Sowing is the process of planting seeds. An area that has had seeds planted in it will be described as a sowed or sown area. When sowing it is important to:
22-571: A windbreak (shelterbelt) is a planting usually made up of one or more rows of trees or shrubs planted in such a manner as to provide shelter from the wind and to protect soil from erosion . They are commonly planted in hedgerows around the edges of fields on farms . If designed properly, windbreaks around a home can reduce the cost of heating and cooling and save energy . Windbreaks are also planted to help keep snow from drifting onto roadways or yards. Farmers sometimes use windbreaks to keep snow drifts on farm land that will provide water when
44-516: A minimum at a distance of about 3 to 5 times the windbreak's height. Beyond that point wind speed recovers, aided by the overlying, faster-moving stream. From the perspective of the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations , these effects can be understood as resulting from the loss of momentum caused by the drag of leaves and branches and would be represented by the body force f i (a distributed momentum sink). Windbreaks reduce
66-480: A result, the airstream approaching the barrier is interrupted, and a portion of it moves over the barrier, resulting in a jet of higher wind speed. The remainder of the airstream then moves through the barrier to its edge downstream, pushed along by the decrease in pressure across the shelterbelt's width; as it emerges again, that airstream is interrupted further as its air pressure adjusts to the surrounding area. This results in slower wind speed further downwind, reaching
88-433: A treatment prior to the sowing process. This treatment may be seed scarification , stratification , seed soaking or seed cleaning with cold (or medium hot) water. Seed soaking is generally done by placing seeds in medium hot water for at least 24 to up to 48 hours Seed cleaning is done especially with fruit, as the flesh of the fruit around the seed can quickly become prone to attack from insects or plagues. Seed washing
110-535: Is also assisted when a disease-free soil is used. Especially when trying to germinate difficult seed (e.g. certain tropical fruit), prior treatment of the soil (along with the usage of the most suitable soil; e.g. potting soil , prepared soil or other substrates ) is vital. The two most used soil treatments are pasteurisation and sterilisation . Depending on the necessity, pasteurisation is to be preferred as this does not kill all organisms. Sterilisation can be done when trying to grow truly difficult crops. To pasteurise
132-402: Is generally done by submerging cleansed seeds 20 minutes in 50 degree Celsius water. This (rather hot than moderately hot) water kills any organisms that may have survived on the skin of a seed. Especially with easily infected tropical fruit such as lychees and rambutans , seed washing with high-temperature water is vital. In addition to the mentioned seed pretreatments, seed germination
154-440: Is placed over the seeds, as seeds can be generally sown into the soil by maintaining a planting depth of about 2-3 times the size of the seed. For hand sowing, several sowing types exist; these include: Several patterns for sowing may be used together with these types; these include: Hand sowing or (planting) is the process of casting handfuls of seed over prepared ground: broadcasting, that is, broadcast seeding (from which
176-408: Is proportional to wind speed cubed, a reduction of wind speed of 1/2 (for example) will reduce erosion by 87.5%. Sheltered, windless areas created by windbreaks are called wind shadows. Windbreaks can mitigate the effects of pesticide drift . When wind encounters a porous obstacle, such as a windbreak or shelterbelt, air pressure increases on the windward side and decreases on the leeward side. As
198-547: Is simpler, faster, and easier than traditional row sowing. Broadcast seeding works best for plants that do not require singular spacing or that are more easily thinned later. After broadcasting, seed is often lightly buried with some type of raking action, often done using vertical tillage tools. Utilizing these tools increases the success rate of germination by increasing seed-to-soil contact. Seeds sown in this manner are distributed unevenly, which may result in overcrowding. This method may not ensure that all seeds are sown at
220-439: Is typical, though rates vary considerably depending on crop species, soil conditions, and farmer's preference. Excessive rates can cause the crop to lodge, while too thin a rate will result in poor utilisation of the land, competition with weeds and a reduction in the yield . Open-field planting refers to the form of sowing used historically in the agricultural context whereby fields are prepared generically and left open, as
242-469: Is volumetric in nature; individual seeds are not counted. Rows are typically about 10–30 cm apart, depending on the crop species and growing conditions. Several row opener types are used depending on soil type and local tradition. Grain drills are most often drawn by tractors , but can also be pulled by horses . Pickup trucks are sometimes used, since little draft is required. A seed rate of about 100 kg of seed per hectare (2 bushels per acre)
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#1733086115580264-474: The technological term is derived). Usually, a drag or harrow is employed to incorporate the seed into the soil. Though labor-intensive for any but small areas, this method is still used in some situations. Practice is required to sow evenly and at the desired rate. A hand seeder can be used for sowing, though it is less of a help than it is for the smaller seeds of grasses and legumes . Hand sowing may be combined with pre-sowing in seed trays . This allows
286-485: The correct depth. Incorrect depth, if too deep, would result in germination that would not allow the young plant to break the surface of the soil and prevent sprouting. If they are not sown evenly then there would be a lack of various nutrients from sunlight, oxygen, et cetera, in many crops or plants. Not all seeds are good candidates for broadcast seeding. Often, only smaller seeds will sprout and continue to grow successfully when planted by way of broadcasting. In general,
308-464: The crops from the wind. Alley cropping has been particularly successful in India, Africa, and Brazil, where coffee growers have combined farming and forestry. A further use for a shelterbelt is to screen a farm from a main road or motorway. This improves the farm landscape by reducing the visual incursion of the motorway, mitigating noise from the traffic and providing a safe barrier between farm animals and
330-418: The larger the seed, the deeper it can be planted. Broadcasting is used in areas of low rainfall and low soil fertility. It is a seeding method often used in areas that are too heavily sloped or wet to use mechanical seeding methods. Broadcast seeding may be suited for seeding smaller plots that are less than 1 acre (0.4047 hectares) in area. It has the potential for loss of seeds and the yield can be low, so it
352-557: The name suggests, before being sown directly with seed. The seed is frequently left uncovered at the surface of the soil before germinating and therefore exposed to the prevailing climate and conditions like storms etc. This is in contrast to the seedbed method used more commonly in domestic gardening or more specific (modern) agricultural scenarios where the seed is applied beneath the soil surface and monitored and manually tended frequently to ensure more successful growth rates and better yields. Before sowing, certain seeds first require
374-400: The plants to come to strength indoors during cold periods (e.g. spring in temperate countries). In agriculture , most seed is now sown using a seed drill , which offers greater precision; seed is sown evenly and at the desired rate. The drill also places the seed at a measured distance below the soil, so that less seed is required. The standard design uses a fluted feed metering system, which
396-475: The road. Fences called "windbreaks" are also used. Normally made from cotton , nylon , canvas , and recycled sails, windbreaks tend to have three or more panels held in place with poles that slide into pockets sewn into the panel. The poles are then hammered into the ground and a windbreak is formed. Windbreaks or "wind fences" are used to reduce wind speeds over erodible areas such as open fields, industrial stockpiles, and dusty industrial operations. As erosion
418-526: The snow melts in the spring. Other benefits include contributing to a microclimate around crops (with slightly less drying and chilling at night), providing habitat for wildlife, and, in some regions, providing wood if the trees are harvested. Windbreaks and intercropping can be combined in a farming practice referred to as alley cropping , or being deployed along riparian buffer stripes. Fields are planted in rows of different crops surrounded by rows of trees. These trees provide fruit, wood, or protect
440-519: The soil, the soil is heated for 15 minutes in an oven of 120 °C. Broadcast seeding In agriculture , gardening , and forestry , broadcast seeding is a method of seeding that involves scattering seed , by hand or mechanically , over a relatively large area . This is in contrast to: Broadcast seeding is of particular use in establishing dense plant spacing, as for cover crops and lawns . In comparison to traditional drill planting, broadcast seeding will require 10–20% more seed. It
462-422: The wind's average air speed and make it less variable, resulting in the wind mixing less effectively than it does upwind. Additionally, all these changes to the wind's behavior result in changes to the region's environment. For instance, the surface energy budget of the ground may be impacted, as the slowed wind dissipates heat from the sun less effectively; this trend may reverse further downwind, and about 8 times
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#1733086115580484-522: The windbreak's height downstream, the windbreak may result in cooler surface temperatures. Planting Among the major field crops, oats , wheat , and rye are sown, grasses and legumes are seeded and maize and soybeans are planted. In planting, wider rows (generally 75 cm (30 in) or more) are used, and the intent is to have precise; even spacing between individual seeds in the row, various mechanisms have been devised to count out individual seeds at exact intervals. In sowing, little if any soil
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