Land Clearance and Preparation

Acknowledgment:
This guide is adapted from the Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) PNG Coffee Handbook 2016. We have simplified the content for easier understanding by farmers.

1. Drainage – Keep Your Coffee Dry and Healthy

Coffee plants do not like wet feet. Poor drainage reduces growth and yield. Most work in your garden is done by hand, so drains are manageable if properly planned.

1.1 Purpose of drains

1. Remove extra water quickly.
2. Prevent water flooding low areas.
3. Control runoff on steep slopes.
4. Keep land free from obstacles that block water flow.

1.2 Survey your land

1. Walk the land and note slope (steep or flat).
2. Mark streams, small water paths, hills, and ridges.
3. Note watercourses from neighboring land.
4. Identify soil changes (clay, loam, sand).

Tip: Use aerial photos or maps if available. Test soil with a hand auger or small pits to 1.5 m depth.

1.3 Plan your drains
Drainage depends on soil type, wetness, and land slope.

Suggested drain spacing by soil type:

1.4 Building drains

1. Mark main drains first.
2. Mark coffee planting positions.
3. Cut field drains between rows, not too close to coffee.
4. Slope sides at 25° from vertical.
5. Dig planting holes, then plant coffee.
6. Adjust drains later if needed.

1.5 Drain slope

• Too steep → soil erosion.
• Too shallow → silt buildup.

Safe slopes:

• Clay soils: 1:250
• Peat soils: 1:2000
• Small farms: up to 1:25 is workable

1.6 Drain maintenance

1. Prevent collapse with bamboo or timber walls.
2. Remove grass and silt regularly.
3. Protect outlets from pigs.

1.7 Special structures

• Gabions on steep drains.
• Culverts for roads crossing drains.
• Silt traps if sediment may pollute downstream water.

2. Clearing the Land

Where to start depends on slope:

• Sloping land: Start at the top, work down. Build a storm drain first.
• Flat land: Start where convenient, usually bottom to top.

2.1 How to clear vegetation

• Trees: Keep shade trees, remove stumps completely.
  Methods: poison, uproot with winch, bulldozer (avoid heavy machinery if possible).
• Other plants: Burn in small controlled fires. Slash grass or pitpit mechanically or manually; leave to decay or burn.

2.2 Preparing land for high-input planting

1. Plough/harrow to 25–30 cm to remove roots.
2. Repeat if needed.
3. Watch for tough weeds (e.g., couch grass) – use herbicide before planting.
4. Plant cover crops if planting is delayed:
   • Long-term: Velvet bean, Pueraria, Calopogonium
   • Short-term: Cowpea, pigeon pea, Tephrosia
5. Make roads early for tractor access.

2.3 Preparing land for low-input planting

1. Clear manually or with small tools (chainsaw).
2. Keep shade trees.
3. Remove unwanted trees and roots.
4. Grow temporary food crops (bananas, corn, legumes) but avoid sweet potato.

3. Coffee Spacing

Spacing depends on tree type, access, slope, drainage, and disease risk.

3.1 Common planting arrangements

1. Square: equal distances (e.g., 1.95 × 1.95 m → 2,631 trees/ha).
2. Rectangular/Hedgerow: unequal distances (e.g., 2.5 × 1.5 m → 2,667 trees/ha).
3. Triangular: equilateral triangle corners, 10–15% more trees.
4. Avenue: rows with wide spaces between blocks.

3.2 Recommended tree densities

• Tall Arabica: 2,500–3,000 trees/ha
• Dwarf Caturra: 3,000–4,500 trees/ha
• Dwarf Catimor: 5,000–6,500 trees/ha

4. Planting Holes

1. Size: 45 × 45 × 45 cm.
2. Keep topsoil and subsoil separate if land slopes.
3. Leave holes open 2–6 weeks for weathering.
4. If water collects, improve drainage.

Filling holes:

1. Mix 4 parts topsoil + 1 part compost/organic matter.
2. Add 50 g of TSP per hole.
3. Form a slight mound.
4. Mark with a stick.

5. Planting Coffee

1. Plant at the start of main rains.
2. Seedlings: 6–9 months old, 2–3 pairs of branches.
3. Plant upright, same depth as nursery.
4. Firm soil around roots, mound slightly for drainage.

Overgrown seedlings:

• Bend method: bend stem after 3 months, cut old stem after new shoots grow.
• Root pruning: trim bent tap root, plant normally.
• Capping: cut 5 cm above lateral branch with brown bark.

6. Intercropping

1. Grow food crops for 1–2 years while coffee establishes.
2. Advantages: maintain seedlings, provide mulch, reduce erosion, earn food/income.
3. Best crops: legumes (peanuts, wing beans), vegetables (cabbage, tomato, onion).
4. Avoid tall crops (corn) and sweet potato.
5. Keep crops at least 30 cm from coffee trees.