First of all, in the rural area where I grew up, the leasing of farmland is basically done for just one farming season, and after that, the owner takes back their land. Because of this, we only plant crops that last for a year. We do not use irrigation since it would be a waste of resources installing such a system for land that will only be used for a year.
However, in the city where I currently reside, the leasing of land is for a longer period, although it is still difficult to secure land that will last for up to ten years. This is the case with the land we are currently using for farming. It was given (leased) to my boss for just five years, and after the first set of pepper he planted, he decided, based on advice, to plant other crops before returning to pepper planting in order to help stabilise the soil.
So, corn was planted, and I visited the farm this morning as early as 7 a.m. to weed out grasses and spray chemicals. The corn, the improved 'agric' type, not the local breed, was planted in the same spots on the ridges where peppers were previously planted. This was done after the pepper plants had been uprooted and cleared from the land.
The plants are growing well. Water is being supplied regularly since there is already an irrigation system installed on the farm. Fertilisers and manures are also being applied consistently to maintain proper growth.
The farmland is divided into two sections. While one part is being used to grow corn, the other part, which was not previously used, is now being used for pepper cultivation. There will be a switch soon because the existing pepper plants are gradually becoming worn out. Yes, they have produced about three times already. Although they have just started producing new flowers, I am very sure this will be their final yield in their lifespan.
The corn will take at most five months to mature and produce its harvest, and when it is done, the plants will be uprooted to allow for pepper planting again.
I believe that about two years of the lease have already passed, leaving just three years before the land is taken back. Maximum utilisation will therefore be employed for the remaining three years.
Thanks for reading.
Photos used are mine