions, and reseeds readily.  It sometimes surprises me with white blooms.

The non-native purple flower I’ve inadvertently planted is also a bluebell and is called Clustered Bellflower.  It is the showiest of the bunch, its stem growing up to 2 feet tall and the deep purple bell shaped flowers forming a colorful ball on top.  The Clustered Bellflower has found a welcome spot in my garden – a sunny location that was irrigated for a time for the naturalizing daylilies – and is spreading by rhizome among the daylilies and in the grass nearby.  The daylilies keep the heavy flower heads upright and appear to be keeping the invasive plant in check.  Although not native, the flowers are regularly perused by bees and other insects, and it continues to thrive in the sunny location with minimal irrigation.  Its flowers are suitable for cutting.

My purple garden has been delightful, tranquil yet humming with pollinator activity.  I will be sad to see it disappear.   Yet the process has begun, with the purple color fading and flowers in other colors starting to bloom.  In no time, though, with a little added water and more summer sunshine, my garden will take on a new identity with new colors and textures to enjoy.  It’s a wonderful time of year in the garden.

For more information about these and other flowers that thrive in our area, please see CSU Extension Fact Sheets:
Xeriscaping: Perennials and Annual Flowers – 7.231
Herbaceous Perennials – 7.405
Native Herbaceous Perennials for Colorado Landscapes – 7.242
Flowers for Mountain Communities – 7.406

Vicky Barney gardens for wildlife and is a member of the Master Gardener Class of 2011.

Planting that Birthday Tree

by Kurt M. Jones
Chaffee County Extension Director

Sitting here on my back porch, looking past the potted rosemary and basil, I can see my son’s birthday tree in the back corner.  Grandpa and Grandma bought us a birthday tree in celebration of our son’s first birthday.  With an extension agent son-in-law, I’d better have planted it correctly!

Planting a tree correctly actually starts with tree selection.  We purchased a Colorado Blue Spruce for a couple of reasons.  First was because of our son’s being enamored with our tree during the holidays last December.  Second, this tree fit into our landscape plans well.  Finally, it is one of Dad’s favorites.  I almost forgot, be sure to call for utility locates a minimum of 3 business days prior to digging.  It is a free service, and it is the law!  Simply call 811 to begin the process.

After looking at the available trees in the nursery, I chose one that had a couple of features that I was interested in.  First, I was looking for a tree that had good shape, and more importantly, one “leader” branch that was vertical.  I was also looking at the root ball for two items: ease of handling without a tractor, and the presence of stabilizing roots in the top 2 inches of the rooting soil.  Roots that are deeper in the ball or potted tree have the danger of being planted too deeply, lessening the chances of establishment or long-term survivability.  The tree that I chose was one that was potted (rather than ball-and-burlap) so that I could move it through our fence with a furniture moving hand cart.  Larger B&B tree stock often requires specialized equipment to move due to the weight and rounded shape.  One drawback of potted trees can be the lack of root ball as compared with the size of the tree, so extra care may be needed to establish a potted tree as compared with B&B trees of similar height.

Digging a largesaucer shaped hole

After getting the tree home, it is time to locate it and dig the hole.  We chose a location that will allow for mature size of the tree.  It is also relatively level, and it is in a location that we can regularly irrigate year-round.  Many of the tree problems that I have seen this year can be attributed to our dry fall and early winter, necessitating year-round irrigation once the tree is established and during tree establishment.

The hole that I dug was saucer-shaped.  I dug it 2 inches shallower than the height of the tree ball, and the edges were 3 times the diameter of the root ball.  Yes, a big hole.  Tree roots will grow primarily in the top 12 inches of soil (rather than developing “tap roots”) and spread laterally from the base of the tree.  The depth is dependant upon the available moisture and oxygen levels in the soil; too shallow and there is inadequate moisture, too deep and oxygen levels diminish. 

Why the saucer shape?  Researchers have found that in some cases, tree roots can turn upon themselves when faced with a vertical soil texture change (like those faced with the conventional tree holes with vertical sides taught years ago).  Saucer-shaped holes lessen the likelihood of tree roots turning on themselves, eventually girdling the tree as they mature.  Digging the hole larger has been shown to increase root biomass eight times over similar trees with holes dug to fit the root ball.

Planting a tree can be a family activity

After digging the hole, I removed the plastic container and the burlap that was also present.  Though burlap will eventually degrade, I did not want it wicking moisture away from the tree roots or interfering with root establishment until it degraded.  My preference is to remove as much foreign material (wire cages, burlap, strings, pots) as possible when planting trees.

When I got the tree upright in the hole, I began backfilling.  I did not use any amended soil in my backfill, instead I planted the tree in an amended location.  Tree roots spread laterally from the base, so amendment is best accomplished throughout the rooting zone, not just in the backfilled hole.  I also water-packed the backfilled hole, rather than tamping or stomping in the soil around the tree roots.  My purpose in digging a large hole was to avoid soil compaction, so I will avoid activities that contribute to soil compaction around the tree.

Growing evergreens

Finally, I drove some wooden stakes through the root ball into the undisturbed soil underneath to help stabilize the tree during periods of higher winds.  Because this is a special tree to our family, I wanted to use underground stabilization rather than straps, wire and T-posts to hold it in place.  If you choose to do wrapping around the tree to stabilize it, make sure you use straps designed for that purpose, and remove the stabilization materials after the tree is established (approximately 1 year later).  I had the unfortunate opportunity to see some established trees planted about 8 years ago that succumbed to the girdling effects of tree wraps (lengths of garden hose with wire inside).  I also mulched the entire area of disturbed soil to help hold moisture and reduce weed establishment.

Though I did not use any, many people believe that root stimulation hormones should be used.  Though research is conflicted about using root stimulator, it does not harm the tree and may help with speeding up root establishment.  One practice that should not be used is nitrogen-based fertilization.  The goal after transplanting trees is to establish tree roots rather than producing tree branch growth.  Nitrogen fertilization during the first growing season has been shown to reduce root growth.  Finally, I watered the tree ball and surrounding soil.

The simple act of planting a tree.  It is a practice that has many opinions, but for our family, planting a “First Birthday Tree” is a neat tradition that I was proud to be a part of.  For more information about tree planting or care, contact your extension agent or the Chaffee County Extension office at 719-539-6447 or visit us online at http://chaffee.extension.colostate.edu

Why some weeds are slated for eradication

by Irene Shonle CSU Extension Gilpin County

Why are there some weeds, such as List A noxious weeds myrtle spurge, orange hawkweed, and others, required by state law to be eradicated?  The answer is long and complicated. First, we must start with what makes a weed a noxious weed – it is a plant that is alien (not from this country) that has been shown to cause problems in natural or agricultural settings. To be declared noxious, they have to be proven bad actors, and only after scientists have reviewed the data, and it has passed through a legislative process. It is not just “someone’s” opinion.  Because these weeds are not from here, they do not deal with the same suite of insects and diseases that our native plants have to deal with, so they have a competitive advantage. They usually have a nasty tendency to form monocultures and crowd out native plants. This is certainly the case with myrtle spurge (and most other noxious weeds); if it is left alone, it will take over large areas over time.  

Hillside filled with myrtle spurge, a List A noxious weed

Next, we must look at the relative benefit to the ecosystem of native plants and alien plants.  Doug Tallamy, a professor from the University of Delaware (author of Bringing Nature Home), has been studying how native plants support the entire food chain and how alien plants do so to a much lesser degree.  His definition of a native plant is a functional one: "a plant that has evolved in a particular place long enough to be able to establish the specialized relationships that create an ecosystem".  Noxious weeds, by virtue of being alien, are newcomers to the area, and do not have these relationships.

Natives in nature

Native plants provide the bottom of the food chain, and the insects that eat the plants are the next rung – but they can’t eat just any plant. According to Tallamy, "with few exceptions, only insect species that have shared a long evolutionary history with a particular plant lineage have developed the physiological adaptations required to digest the chemicals in their host’s leaves. They have specialized over time to eat only the plants sharing those particular chemicals." Alien plants like noxious weeds do not have the chemical footprint in their leaves that spells ‘food’ for most insects.

One of the reasons we are seeing a sad decline in bird populations (overall, 40 percent of the world’s 11,000 bird species are in decline, according to the 2018 State of the World’s Birds report) is because so many of our plants around us are now not native – either noxious weeds or beloved garden plants. Almost all birds, even if the adults are seed eaters or fruit eaters, require thousands of insects to raise even one clutch of birds.

Myrtle Spurge up close,
Colorado List A noxious weed

Weeds such as myrtle spurge may have pollinator visitation, but they occupy space that would otherwise be used by native plants which provide pollinator services AND are host plants for many different insects.  Also, research from the Xerces Society shows that native plants are four times more likely to attract native bees than exotics – and native bees are also suffering declines, even though the non-native honeybees get all the press. So, while it may seem on the surface that removing one plant would reduce biodiversity (we all know basic subtraction, right?), the natives do a much better job of supporting the myriad insects and birds that depend on them.  In fact, Tallamy’s research shows alien plants support 29 times less biodiversity than do native plants.

Orange Hawkweed, Colorado List A noxious weed

The next question is why does the law state that list A weeds must be eradicated? This is because these weeds have relatively small populations so far in the state. That means we should not have to expend a lot of time and effort in bringing these weeds under control if we act now. It also means that we probably don’t have to do a great deal of remediation afterwards, because their populations aren’t that large; the native vegetation will be able to take over again with little to no intervention. We don’t want to leave pockets of these weeds around, because those populations would spread into new areas (they are weeds, after all), and weed managers would continuously have to be putting out these small (or sometimes large) fires. Sure, we could wait until a weed like myrtle spurge gets as bad here as it is in Utah: “we waited too long and this thing is now incredibly entrenched, and there just doesn’t seem to be an answer,” according to Utah Native Plant Society’s Tony Frates in reference to the huge monocultures that have formed in the Wasatch. Then we would have lost our window of opportunity.  

Example of garden with native plants

List A weeds are sort of like a disease – in a perfect world, we would be able to completely eradicate diseases such as we have done with small pox, rather than dealing with the trauma and loss of life of epidemics, and rather than continuously having to vaccinate against them.  If we can deal with these weeds now while their populations are still small, we don’t have to worry about them coming back, and we can spend time and energy on either dealing with some of the other weeds, or habitat restoration, or some other productive use. That is why some weeds are required by law to be eradicated.

Irene Shonle is the County Extension Agent at the CSU Gilpin County Extension Office located at the Exhibit Barn in Gilpin County.  For more information, visit www.gilpin.extension.colostate.edu.

MELIHAT PROSES BAGAIMANA ORANG PAPUA MEMBUAT SAGU

Pohon aren atau enau tumbuh di lereng-lereng pegunungan. Sedangkan pohon rumbia tumbuh di dataran rendah yang banyak airnya. Pohon yang memiliki batang mirip pohon kelapa ini batangnya mengandung empulur yang bisa menghasilkan tepung yang bisa mengenyangkan perut seperti nasi.

Pohon Aren

Aren yang memiliki nama ilmiah Arenga pinnata ini termasuk tanaman serbaguna. Daun dan ijuknya bisa digunakan sebagai atap rumah. Buahnya menghasilkan kolang-kaling. Tandan buahnya bisa disadap niranya untuk diolah menjadi gula merah. Kulit batangnya yang keras biasa digunakan untuk bangunan rumah. Sedangkan empulur di dalam batang aren bisa menghasilkan tepung. Tepung aren bisa diolah menjadi bubur, mi, kerupuk, kue-kue, dan bakso. 

Tepung aren menghasilkan adonan yang kenyal. Petani sering mengolah tepung aren menjadi penganan atau mi yang bisa mengenyangkan perut.

Untuk membuat tepung aren, batang pohon aren ditebang dan dipotong-potong. Potongan batang aren dibelah dan diambil empulurnya. Empulur aren mengandung sel-sel parenchym yang menyimpann tepung. Untuk mengeluarkan tepung, empulur harus dihancurkan dengan cara diparut.

Hasil parutan empulur aren lalu disiram dengan air sambil dipisahkan dari serat-seratnya. Air tersebut akan melarutkan tepung dan mengendapkannya di dalam bak penampungan. Setelah tepung mengendap, airnya dibuang, dan tepungnya dijemur hingga kering.

Pohon Rumbia

Orang sering menyebutnya pohon sagu. Padahal aslinya bernama pohon rumbia atau Metroxylon sagu. Seperti pohon aren, manfaat pohon rumbiajuga cukup banyak. Daunnya lazim digunakan untuk atap rumah dan batangnya untuk kayu bakar. Di daerah Maluku dan Papua, pohon rumbiamenjadi tanaman andalan karena menghasilkan tepung sagu.

Untuk membuat tepung sagu, empulur yang terdapat di dalam batang sagudiparut dan disiram dengan air agar zat tepungnya larut dan mengendap di dalam wadah penampungan. Tepung sagu bisa langsung diolah menjadi bubur, tetapi bisa juga diawetkan dengan cara dikeringkan.

Tepung sagu bisa diolah menjadi kue-kue, bubur, mi, kerupuk, dan bakso. Pada zaman dahulu di daerah Maluku, orang belum merasa kenyang kalau belum makan bubur sagu atau papeda.

http://bobo.grid.id/

Pohon aren atau enau tumbuh di lereng-lereng pegunungan. Sedangkan pohon rumbia tumbuh di dataran rendah yang banyak airnya. Pohon yang memiliki batang mirip pohon kelapa ini batangnya mengandung empulur yang bisa menghasilkan tepung yang bisa mengenyangkan perut seperti nasi.

Teras batang sagu yang ditokok (dicacah) itu nantinya akan berupa ampas yang bisa dibuat menjadi tepung sagu.

Sementara Mama Angelina Kladit sudah siap-siap membawa karung untuk membawa ampas hasil panen. Setelah terkumpul satu karung, ia membawanya ke tempat meramas sagu, tidak jauh dari tempat menokok.

Di sana sudah ada alat untuk meramas ampas batang sagu, alat yang sederhana dari batang kayu.

Ampas yang sudah dikumpulkan disiram pakai air lalu diremas, berkali-kali, sambil disaring. Hasil ramasan dibiarkan mengendap.

Pati hasil ramasan kemudian diambil untuk dijadikan tepung sagu dan diolah menjadi beragam makanan.

Sagu basah dibawa dari hutan untuk diproduksi menjadi berbagai produk makanan. 

Kini, tepung sagu tidak lagi hanya diolah menjadi papeda (bubur sagu, makanan pokok mereka) atau dijadikan sagu kering untuk dijual.

Biasanya, sagu kering dijual hanya sekitar Rp200 ribu untuk satu tuman atau karung yang isinya 15 kilogram hingga 20 kilogram.

Warga Kampung Sira sudah mulai mengolah sagu menjadi berbagai jenis olahan lain, seperti mi, kue, keripik, dan cendol.

Sagu memang berlimpah di hutan mereka, tetapi selama ini belum bisa meningkatkan perekonomian warga secara signifikan.

"Harapannya dari sagu yang kami olah, penghasilan menjadi bertambah," kata Ketua Lembaga Pengelola Hutan Desa (LPHD) Alfred Kladit saat menemani kami ke hutan.

Alfred baru Desember tahun lalu mendapat pelatihan mengolah sagu menjadi beberapa alternatif makanan. Ia dan beberapa warga dikirim oleh organisasi lingkungan Greenpeace ke Sungai Tohor, Kabupaten Kepulauan Meranti, Riau, yang dikenal dengan produk sagunya hingga ke Malaysia dan Singapura.

Artikel lainnya

• CARA MUDAH MEMBUNUH POHON TANPA HARUS MENEBANG
• KEUNTUNGAN DAN KERUGIAN MENCANGKOK TANAMAN
• DAUN KARET KEBO UNTUK PENGOBATAN STROKE ALAMI
• Penyakit Rabun,Katarak,Minus Dan Plus Sembuh Dengan Kitolod

Belajar mengolah sagu

Hutan di Kampung Sira merupakan bagian dari Hutan Desa Manggroholo-Sira, Sorong Selatan. Warga Kampung Sira berhak atas 1.850 hektar.

Setelah mendapatkan hak Hutan Desa sejak setahun lalu, yang merupakan Hutan Desa pertama di Papua, mereka berupaya meningkatkan perekonomian dari hasil-hasil hutan, termasuk dari sagu.

Mereka berharap bisa mengikuti jejak masyarakat Sungai Tohor, Riau, yang sudah berhasil meningkatkan nilai ekonomi sagu dengan mengolahnya menjadi beragam makanan, bahkan pasarnya sudah meluas ke Malaysia dan Singapura.

"Kami berharap ketika kami bisa mencari pasar untuk masyarakat di kampung Manggroholo dan Sira, program sagu ini bisa secara kontinyu diproduksi oleh masyarakat," kata Juru kampanye Hutan Greenpeace Indonesia Charles Tawaru, yang selama ini mendampingi warga Manggroholo-Sira.

Olahan sagu yang akan diproses menjadi mi. 

Salah satu produk dari sagu yang sedang dicoba adalah mi sagu.

Tepung sagu yang dibawa dari hutan, diolah sampai kemudian menjadi mi. Prosesnya sebenarnya tidak begitu rumit. Tetapi alat yang dimiliki warga di Kampung Sira masih untuk skala kecil.

Produk-produk dari sagu yang dibuat masyarakat Kampung Manggroholo dan Sira baru saja dicoba dipasarkan di koperasi kampung "Koperasi Kenamandiri", di Kota Teminambuan, Kota Sorong, dan beberapa sampel di bawa ke Jakarta.

Copas :

- http://bobo.grid.id/

- (ANTARA News/Monalisa)

Yikes! My garden grew too big! What to do?

by Nan Porter

Yard with flowers and rocks

I started my garden many years ago when there was a 20 to 30 minute rain practically every afternoon.  I would expand every summer with more wildflowers and perennials.  The garden grew and grew and grew.  Then the rains stopped and I had to water by hand since we are in the country on a well. The ground around my flowers is rock hard since I only watered the plants individually.  That took about 2-3 hours every other day. I weeded, and weeded and weeded. Oh, and I got a horse that I wanted to ride.  Hmm, should I pull weeds or go ride my horse?

I had to figure out what to do.  I didn’t want to kill my sparse flowers that were significantly getting even sparser the drier the climate got.  I had used river rocks for borders.  I love rocks, collected them on walks, vacations, even got a ton for a Mother’s Day present a few years ago! 

River rock and flagstone

The answer to my dilemma: ROCKS!   I decided to fill in the borders with more river rocks. Then I decided to add rocks where there were bare or weed infested spots.  At first I only wanted river rocks, but they didn’t cover much ground.  My husband decided to jack hammer up some big rocks buried in the ground in a small pasture.  I used all the jagged pieces from the project.  I continued to look for river rocks to put in the flower garden.

Then my husband decided to make flagstone steps and there were pieces left over.  The leftover flagstone covered way more ground than the river rocks. Flagstone joined the river rocks in the flower garden.

I found a partial flat of flagstone on sale and filled more spots!   However, I still needed more.  I bought a full pallet to cover more area.  Wow, flagstone is expensive! I ran out of garden money so I will have to wait another year for more flagstone.

Overview of garden with rocks

My problem of weeding and watering is slowly getting solved with rocks! From the pictures you can see the different sizes and types of rocks I have used.  I think the different sizes and types compliment the rugged look of the garden. I still plan to add a pallet a year to the garden for a few more years.  My garden is becoming manageable!  I have time to ride and less weeding!  I still need to water.  I think my next project will be to learn how to put in a drip system!

I now have a garden of flowers and rocks!!!  (I might add some bushes next!)

Nan Porter (Master Gardener class of 2017) gardens on a well at 7100 ft.  She is a gardener, barrel racer, and photographer (Nan Porter Photography).

Weed ID and Control Class in Gilpin County

PANDUAN MUDAH MELIHAT KADAR KEASAMAN TANAH

Tanah merupakan faktor penting dalam budidaya pertanian. Selain sebagai media tanam, tanah juga berfungsi untuk menyediakan unsur-unsur hara pendukung pertumbuhan tanaman. Karena itu untuk mendukung keberhasilan usahatani penting kita ketahui kondisi tanah, apakah terlalu asam, netral atau basa. Kondisi tanah yang ideal untuk budidaya adalah pada pH netral (6-7).

pH memiliki ukuran dari 0-14, tanah dengan pH 0-7 masuk dalam kategori asam sedangkan tanah dengan pH 7-14 masuk dalam kategori basa. Tanah netral memiliki pH 7. Tanah dengan pH yang rendah ataupun tinggi akan mempersulit tanaman dalam menyerap unsur hara. Yang artinya tanaman mampu menyerap unsur hara secara optimal pada pH netral.

Banyak sekali yang menyebabkan pH tanah menjadi rendah, yaitu :

• Curah hujan yang tinggi mengakibatkan tercucinya unsur hara pada tanah, kemudian berimplikasi pada terbentuknya tanah asam,
• Adanya unsur Al (alumunium), Cu (tembaga), dan Fe (besi) yang berlebihan,
• Lahan yang tergenang air secara terus menerus karena tata drainase air yang tidak baik,
• Dekomposisi bahan organik dari dalam tanah,
• Penggunaan pupuk kimia yang berklebihan,
• Secara umum pengertian dari tanah asam / ber pH rendah adalah tanah yang kekurangan kalsium dan magnesium.

Banyak cara untuk mengetahui tanah tersebut asam atau basa, baik secara tradisional maupun menggunakan alat ukur :

Secara Tradisional

1. Cara sederhana mengetahui pH tanah di lahan pertanian asam atau tidak, cukup dengan melihat apakah di lahan tersebut terdapat tumbuhan Melastoma malabathricum. Jika tanaman tersebut tumbuh, maka mengindikasikan lahan tersebut memiliki pH asam atau dibawah 7

Melastoma malabathricum

2. Menggunakan kunyit seukuran jempol tangan. 

Potong menjadi dua bagian. Langkah berikutnya adalah mengambil sampel tanah dari empat ujung titik lahan di tambah pada bagian tengah, kemudan di aduk dalam sebuah wadah dan dibasahi dengan air. Masukkan satu bagian kunyit yang sudah dipotong ke dalam tanah ± 30 menit. Lalu angkat, kemudian perhatikan dan bandingkan warna potongan kunyit yang telah dimasukkan ke dalam adonan tanah dengan potongan yang tidak di masukkan. Jika warna kunyit menjadi pudar makan dapat dipastikan lahan tersebut memiliki kadar keasaaman tinggi atau pH di bawah 7. Jika warna kunyit tetap, pH tanahnya netral. Sedangkan, jika warna kunyit menjadi biru, maka tanah bersifat basa dengan pH di atas 7.

kunyit

Menggunakan Alat Ukur

Cara pengukuran pH secara tradisional memang tidak akurat secara tepat, sebah hanya mengetahui tanah asam, netral atau malah basa. Sehingga akan sulit memberikan perlakuan pada tanah, oleh karena itu perlu dilakukan cara pengkuran yang terukur dengan menggunakan alat. Alat yang dapat dipergunakan adalah :

1. Menggunakan kertas lakmus atau pH indicator. Langkahnya dengan mengambil sampel tanah dari keempat titik ujung lahan ditambah satu titik di tengah, kemudian dicampur rata. Selanjutnya campur dan aduk secara merata menggunakan air, dengan perbandingan 1:1.

Biarkan selama 15 menit sehingga air dan tanahnya terpisah (mengendap) dalam wadah. Lalu masukkan ujung kertas lakmus atau pH indicator tadi selama 1 menit. Usahakan jangan mengenai tanah. Setelah warna kertas lakmus stabil segera angkat. Lalu cocokkan warna yang ada pada kertas lakmus dengan bagan warna.

lakmus

2. Menggunakan pH meter dengan memasukkan ujung alat pH meter pada keempat ujung titik ditambah satu titik dari tengah lahan. Hasil yang diperoleh langsung dalam bentuk angka yang sudah dirata-ratakan. Skala keasaman tanah dapat dilihat secara langsung, sehingga mempermudah pemberian dosis dolomite atau kapur pada lahan jika lahan tersebut memiliki pH yang rendah (asam).

pH meter

Secara umum, setiap kekurangan 1 tingkat dari pH 7(netral) membutuhkan 2 Ton dolomite setiap hektar. Contoh hasil pengukuran pH tanah 5 maka untuk menaikkan menjadi 7 jika ukuran tanahnya 1Ha maka membutuhkan 4 Ton Dolomite. Pemberian dolomite dilakukan sebelum tanaman ditanam atau benih ditabur.

Daftar pustaka

Wawan K. 2015. Tabloid Sinar Tani Edisi 18-24 Maret 2015