Next up, we headed for Kajang, Selangor to visit Mr Izzudin at his farm. He inherited this piece of land from his father and decided to start planting some local fruits for his family to enjoy at home.
The reason he started his farming journey was actually because durian prices were rising, and he wanted to find a more sustainable way of enjoying his favorite fruit while having the enjoyment of growing it himself.
Besides durian, his farm is home to rambutan, banana, nangka, and lemon trees among others.
Mr. Izzudin: My land has a minor fungal infection which spreads across my crops.
Agronomist: This is possibly due to having a lot of weeds on land which further supports fungal growth & spreading. Your trimmed branches should also be properly discarded away from your trees next time to avoid fungal growth.
Mr. Izzudin: Is there a way I can trim my trees better? Pruning is a challenge to me because the trees are very tall & the weather is hot.
Agronomist: Too many leaves without airflow will cause bugs to gather, leading to malnutrition of the leaves inside. Leaves underneath can't get sufficient sunlight but still consumes the fertilizer & water, hence it is a waste of valuable resources.
Best practice: Trimmed branches need to apply antifungal/ waterproof cream to prevent wound infections. Small branches facing down should be trimmed and discarded.
Mr. Izzudin: Some of my durian trees are experiencing stunted growth. What is the reason?
Agronomist: This may be due to the root not growing well which affects the overall plant growth. Use organic fertilizers like humic acid to promote root growth. Fulvic can also be used for leaf growth, its particles are smaller and so it can be easily absorbed by leaves.
Mr. Izzudin: My black thorn durian tree leaves have black spots that turn yellow. How should I treat it?
Agronomist: This is signs of a fungal infection, my recommendation is to use Bayer Nativo to treat it.
Mr. Izzudin: My Mardi D78 durian tree has been growing for 3 years already, but it hasn’t been fruiting yet. The leaves also look yellow. Why is that?
Agronomist: You need fertilizer with high Nitrogen content. When you apply this fertilizer, dig a hole and put the fertilizer inside in order to prevent waste. Don’t just leave the fertilizer on the soil surface as it might wash away easily with rain.
Mr. Izzudin: My Nangka trees have also started fruiting, what should I do?
Agronomist: At this stage it needs fertilizer with high P (Phosphorus) and K (Potassium) content. You can also cover the new fruits with fruit bags to prevent damage from animals.
Before we left, we were able to sit down with Mr Izzudin to interview Mr Izzudin and gain his insights on his current farming journey, struggles, and how he utilizes Farm Doktor's platform and community to gain more knowledge to further improve his farm. Watch the full interview below:
Special thanks to Mr Izzudin for allowing us to pay a visit to his lovely farm. If you would like for us to visit your farm next, feel free to contact us on WhatsApp at +603-9213 0863.