Feedback: Experts give insights on crop and livestock issues

Starter guide to growing mushrooms

I am Stephen from Murang'a County and I wish to venture into mushroom farming. Kindly link me to successful farmers in the region.

In mushrooms, we plant spawns (seedlings) and you can buy them from Kalro or any other institution. The biggest challenge in mushroom production is getting quality spawn.

You will also need a room where you will plant the seedlings because they are not grown in the field. You will also need wheat, beans, millet or rice straws for preparation of compost on which the mushrooms grow (substrate).

The substrate is made by mixing the straw with molasses, cotton seed cake and urea. The straw should first be soaked in water and then mixed with other ingredients.

The substrate is then sterilised to avoid pests and diseases. After compost preparation, planting the spawns follows and this is done by mixing the compost with the seedlings in sacks, which are then taken to the growing room.

The temperature around the bag should be maintained at 32°C. After about 10-14 days, the spawns start to emerge. When they are visible as small white grains, add some soil, preferably from a forest, in the sacks.

At this stage, humidity should be introduced by use of a humidifier or a knapsack sprayer. Make sure you use clean water and spray the air and the floors of the growing room.

Humidity is key in the growth of mushrooms. Depending on the days the spawns took to emerge, mushrooms are ready for harvesting after 10-14 days, which continues for one-and-a-half months.

Make sure that you observe high standards of hygiene. You can talk to Leonard Mukira, a mushroom farmer in Kiambu, on 0726981682.

-Carol Mutua
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University

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Can I use shade net to grow cowpeas?

Please tell me whether I can use shade net/agronet instead of a greenhouse to grow cowpeas. And where can I buy an agronet in Kenya and what is the best density to use in my area, which is windy and cold?

Lastly, can ‘mitoo’ and ‘mrenda’ grow in Kinangop under agronet?

Simon

Agronet will create a micro-climate under the crops just like a greenhouse. Cowpeas do well when the temperatures are high, so you can only grow them during the hot months in Kinagop.

Mitoo and mrenda will do well under the agronet. Agronets are available from Amiran Kenya Ltd or A to Z company, both based in Nairobi.

There are many types and different meshes of the agronets but when you call the companies, they will tell you the best type depending on the vegetable you want to grow and your area.

-Carol Mutua
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University

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Using muriate of potash in carrots
I would like to ask if muriate of potash is good for carrots and whether it would be in order to dilute it in water before spraying them. I would like to have the carrots improve in length and diameter.

Kareithi Kamau

A good supply of NPK is necessary for rapid and continuous growth. Potassium is required in the form of additional surface dressing when plants are well-established, since carrots have a high demand for the element.

Muriate of potash will supply potassium and can only be applied when planting and not as a top-dresser. It is a soil-applied fertiliser and so you cannot mix it with water and apply it as a foliar fertiliser.

In addition, this fertiliser is moderately soluble in water. You have not told us where your farm is located but you should know that high soil temperatures encourage the production of carrots with short roots.

Temperatures above 25°C will lead to the formation of pale yellow carrots, with a strong flavour and are course textured.

You can also apply well-rotten farmyard manure before planting the carrots or to a crop planted before the carrots.

Remember applying manure that is not well-rotten will lead to branching of carrots. Lack of water will also lead to branching of carrot roots as they look for water.

-Carol Mutua
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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Indigenous vegetables: Mchunga (Launaea cornuta)

I found Godfrey Were’s article on indigenous vegetables in Seeds of Gold on Feb 15 very interesting. I live in Mombasa, where local people use mchunga, which was missing from your list.

I would like to know more about mchunga or at least the scientific and English name? I am practising drying of leaves but I have not used hot water blanching.

Farmer

Mchunga (Launaea cornuta) commonly known as “bitter lettuce” is a herbaceous perennial weed. The plant is usually harvested from the wild, fallow lands or unmanaged crop fields and it is often found for sale at local markets in the coastal region.

The weed thrives well in sandy soil in relatively dry areas, but also flourishes in loams and black cotton soils. The plant/weed has a creeping root system that produces, at intervals along the root, a basal rosette of leaves with a central stem that is usually up to a metre tall or over.

Mchunga foliage is commonly eaten as a vegetable, and it is relished by the coastal community due to its bitter taste.

The plant/weed is also believed to have medicinal properties, as the leaves are commonly used in different forms to prevent and/cure malaria among other ailments.

-Sylvans Ochola
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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Rotating cabbages with courgettes

I had courgettes on a piece of land. Is it fine to plant cabbages after removing the courgettes or are they of the same family?

Peter Irungu

Cabbages are in the family of Brassicaceae/mustards/crusifers while courgettes belong to Cucurbitaceae. Therefore, you can rotate courgettes with cabbages.

However, they are both heavy feeders, that is, they take up a lot of nutrients from the soil. Consider including a legume like peas and beans to help in fixing nitrogen back to the soil.

-Jayo Manyasi Tracyline,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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Solar brooder

Please advise, where can I get a solar brooder?

Moses Komu, Kiambu

Hatching chicks can be made cheaper by using solar instead of electricity. Try Plotus Technology at +2540717007952 for solar brooder solutions.

-Dennis Kigiri,
Department of Animal Sciences, Egerton University.

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The business of growing herbs

I am Mohamed Salim from Meru and I want to venture into herbs farming after drilling a borehole in Ruiri sub-county in Meru. I have zero experience in this kind of farming. Kindly educate me on the following:

1. What herbs can be grown in red soil and in an area with temperatures of about 20 to 26 degrees Celsius?

The most common herbs are coriander, rosemary, sage, basil, chives, parsley, celery, mint, thyme, oregano, Marjoram, dill and chives.

You have to carry out market research so that you know which herbs you are going to plant based on the demand.

2. Who are the most prospective buyers in Kenya and how do I link up with them?

You can sell the herbs locally directly to wholesalers, at open-air markets, to individuals and at organic markets in Nairobi or you can export them, although the market is currently stifled due to the coronavirus.

You can also advertise your products online through social media, at farmers’ field days and workshops.

3. How productive is herbs farming and is it an expensive venture to do on half an acre?

As long as you are well prepared mentally and financially, you will be good to start. Remember you will need money to buy the seeds or seedlings and other inputs.

Herbs farming is for sure a profitable venture that remains unexploited in Kenya and therefore you can’t go wrong with the plants. Organically grown herbs are the best.

4. Do herbs offer good profits and do any of the prospective buyers support the farmer?

Search online for companies that export herbs and they can contract you to plant for them.

-Carol Mutua
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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Diseases in tree tomatoes

I have a farm with about 3,000 tree tomato plants in Gatanga sub-county, Murang’a. I am experiencing some leaf diseases and wilting. What pesticides should I spray? I would also like an expert visit for more advice.

Kuria Irungu

Leaf diseases and wilting could be due to pests and diseases. Pests like white flies sack sap from plant leaves, causing chlorosis (yellowing of leaves), curling and eventually wilting.

Whiteflies are small white insects that fly away when the plant leaves are touched. You can control white flies using several insecticides readily available in agrovets.

The other pest could be aphids, which also sack sap from plants, cause curling of leaves if the infestation is heavy. You can control them by using insecticides.

However, the disease could be blight, which causes leaf spots, and the leaves then turn yellow and fall off. Late blight can also affect the fruits, which develop greyish green water-soaked areas that enlarge to cover half of the fruit.

Blight can be controlled by using fungicides you can easily get from the agrovet near you.

-Carol Mutua
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University

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Can I grow any crop under my Eucalyptus trees?

Years back, there was a craze of planting eucalyptus trees said to be from South Africa. We were told then they would mature and be sold to Kenya Power for electricity posts in four years at a fortune.

I bought these trees from Karura Forest and planted them on four acres in Meru.

I was advised the ideal type for my farm by an expert at Karura. To date, none is thick enough to be sold to Kenya Power for posts but they are beautiful. My problem is, nothing grows under these trees. Please advise if there is grass for animals or any useful plant that would grow under these trees.

Jediel Muthuri

Eucalyptus saligna (Blue gum) is widely used for poles, posts, timber, pulpwood, furniture, veneer and shelterbelts.

According to the Kenya Forestry Research Institute, eucalyptus are harvested for production of rails and fuel wood from three years, poles and pulp from 6 to 8 years, transmission poles from 10 to 12 years, timber from 15 to 20 years and plywood from 20 to 25 years.

From what you have said, the trees should have been ready for harvesting for transmission poles in four years. Well, you can cut them and sell them for the other uses if they are not large enough to be sold to Kenya Power but remember that the company is nowadays using concrete posts.

Avoid growing eucalyptus trees in areas with low rainfall as they will compete with other crops for water and also produce toxic substances (allelopathy), which will hinder the growth of other crops.

Crops will not do well under eucalyptus trees because they will lack water and also due to the allopathic nature of eucalyptus trees. You can only grow crops after cutting the trees.

-Carol Mutua
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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Article on locust

I would like to commend Prof Paul Kimurto of Egerton University for the article on locusts, which showed that the pest is affected by weather conditions.

It was well-researched information and very insightful. Kenya needs such information to develop. I humbly wait to hear from you very soon.

Pastor Stephen Olita

Thank you Pastor Olita for the compliments. It is our joy when we learn that farmers are gaining from what we are doing. Continue reading Seeds of Gold for educative information and if you have any query, do not hesitate to contact us
-Carol Mutua
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University

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Dandelion vegetable

In the Seeds of Gold edition of January 18, there was an article about an industrious woman in Ukambani who harvests dandelion leaves from her own shamba as well as from neighbours.

I know dandelion well from Europe and Asia, but I have never seen it in Kenya and Tanzania, where I have travelled quite extensively.

This has actually puzzled me as dandelions grow almost everywhere under the most different conditions and do easily spread.

You did not mention dandelions in your article as indigenous vegetables. Is it indigenous and if so what is the name in Swahili or Kikamba?

Lars Asker

Yes, dandelion is an indigenous vegetable. It grows as a weed on cultivated land and most people don’t know that it is a vegetable with medicinal benefits.

Scientifically, dandelion is known as Taraxacum officinal and belongs to the family Asteraceae. Dandelion means lion’s tooth because the jagged leaves of the plant resemble the teeth of the animal.

Dandelion roots are used to make medicine while the leaves are either cooked or eaten in salads.

-Carol Mutua, Egerton University.