Paddy Culture of Ornamental Plants in Bogor

MANILA, Philippines - Bogor, Indonesia is one of the major producers of ornamental plants. The Rice paddy areas are vast and irrigated. The rice farmers are some of the best growers of ornamental in this region. Any available area is planted. Small marginal areas that are slightly shady may not grow rice well, so they converted these small areas into ornamental plant factories.

Ferns, Begonias and Caladiums are all grown in paddy clay in make-shift greenhouses. The plants are propagated and planted directly in the paddy soil and generally harvested within 6 months. That makes 2 cropping a year. 

Plants are irrigated through shallow trenches dug around the plot where the plants are. Bamboo structures hold the plastic in place to prevent over watering during rainy season. Plants are free of diseases because the foliage never gets wet nor watered. Everything is sub-irrigated. Minor weeding at the start of the month is all that is needed to keep the place clean.

The cheapest fertilizers are plowed into the soil during preparation. Occasional pesticide application is done as the need arises.

Farmers earn up to $150. per harvest of plants from a 50 sq. meter area for 6 months or $300 for the whole year for 50 meter square area; $6/m2/yr or $60,000/hectare/year.  

Buyers are local plant traders and growers catering to the landscape trade.