Real Estate admin  

Strawberry cultivation – In Kenya

Did you know that from an eight acre plot, you could harvest up to Ksh 100,000 per month by growing strawberries?

The most popular category of strawberries planted by most farmers in Kenya is the Chandler type, as it grows quickly, produces large fruits that are tastier and juicier, and the plant is easy to handle. Seedlings can be expensive, but there is a way around this as you can simply propagate a few seedlings to get more seedlings to plant in your grow space.

Seedlings come in the form of divisions that could cost at least Ksh 15 / = per division which you can purchase from Kalro Njoro / Thika, Directorate of Horticulture or Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils (Egerton University). These institutions produce quality planting materials.

Soil preparation

For starters, this strawberry variety is not so demanding on soils, it can do well in both clay soils and red volcanic soils as long as you treat the soil well before planting and add enough compost (chicken waste, rabbit urine and / or plants Inorganic manure that is good for top dressing can be used in later stages of plant development.

Seedlings should be planted at the end of the rainy season and incorporating a good drip irrigation system in your small patch is essential for best results. In case you cannot afford this system, you can go for the sprinkler irrigation system or just buy a sprinkler can and water yourself, but this would consume a lot of your time and energy as the soil must be moist in every moment. . The plant has shallow roots and therefore water is a critical element for survival.

Raise the soil in your soil in beds that run parallel to each other 60 centimeters apart. When planting, make sure there is a distance of 30 cm from one division to the other.

Choose areas that get enough sunlight as plants are very reactive to frost.

During the first flower production season, pinch off the flowers to ensure better berry production next season.

Mulch as the plant grows 2 cm above the ground to help control weeds.

Diaznon, Kelthane, and other appropriate acaracides and pesticides can help control pests and diseases.

Harvest

Harvest when the tops of the berries are completely red. Once picked, it does not continue to ripen like other fruits. However, this fruit is highly perishable and refrigeration at a constant 4 degrees Celsius can help keep it fresh for seven days. Note that you should not wash the berries or allow contact with water unless you are ready to eat. Picking the fruit during the morning hours also increases the shelf life.

Because the fruit is highly perishable, make sure you have a market ready before harvest time arrives.

The direct community would be a good place to start marketing your strawberries. Local greengrocers, restaurants and other small users, such as pastry chefs, are also good buyers of strawberries in Kenya. Industries that produce food flavorings, natural flavored yogurt, jams, etc. they also buy strawberries.

For a more practical approach to this type of farming, check out the free fourth episode of the Mkulima ni Ujuzi YouTube channel, where a couple from Ruai explain their experience with strawberries. Success!

You should definitely try this.

Leave A Comment