Questions about planting, watering, pests and daily reporting on a small farm.

• When is the best time to plant in General Santos City?

  General Santos City has a wet season and a dry season rather than cold and hot years. Many growers plant as the heavy rains ease, so young crops still find moisture in the soil but mature in drier, sunnier weather. Land preparation starts earlier so the beds are ready the moment the rain lightens.

• What grows well on a small farm here?

  Fast vegetables do well: sitaw, bataw, okra, ampalaya, upo, talong, kamatis, pechay and kangkung. Cassava, banana and pineapple also thrive with little care. Legumes and root crops are the safest start when the soil and the water supply are still unknown.

• How should a farm prepare for strong wind and heavy rain?

  Before the wet months: clear the ditches so water drains away, put supports under tall crops, harvest what is nearly ready, and move tools and supplies under cover. After a storm, walk the plots, remove standing water, and take out damaged plants before disease sets in. General Santos City sits south of the path most typhoons take, but strong wind and heavy rain still reach Mindanao.

• How often should I water in the dry months?

  Water early in the morning so the leaves dry before nightfall. Most vegetable beds need water every day or every other day in the dry season, less in the shade and more on sandy soil. Check with your hand: if the top two centimetres feel dry, the bed needs water.

• What should a caretaker report each day?

  A photo of the plot, what was planted, watered, weeded or fed, what was harvested, and anything unusual — insects, yellowing leaves, a broken pipe or an animal in the beds. Short daily notes make the weekly report easy and show the owner real progress.

• How do I handle ants, beetles and caterpillars without harming ducks?

  Start without chemicals: pick beetles and caterpillars off by hand, rinse aphids with water, clear fallen fruit and weeds, and use nets or row covers. Diatomaceous earth and soapy water help on the ground, applied in the evening away from flowering plants. If a product is needed, check that it is registered with the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, follow the label exactly, keep ducks off the treated area until it is safe, and never mix products.

• How do I know if the soil needs fertilizer?

  Look at the plant first: pale or yellowing older leaves, stunted growth and poor fruiting often mean the soil is short of nitrogen or potassium. Compost and well-rotted manure improve the soil slowly and cheaply; add a balanced fertilizer only when a crop clearly needs a boost, and water it in.

• How do caretakers get access to the farm?

  Each caretaker creates their own account with their own email and password and confirms the link sent to their email. The owner then adds that email to the farm. A caretaker then sees only the farms they are assigned to.

• Can an owner abroad really manage the farm from a phone?

  Yes. The caretaker sends photos and notes from the field, the owner approves expenses, assigns tasks, checks the calendar and reads the weekly report from anywhere. What a phone cannot do is replace a visit: important decisions still need a trusted person on the ground.