It is therefore important to carry out a soil analysis and develop a fertiliser programme accordingly.
Garlic responds well to organic matter, so manure or compost should be used where possible. Apart from providing nutrients, they make for a healthier crop.
Take care when sourcing plant material; disease can easily be introduced in this way. Because cloves are the initial source of nutrients for the crop, use only large cloves.
Smaller inner cloves will produce smaller bulbs.
It is strongly advisable to grade the cloves according to size. This will ensure that the bulbs are uniform and mature at the same time, making harvesting easier.
Plant the cloves about 8cm apart in the row, with an intra-row spacing of about 20cm. The precise row spacing is usually dependent on the mechanical equipment used for the crop.
The planting depth should be between 3cm and 5cm. It is best to plant with the growing tip facing upwards, but this is not essential.
Aim for a plant density of about 50 plants per square metre.
Get the plants off to a quick start in order to ensure as much growth as possible before winter. I prefer to plant in February for this reason.
Usually, the leaves will protrude from the soil between 10 days and three weeks after planting. Apply herbicide before this happens. Any product that is used for onions is suitable for garlic.
Beware of cutworm. Adding a pyrethroid to the pre-emergence herbicide is the most expedient way of dealing with this threat.
Growth will be slow in winter, particularly in cold areas. For this reason, as soon as the weather warms up in spring, stimulate the plants as much as possible by ensuring that enough nitrogen is available.
Energy factory The size of the plants will determine the size of the bulbs formed. The leaf area is the plant’s ‘energy factory’ and should be kept healthy.
Watch out for thrips. These minute insects cause small, light blotches on the leaves by scraping the epidermis and drinking the sap. They tend to be a greater problem under hot, dry conditions.
If you part the leaves at the growth point, you will find the yellow juveniles lurking here (the adults are dark).
If their population is low, thrips need not be a concern; their natural enemies should be able to deal with them. If the population increases, apply a suitable insecticide. Ensure that you use a good wetting agent with it, as the leaves are waxy and shed water.
At maturity At maturity, the plants start to die back and the cloves fill rapidly. They should be mature and filled out at lifting. Avoid harvesting them before this.
Lift the bulbs when about 50% of the plant has died back. As this stage tends to coincide with the rainy season in most areas, make sure you harvest the bulbs before they develop fungus on the outer skin.
Bill Kerr is a vegetable specialist and a breeder of a range of vegetables.
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM – COHORT SIX ACADEMIC YEAR 2020/2021
Makerere University, in partnership with Mastercard Foundation is implementing a Scholars Program to enable academically talented yet economically disadvantaged youth from Africa access quality undergraduate education. Only students admitted to Makerere University main campus from the categories specified in the advertisement are eligible to apply. A Completed form should be submitted to Senate Building Level 4, Room 402 or sent through the following email addressesinfo@mcfsp.mak.ac.ug or applications@mcfsp.mak.ac.ug Only short-listed candidates will be contacted to appear for interview. Note that the application form is NOT FOR SALE and NO PAYMENTS should be made by the applicant at any stage of the selection process. The deadline for submission is Friday 1st July 2020 at 5.00 pm. Applicants are advised to read the application guidelines below before filling in the form.
ELIGIBILITY:
ELIGIBILITY: The applicant
a) Only youth in the categories below qualify to apply: i) Refugees living in Uganda ii) Internally displaced youth iii) Students who completed the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) from schools located in Northern Uganda. iv) Students who completed the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) from schools located in Eastern Uganda.b) Must have completed A level studies in 2018 or 2019 and must not be a registered student of any other University/Institution. c) Must be admitted on private scheme to study at Makerere University main campus in the academic year 2020/2021. This means that in order to fit within the admission guidelines, all Scholarship applicants should endeavor to apply for admission when Makerere University advertises for private sponsorship. d) Must be from an economically disadvantaged background. e) Should exhibit academic excellence in either Sciences or Arts with a minimum of 11 points for young women and 13 Points for young men obtained in Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) or its equivalent obtained in 2018 and 2019. f) Must demonstrate leadership potential and have a record of community service. g) Should not be a holder of any other Scholarship.
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION FORM
A completed application should include the following:
a) Three Passport size photographs with the applicant’s name written at the back in block letters. (Paste one on the form and two should be submitted in an envelope).
b) A copy of the applicant’s Birth Certificate.c) A copy of Refugee Identity document where applicable d) A copy of the academic documents including Primary Leaving Examination, Ordinary Level, and Advanced Level Certificates. e) Photocopies of Advanced Secondary Level bank slips. f) Copies of death certificate(s) of biological parent (s) (if applicable). g) Copies of result slip for term one and two of senior six h) Hand drawn physical map of LC I /Village of residence with clear directions of how to get to the home of residence (indicate approximate distances in kilometers from the main road). i) Endorsement by the Head Teacher of the A-level School attended in Section G (signed and stamped). j) Endorsement by the LC 1 of the District of Residence in Section H (signed and stamped) k) Recommendation from the former sponsoring organization
OCCUPATION OF THE PARENTS OR GUARDIAN This information must be as detailed as possible. Scanty information will be a disadvantage to your candidature. The following categories are given as a guide but are not exhaustive.
1. If your father/mother/guardian is or was a businessperson, describe the business e.g. if he/she is a hawker, petty trader, retail trader, wholesaler or manufacturer, describe the categories of the goods he/she trades in. In addition, give the physical address of the business. 2. If your father /mother/guardian is an employee, state the position held and the organization/Ministry and the corresponding salary scale. 3. If your father/mother/guardian is or was a farmer, state whether he/she is or was a subsistence farmer, mixed/integrated/semi-commercial or commercial farmer and the type of farming i.e. whether it is keeping livestock or growing crops or a combination of both. In addition, you should estimate the number of acres on which the farming is done.
NOTE:
a) Whereas both male and female applicants are eligible, female applicants will be given priority. b) Incomplete application forms will be automatically disqualified c) All applicants or those who will submit the application form should ensure that they register in the book. d) Applications slipped under the doors of any office will NOT be accepted. e) This program exercises merit principles and zero tolerance to dishonesty. Any form of influence pedaling by anybody will lead to automatic disqualification of the applicant. f) Cases of impersonation, falsification of documents or giving false / incomplete information, whenever discovered either at the time of receiving the award or afterwards will lead to automatic cancellation of the award, refund of the money already spent on a beneficiary / prosecution in the courts of law of Uganda. g) Filling in and submitting an application form does not guarantee one a scholarship. h) Makerere University appeals to the public to be aware of fraudsters within or outside of the University, who might want to take advantage of the scholarship application process by way of selling scholarship forms or soliciting for money in the hope of securing an applicant a scholarship. Mastercard Foundation Scholarship application form is free of charge; individuals caught in the act of conning the public will be prosecuted in courts of law. i) While the scholarship is a preserve of students admitted to Makerere University, the Scholarship Coordination Office is not responsible for the requirements for admission into Makerere University. All potential Scholarship applicants should meet the necessary requirements to be admitted into the University on the private sponsorship scheme. j) Only successful applicants will be notified at every stage of the scholarship application process, and the decision of the Selection Committee will be final in the awarding of the scholarship. k) Those applicants who will not have heard from us by 28th August, 2020 should consider their application unsuccessful.
