We frequently suggest tiny alterations in the Miyawaki Model, in response to queries about whether such and such practices are right or wrong. One such query was: Is it necessary to dig the ground up to one metre in depth, remove the top soil, and then plant the saplings, or, is it okay to merely loosen the soil and plant the saplings? Our initial practice was to dig the ground up to one metre in depth and then plant the saplings. What we now recommend is that you set aside the top soil, mix ash and cow dung powder along with the soil in the pit, loosen it, put back the top soil and then plant the saplings. The reason for this is the cost factor. The standard charge of removing one metre of top soil is Rs 395 per square feet or more. That is because it is a laborious job.
Sometime back, we set up a Miyawaki forest for the government in a 6-cent plot on the Kanakakkunnu Palace grounds, free of charge. The amount of cubic feet of soil we had to shift! The advantage however was that a lorry could be stationed nearby. So transferring the soil was easily done. It could be put back without much effort too because it was not taken too far. Everything could be arranged within that same area. We filled that space with husk because the laterite soil would not allow free penetration of roots. Since then we have not done such a thing. The reason is that we had to spend more than Rs 2 lakhs per cent in that plot, which included the fence too. That was done absolutely free of charge. Even if we had collected our fee, we would not have got more than Rs 1,60,000 per cent. This means a loss of Rs 40,000 per cent.
What we do now is we loosen the soil, mix the regular ingredients and then plant the saplings. When someone asked us whether there was any difference between the two methods, we conducted an experiment here. This is my own plot. We removed the top soil and shifted it to a spot close by. We did not have to take it too far off. These are the saplings we planted in it. There is a noticeable difference in the growth rate. The growth here is tremendous. Those who can afford it, please adopt this method. The rest may follow the other method.
At Kanakakkunnu Palace grounds, we did the planting on an elaborate scale. But when the pandemic broke out, the gates to the premises were closed, and we could not gain entry there. As a result, wild creepers grew profusely and destroyed many of the plants. What remained standing were largely the invasive varieties. The growth you see now happened after we removed all the creepers. If COVID had not struck then, we would have been able to see twice the growth. Here, the top soil was removed completely before the saplings were planted. This is only four months old. The plants have grown more than 10 feet in height. This, I think, was planted last April. As you can see, the trees have shot up really fast. The peculiarity of this plot is that there is a rubber plantation to the east. That is another person’s property. Sunlight does not come from that side. To the west is a plot belonging to another person. It is full of teak trees. And on this side are my own trees, which means this forest gets sunlight only from the top. Yet they have grown well because every drop of water that falls on the ground does not flow down but rather sinks into the earth. The other reason is that this plot is filled with coir and tender coconut husk in order to retain water. The third factor is that since the soil was thoroughly loosened, the roots were able to go down easily. All the plants have grown well. Pest attack is a serious issue here. You can see it for yourself. There are plenty of cobwebs too. Each and every plant, you can see, is infested with at lease four or five insects. They are eating the leaves. Yet, on the whole, the forest has grown well.
Therefore, as far as is possible, dig a pit that is one metre deep, add the standard ingredients and plant the saplings. I admit it is a huge investment, more expensive than the other option. But the advantage is that not a single drop of water will go waste. As I have said before, Kerala receives rainfall to the tune of three lakh litres. The water which falls here will go there. The cost of putting up a forest in 1,000 sq. ft is Rs four lakhs. So, if three lakh litres of rainwater that falls here and sinks into the earth, we do not get back our money even if we peg the price of water at one rupee per litre. But in a couple of years’ time, more water than we invested in the forest will collect as groundwater. That will benefit the other plants and the soil too. Soil erosion can be stopped. Additionally, there will be the growth of the plants. The wood quality of some of the trees is really good – for instance, Indian trumpet tree, Indian rose wood, wild jack and others. All of them are growing well here.
Those of you, who can afford it, dig a pit that is one metre deep, remove the top soil, add the necessary ingredients, and then plant the saplings. Those who cannot, shift the top soil, remove the soil below it, and then plant the saplings. The growth rate may be comparatively less but we can do only what is affordable. So please try out your method.