Edible fern plantation during rainy season 2018

The original article is in English

The water reservoir at the farm level, or “farm pond”, excavated in 2016, not only provides water during the dry season in the following years but also improves the drainage from the plantation area during the rainy season, particularly in 2017. We are in the middle of the 2018 rainy season in September. We have started discharging excess water from plantation areas using our farm pond as an internal balance tank to control the water level in the grooved land from different plantation areas and reserve water for the dry season of 2019. The soil surrounding a farm pond retained more moisture in 2018 than in 2016, even during the dry season. Redwater spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk., ผักบุ้งนาก้านแดง) spread since the rain started.

Early in 2018, we excavated another plantation area to connect, level, and circulate water for the entire BTLLAgroforestry farm. As the hardwood and fast-growing trees grow taller and provide shade, we have seen more varieties of indigenous plants. Some are weeds, and some are edible. The indigenous water plants include water lilies of different varieties (Nymphaea lotus, บัวสายและบัวผัน), water sprite or Indian fern (Ceratopteris thalictroides (L.) Brongn (กูดเขากวาง) and red water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk., ผักบุ้งนาก้านแดง). Although we let our neighbours harvest the red water spinach to sell at a local market for their income, we are particularly interested in the water sprite or Indian fern (Ceratopteris thalictroides (L.) Brongn) as an indicator of soil and water qualities.

Most vegetable ferns grow slowly or do not grow in soil containing agrochemicals, one edible fern, Diplazium esculentum (ผักกูด), in particular. We have decided to plant this type of edible fern close to the drainage groove and under fruit trees, fast-growing trees and hardwood trees to ensure it gets enough water and a lot of shade. Hopefully, the species succession of plants, so-called syntropic agriculture, at BTLLAgroforestry could generate nutritious, safe food and sustainable income.