Site Visit At Manikata Rural Heritage
Michaela Mifsud St.Michael Foundation
Site Visit At Manikata Rural Heritage
St.Michael Foundation
Introduction: Short history on Manikata: In July 2005, a group of local farmers and residents joined together to set up the Kumitat għall-Ħarsien Rurali ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa (Committee for the Safeguard of Rural Life in Għajn Tuffieħa). Their main aim was to protect the environment of Manikata and Għajn Tuffieħa. Nowadays this cooperation is working on four different projects. These are: the running of the Rural Heritage Trail, the restoration of the Razzet tal-Qasal, the restoration of the Armoury and the promotion of local produce and of typical food. The site visit was held on the 22nd November 2016. During this site visit several different areas around the Manikata Rural Heritage were visited. These included the greenhouses, the garigue trail and also a farm where various animals were kept.
Figure 1- Lamb at Manikta Rural Heritage farm.
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Site Visit At Manikata Rural Heritage
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Part 1: Visit to the Greenhouses: ď ś Two types of Maltese soil were mentioned during the site visit to Manikata Rural Heritage, the red soil and the white soil. Red Soil: The red soil (also known as Terra Rossa soil) is a red clay soil which is taken from both lower coralline limestone but mainly from upper coralline limestone. It is red in colour due to the high presence of iron oxide and it also has a calcium carbonate content of 2-15%. The red soil has a low humus content, which however is still higher than most types of soil, making it rich in nutrients. White Soil: White soil is the result of the deterioration of the upper coralline limestone. Due to the increased presence of the calcium carbonate, the soil appears to be white. Trees are the best type of vegetation which grow in white soil, since white soil drains water easily. ď ś At the Manikata Rural Heritage, two types of manure, animal manure and green manure were discussed. Animal Manure: Animal manure is a form of a natural fertiliser which is taken from animal faeces. This manure is an organic type of manure which has to be used before planting. Before use, the animal manure has to be allowed to set for 6 months as this type of manure releases a lot of nitrates which is not good for the soil. Animal manure can be used in specific times of the year. It can only be used in March (to grow the summer crops) and in September (to grow the winter crops). The advantage of using this manure is that it’s a renewable source which is biodegradable and also eco-friendly. A disadvantage of using this manure is that it takes long in order to see a result. Green Manure: Green manure is an organic type of manure which is made up of a mixture of legumes, cereals (beans, wheat, barley) and also decomposed plants. This type of natural fertiliser helps regenerate the soil by adding back what has been lost from the soil by the rain. An advantage of using this manure is that it improves soil aeration and also improves the soils fertility. Some disadvantages of using this type of manure is that depending upon the season, the amount of microbes present which release nutrients may be affected as moisture is a necessity for them.
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Site Visit At Manikata Rural Heritage
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During the site visit, it was noted that a drip irrigation system was used throughout the crops. The drip irrigation system is the best system farmers found to help regulate water throughout the crops. This involves dripping water into the soil from small plastic pipes with outlets called emitters at very slow rates. These pipes are placed in lines close to the soil so that only the roots will get wet and not the entire plant as they would if the farmers used sprinklers. The main advantage of the drip irrigation system is that it gives plants time to absorb water slowly and so the crops will not get water logged.
Figure 2: Drip irrigation system at Manikata Rural Heritage.
One main component that helps when using the drip irrigation system is covering the crops with cloches (black plastic). This helps keep the soil damp. Therefore instead of having to water the crops daily one will have to water the plants every 3-4 days. Also, since no light penetrates the cloches, water won’t evaporate. On the other hand, if the crops were uncovered they would have to be watered every day. Also the use of cloches, prevent the growth of weeds around the crops and also helps reduce competition between the crops. Soil erosion: Soil erosion is the natural process in which all types of landforms are affected. In agriculture soil erosion makes reference to the deterioration of the field`s top soil due the different types of weather. The forces which contribute to soil erosion include water, wind or even human activities such as tillage and construction. There are various ways in which one can prevent soil erosion but the simplest and most natural way is through planting vegetation. This is because the plants will grow out a root system which will help to stabilize the soil and thus preventing soil erosion. Another way in which soil erosion may be prevented is by the
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use of retaining walls. When retaining walls are built around the area, they will prevent soil erosion by decreasing water run off (which leads to an increase in soil erosion). ď ś Fertilizer Fertilizer can be of two types: natural (animal manure and green manure) or chemical. A fertilizer is needed by the soil in order to increase its fertility. The three main nutrients which are found in large quantities in most fertilizers are nitrates, phosphates and potassium. Also in fertilizers one may also find some trace elements such as zinc and iron. Nitrates:- Nitrates are important in fertilizers as they help the plant have green healthy leaves. When planting leafy vegetables such as cabbages and lettuce, the fertilizer used must have a greater concentration in nitrates than the other two main components of the fertilizer, phosphates and potassium. Phosphates:- Phosphates are very important in fertilizers as they help the plant maintain healthy roots (in order to absorb water). When planting root vegetables such as potatoes, the concentration of phosphates in the fertilizer should be greater than that of nitrates and potassium. Potassium:- Potassium is needed in fertilizers when growing flowering plants because it helps in producing the best flowers. It is very important to note that with no flowers no fruit would be produced. When planting flowering plants, it is important to note that the concentration of potassium should be greater than that of the nitrates and phosphates. Farmers have to add fertilizers on a regular basis to the crops as the nutrients are constantly being used up by the plant. The frequency in which the fertilizer is added to the crops depends on the type of season. In the summer time (dry season) the fertilizer would have to be added less frequently (every month) than in the winter time (wet season) which would be added every 15 days. This is because during the wet season due to the heavy amounts of rainfall the nutrients added by the fertilizer would be removed by the rain. An advantage of adding chemical fertilizers to crops is that one can adapt each fertilizer according to the crop one is trying to grow. So one will know what one is adding to the plant rather than having to guess the composition like in organic fertilizers. A disadvantage of adding chemical fertilizers to your crops is that they are more expensive than organic fertilizers and they might also contain chemicals which may be harmful to the respiratory system and the skin. They may also kill any potential pollinators.
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Crop Rotation Crop rotation is when an area is not used season after season, year after year, for the same type of crop. For example, one year, in a specific area wheat is planted. Wheat gives off nitrates which are needed by leafy vegetables. So after the wheat cycle, leafy vegetables should be planted in that very same area since the soil would be rich in nitrates. The next year after all the leafy vegetables have grown, the soil wouldn’t be very rich in nitrates since it would have been used up by the crops of the year before. So instead of replanting the leafy vegetables again, root vegetables should be planted. This is done because the soil would be lacking nitrates but it would still have a very high concentration of phosphates, thus favouring the growth of root vegetables. An advantage of using crop rotation is that the reliance of chemical fertilizers is reduced and also another advantage is that crop rotation retains the fertility of the soil. Greenhouse A green house is used in order to grow plants which favour warm weather, as cold weather can stop their growth. For example, a green house is used to grow summer crops in the winter. A greenhouse is made out of thick transparent plastic, which allows heat from the sun rays to pass through, heating up the ground and eventually the heat will rise. An important thing to note about a greenhouse is that it doesn’t let any heat escape.
Figure 3- Green house present at Manikata
In Malta, greenhouses are only used in the winter time because during summer, the sun radiates enough heat for the crops that require warm temperatures. It was noted that the doors of the greenhouses were made of netting with small holes. This is done in order to allow the air to flow through the greenhouse and also to control the humidity. As a biological pest control, yellow mats were hung on the ceilings of the greenhouses. The pests are attracted to the mats instead of attacking the crops growing in the greenhouses. Pests are attracted to the mats due to its bright yellow colour and also due to its strong smell of pollen. When the pests approach the yellow mats they get stuck to the mat because the mats are extremely sticky. One pest which the yellow mats attract is the white fly. This is very helpful as one can recognize which pests are a threat to the plants and will be able to control them.
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Figure 4- Inside of a greenhouse incuding the yellow mats.
The three most common pests in the green house were the whitefly (sap-sucking pest which are normally found on the underside of the leaves in large groups), aphids (small insects with soft bodies which can survive almost anywhere) and spider mites (miniature sapsucking pests, if they are found in large groups they may potentially kill the plant). Another biological pest control that can be used, is basil which is planted on the sides of the green house. The is done beacuse basil’s intense smell and presence of oil repels pests. A pest, which not too long ago was a threat to the Manikata Rural Heritage was the Tuta absoluta. The Tuta absoluta is a pest which attacks tomatoes. One method which was used to get rid of the pest was by putting a shallow tray filled with water in the greenhouse and adding artificial female pheromones to the water. The pheromones would produce a smell identical to the smell a female Tuta absoluta would produce when they’re ready to mate. This smell attracts the male insects which will then get stuck in the water. This will stop the process of reproduction as all the male Tuta absoluta will die out. ď ś Pollination Pollination is the transfer of pollen (with male gametes) from the stamen (anther) to the carpel (specifically the stigma). The most common pollinators are the bumblebees and the honeybees. At Manikata, farmers make use of bumblebees to pollinate their flowers. This is because bumblebees can be used all year round while honeybees can only be used in hot weather. Also bumblebees are less prone to disease when in comparison to honeybees.
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Part 2: Visit to the Garigue landscape: In Malta, there are 4 types of ecological successions:o Steppe - First stage of ecological succession Steppe is made up mostly of herbaceous plants like grasses, fennel and the wild carrot. It is an area without trees and made up of annuals (plants that live up to one year). o Garigue - Second stage of ecological succession. This ecosystem is mostly made up low-lying shrubs which can survive through drought and exposure. It is also characteristic of rocky regions. A type of plant that grows in the garigue ecosystem is the Mediterranean thyme whilst an example of maritime garigue is the endemic Maltese sea Lavender. Garigue is the most common ecosystem present in Malta. o Maquis – Third stage of ecological succession. Locally this ecosystem consists mostly of large shrubs and small trees. Examples of plants present include the Carob tree, the Olive tree, the Wild Fig, the Wild Almond and the Lentisk. Maquis is usually found on the sides of valleys where enough water to support the trees is necessary. Climbers eg Ivy are also found in this ecosystem. o Woodland – Fourth stage of ecological succession. This ecosystem develops from Maquis and includes the highest type of vegetation. In Malta very few areas are left and examples of trees present are Holm Oak and Aleppo Pine. Buskett is a small woodland in Malta and trees like Aleppo pine, Evergreen Oak, the Olive and Carob grow naturally. The upper coralline limestone present in the garigue landscape does not crumple into soil but its forms large boulders and holes which will eventually fill up with soil. These pockets of soil will then serve as habitats for new plants. The three plants which are commonly found in the garigue landscape are the:
Sea squill- (scientific name: Urginea pancration):
The sea squill grows from a large bulb. When the soil is very shallow it is exposed to predators but avoids being eaten by predators because of its bitter taste. The sea squill survives dry periods (beginning of summer) as an underground bulb and at the end of summer the plant uses some of the food stored in the bulb to produce
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Figure 5- Sea squill
Site Visit At Manikata Rural Heritage
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flowers and seeds. In this way the sea squill has adapted to live in a garigue landscape. 
Fennel- (scientific name: Foeniculum vulgare):
The fennel plant can grow up to 2.5 metres high and has feathery leaves with yellow flowers. The flowers bloom throughout the summer and therefore seeds start to form. When the wet seasons starts, the seeds ripen, dry out and eventually fall on the ground. When winter starts approaching the plant dies and only hollow stems are left. The plant blossoms as spring approaches and therefore this is one of the only plants that can thrive through a rainless summer. In this way the fennel has adapted to a garigue landscape.
Figure 6- Fennel

Thyme- (scientific name: Thymbra capitata):
The thyme plant is a shrub which is aromatic thus releases scented oils which forms a waterproof layer over its leaves. This layer prevents water loss and also prevents the plant from drying up, thus adapting to the garigue landscape.
Figure 7- Thyme
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ď ś Carob tree The carob trees growing in the garigue area were short when compared to normal carob trees growing in woodland areas. This is because the soil in which the carob trees were growing was very shallow and therefore it could not extend its roots. As a result of this, the carob trees don’t grow very large since they grow in proportion with its roots.
Figure 8- Carob trees
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Part 3: Visit to the Animal Farm: Endemic species:- Are species which are only found in a specific country (eg. Widnet ilBaħar- which is the Maltese national plant) Indigenous species:- Are species which are found in a specific climate (eg. Olive tree is found in a Mediterranean type of climate). Alien species:- Are species which are not found in a specific eco system but they were introduced in one. These species will take over the endemic species (eg. Tuta absoluta). There were two types of indigenous plants mentioned during the visit the Carob tree and the Olive tree: 
Carob tree:
The Carob tree is indigenous to the Mediterranean climate. The carob tree is a large tree that can grow up to 15metres high in the time span of 50 years. It does not produce fruit in the first 15 years of its life. This tree produces carob pods which look like green broad beans but turn brown when they ripen. The dark green shiny leaves help the tree to live throughout the dry summer months as they help conserve water. Although the tree is evergreen it sheds leaves all year round, making the soil beneath it very fertile.
Figure 9- Carob Trees
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Olive tree:
Olive trees are indigenous to the Mediterranean climate. Olive trees can grow in any type of soil but only if its 3 metres deep. In order to produce olives these trees need a lot of sunshine and thus making ideal for the Maltese type of climate. There are a couple of endemic species found only in Malta. These include the pyramidal orchid (which can grow up to 30cm high and whose flowers vary between bright-pink to deep red), the Maltese salt-tree (the plant normally grows to a height of 2.5m and the leaves are small and succulent). The Sandarac Gum Tree (the tree can grow up to 15m high, it is an evergreen tree and contains small scale-like leaves. The female cones found on the tree are divided in four and are present all year) is also endemic to Malta. The Eucalyptus tree is an example of an alien species. The Eucalyptus tree can be dangerous to the Maltese wild life as the leaves are toxic and will make the Maltese soil infertile. To prevent infection and infestation of Olives trees, farmers use the weevil. In order to prevent any pests from crawling up from the soil onto the leaves, farmers, tightly place wool around the trunk of the Olive tree. Since pests are very small, short distances tire them out easily, so by the time they reach the wool around the trunk they will be too tired to go round the wool and will just get stuck.
Figure 10- wool tied around the trunk of an olive tree
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Biological pest control is a preferred method of controlling the population of pests rather than through the application of pesticides. This is because they are much cheaper and also because by using pesticides you may not only be killing the pests but also the species which are needed by the plant (ex. pollinators). At Manikata a small farm was visited, where several animals where kept such as sheep, birds, chickens and even donkeys.
Figure 11- Hen present in the small Manikata farm
Figure 12- Sheep at Manikata farm
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Part 4: Conclusion: From the visit to the Manikata Rural Heritage it was concluded that red and white soils are different due to their composition. The main advantage of animal manure is that it is a renewable source whilst green manure is important since it aerates the soil. A very efficient way of watering plants is drip irrigation especially if plants are covered by cloches. Also it is very important to use different fertilizers depending on the plant since leafy plants require high nitrates, root vegetables require higher levels of phosphates and flowering plants require high levels of potassium. This may also be achieved through crop rotation. Green houses are important to farmers since it allows the growth of plants that require warmer weather even in winter. Plants growing in the garigue landscape, which is the most common landscape in the Malta Islands adapt to the warmer weather eg. Sea squill survives the dry period as an underground bulb whilst thyme releases oil on the leaves to prevent water evaporation. In the farm visited two indigenous trees were present, the Carob tree and the Olive tree. The use of the weevil to prevent pest from attacking the olive tree was very interesting and helped the farmers protect their trees. Farmers can grow their crops in a more sustainable way by using biological pest control rather than using pesticides, by introducing a drip irrigation system into their fields, by carrying out crop rotation and also by using organic and natural fertilizers such as animal manure and green manure than by using chemical fertilizers.
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References: Retrieved from: http://www.naturetrustmalta.org/environmentaleducation/biodiversity/habitats/terrestria n/ Retrieved from: http://www.plantscience4u.com/2014/11/advantages-and-disadvantages-oforganic.html#.WFbFZfl97IW Retrieved from: http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/agriculture/agri_majorareas_greenmanure_advantages.html Retrieved from: http://www.fao.org/docrep/s8684e/s8684e07.htm Retrieved from: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/12-053.htm Retrieved from: http://www.erosionpollution.com/ways-to-prevent-soil-erosion.html Retrieved from: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/advantages-disadvantages-natural-chemical-fertlilzers30247.html Retrieved from: http://www.oisat.org/control_methods/cultural__practices/crop_rotation.html Retrieved from: http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/basil/basil-plant-flies.htm Retrieved from: https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/houseplant-pests/whitefly-control/ Retrieved from: http://www.almanac.com/pest/aphids
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Retrieved from: http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Spider-Mites Retrieved from: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150917/environment/the-sea-squill.584767 Retrieved from: https://www.mepa.org.mt/lpgdocuments/Ix-Xaghra%20talQortin%20Management%20Plan/Xaghra%20LHamra/TA%201%20Agriculture%20baseline.pdf Retrieved from: http://anecdotesfrommalta.blogspot.com.mt/2009/05/carob-tree-il-harruba.html Retrieved from: http://www.manikatafarmers.com/download/olivetree.pdf Retrieved from: https://www.mepa.org.mt/cpo Retrieved from: http://magicofnature.weebly.com/endemic-maltese-species.html
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