Crop Management Guide

1. Overview

FarmSentry's crop management tools help you track every stage of crop production - from planting through harvest. Monitor inputs, costs, and yields to maximize profitability and make data-driven decisions.

What You Can Track

• Planting: Crops, varieties, planting dates, seed source, quantities, spacing
• Field Operations: Fertilization, weeding, pruning, pest control, irrigation
• Harvest: Quantities, quality grades, harvest dates, post-harvest handling
• Costs: Material, labor, and equipment costs for every activity
• Inventory: Automatic deduction of seeds, fertilizers, and other inputs

2. Field Setup

Before recording crop activities, set up your fields to organize and track crops by location.

How to Create a Field

1. Navigate to Fields from your farm dashboard
2. Click "Add Field"
3. Enter field name (e.g., "North Field", "Plot 5A")
4. Add field size (acres or hectares)
5. Optionally add:
   • Location: GPS coordinates or map marker
   • Soil type: Sandy, loamy, clay, etc.
   • Drainage: Well-drained, poor drainage, etc.
   • Current crop: What's currently growing
6. Save your field

Field Organization Tips

• Naming: Use clear, consistent names (Field 1, Field 2 or North Pasture, South Garden)
• Subdivisions: Break large fields into smaller plots for better tracking
• Rotation tracking: Update current crop as you rotate through seasons
• Historical data: Keep old fields in system to preserve historical yield data

3. Planting Activities

Record all planting activities including direct seeding, transplanting, and vegetative propagation. Track seed sources, varieties, and planting density for better crop management.

What You Can Record

• Crop & variety: Select from database or enter custom crop/variety
• Planting method: Seedlings, seeds, cuttings, bulbs, tubers
• Quantity: Number of plants, kg of seed, bags, etc.
• Area covered: Acres or hectares planted
• Spacing: Row spacing and plant spacing
• Costs: Material (seeds), labor, equipment
• Photos: Visual documentation of planting

How to Record Planting

1. Navigate to the Activities page from your dashboard
2. Click "New Activity"
3. Scroll to the "Crop Activities" section
4. Click the "Planting" button
5. Select the field where you're planting
6. Choose crop from the database or enter a custom crop name
7. Select variety or enter a custom variety name
8. Enter planting date
9. Select planting material type:
   • Seedlings (transplants)
   • Seeds (direct seeding)
   • Cuttings (vegetative)
   • Bulbs/Tubers
10. Enter quantity and select unit (pieces, kg, bags, etc.)
11. Enter area covered (acres or hectares)
12. Add spacing details (e.g., "30cm x 45cm" or "3 ft rows")
13. Record costs:
    • Material cost: Seeds, seedlings, fertilizer
    • Labor cost: Wages paid for planting
    • Equipment cost: Tractor rental, planter, etc.
14. Optionally link to inventory to auto-deduct seeds
15. Add photos of the planted field
16. Add notes about planting conditions, weather, or observations
17. Save the planting record

4. Field Operations

Track all crop maintenance activities throughout the growing season. Monitor input usage, labor, and costs to optimize crop production.

Types of Field Operations

• Fertilization: Organic, inorganic, foliar, soil amendments
• Weeding: Manual, mechanical, chemical (herbicides)
• Pest Control: Insecticides, fungicides, integrated pest management
• Pruning: Canopy management, training, thinning
• Irrigation: Drip, sprinkler, flood irrigation
• Other: Mulching, staking, trellising, pollination

How to Record Field Operations

1. Navigate to the Activities page from your dashboard
2. Click "New Activity"
3. Scroll to the "Crop Activities" section
4. Click the "Field Operations" button
5. Select the field where the operation was performed
6. Enter operation date
7. Select operation type:
   • Fertilization
   • Weeding
   • Pest Control
   • Pruning
   • Irrigation
   • Other
8. Enter product name (fertilizer, herbicide, pesticide, etc.)
9. Record quantity used and unit (kg, liters, bags, etc.)
10. Add application method:
    • Fertilization: Broadcast, banding, foliar spray, fertigation
    • Pest Control: Spray, dust, granular, bait
    • Weeding: Hand, hoe, cultivator, herbicide
11. Record costs:
    • Material cost: Fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide
    • Labor cost: Wages for field work
    • Equipment cost: Sprayer rental, tractor, etc.
12. Optionally link to inventory to auto-deduct inputs
13. Add photos of field conditions or application
14. Add notes about weather, crop stage, or effectiveness
15. Save the field operation record

Fertilization Best Practices

• Soil testing: Test soil before fertilizing to determine nutrient needs
• Timing: Apply at key growth stages (planting, flowering, fruiting)
• Split applications: Divide nitrogen applications into multiple doses
• NPK ratios: Match fertilizer formula to crop requirements
• Organic options: Compost, manure, green manure, bone meal

5. Harvest Tracking

Record harvest quantities, quality grades, and post-harvest handling. Track yields per field to evaluate performance and plan future seasons.

What You Can Record

• Harvest quantity: Weight or count of produce harvested
• Quality grades: Premium, standard, seconds, culls
• Harvest date: Timing relative to planting date
• Moisture content: For grains and some crops
• Post-harvest handling: Storage, processing, sales
• Costs: Labor and equipment for harvesting

Crop-Specific Harvest Features

How to Record Harvest

1. Navigate to the Activities page from your dashboard
2. Click "New Activity"
3. Scroll to the "Crop Activities" section
4. Click the "Harvest" button
5. Select the field being harvested
6. Enter harvest date
7. Record quantity harvested with appropriate unit (kg, tons, bags, crates)
8. Break down by quality grade if applicable:
   • Premium/Grade A: Top quality, highest market value
   • Standard/Grade B: Good quality, normal market price
   • Seconds/Grade C: Lower quality, reduced price
   • Culls/Waste: Unmarketable, composted or discarded
9. For specific crops, enter additional data:
   • Coffee: Processing method, cherry-to-parchment ratio
   • Grains: Moisture content, test weight
   • Sugarcane: Cut number (plant, 1st ratoon, 2nd ratoon)
10. Record costs:
    • Labor cost: Harvest crew wages
    • Equipment cost: Combine, trucks, crates, bags
11. Add post-harvest notes:
    • Storage location and conditions
    • Processing or packaging details
    • Sales destination (market, processor, direct sales)
12. Add photos of harvested produce
13. Save the harvest record

6. Best Practices & Tips

Crop Rotation Planning

• Rotate crop families: Avoid planting same family consecutively (Solanaceae, Brassicas, Legumes)
• Include legumes: Nitrogen-fixing crops improve soil fertility
• Cover crops: Plant between cash crops to prevent erosion and add organic matter
• Track history: Review field activity history before planning next crop
• 4-year cycle: Typical rotation length to break pest/disease cycles

Cost Tracking for Profitability

• Record all costs: Material, labor, equipment for every activity
• Link to inventory: Auto-calculate material costs from inventory prices
• Calculate per-acre costs: Track total costs per field to identify efficiency
• Compare to revenue: Subtract costs from harvest value to calculate profit
• Identify high-cost activities: Optimize operations with highest expenses

Seasonal Planning

• Plan ahead: Schedule planting based on last frost date and growing season length
• Succession planting: Stagger planting dates for continuous harvest
• Weather monitoring: Track weather patterns to optimize planting and harvest timing
• Review past seasons: Analyze previous year's data to improve planning
• Set reminders: Create tasks for fertilization, pest scouting, and harvest

Data-Driven Decisions

• Compare varieties: Track yields by variety to identify top performers
• Analyze field performance: Identify fields with consistently high or low yields
• Monitor input efficiency: Calculate fertilizer response and pesticide effectiveness
• Benchmark against standards: Compare your yields to regional averages
• Export reports: Generate season summaries for loan applications or certifications