Six reasons why you should grow spider plant

Studies have shown that spider plant is highly nutritious compared to most of the other vegetables. FILE PHOTO |

What you need to know:

  • The vegetable is mainly grown in Kisii, Nyamira, Kisumu and Tharaka Nithi.
  • Studies have shown that spider plant is highly nutritious compared to most of the other vegetables.

Traditional vegetables have become a delicacy for many families in Kenya.

These vegetables include spider plant (sagaa or saget), amaranth (terere), black night shade (managu), slender leaf (mitoo), pumpkin, jute mallow (mrenda), vine spinach (nderema), cowpeas and Ethiopian kale.

However, of all the traditional vegetables, spider plant stands out.

The vegetable is mainly grown in Kisii, Nyamira, Kisumu and Tharaka Nithi.

Spider plant grows well from an altitude of 0 to 2,400 metres above sea level and thrives best in areas with 18 to 25 degrees Celcius temperature and sandy loam to clay loam soils.

HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS

Studies have shown that spider plant is highly nutritious compared to most of the other vegetables.

It contains high levels of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin A and moderate levels of calcium, magnesium and iron. It also has high level of crude protein, lipids and phenolic compounds.

The fresh leaves and shoots are harvested and cooked either alone or mixed with other vegetables. It is also used in mashed foods. The leaves may also be crushed to make a drink to cure scurvy.

In some communities, the leaves are boiled and marinated in sour milk for two to three days and eaten as a nutritious meal. This is believed to improve eyesight, provide energy and cure marasmus.

It is a highly recommended vegetable for pregnant and lactating women. Traditionally, eating the vegetable was used to reduce dizzy spells in pregnant women, the time taken in labour and help to regain normal health after childbirth.

Spider plant is also used to cure migraine, vomiting, diphtheria, vertigo, headache, pneumonia, septic ears, stomach ailments and is fed to boys after circumcision.

PEST CONTROL

Spraying an aqueous extract of spider plant can reduce aphid and thrip population in crops, and intercropping it with cabbage reduces diamond black moth (plutellaxylostella) as well as thrip attacks. It also has an anti-feedant action against the tobacco caterpillar.

Intercropping snap bean and roses in the greenhouse with spider plant significantly reduces the population of spider mites.

And intercropping spider plant with onions significantly reduces the population of thrips.

Challenges facing spider plant farmers include lack of quality seeds as most of them recycle what they harvest, short vegetative phase as the vegetable tends to flower early before an economic yield has been achieved and this leads to low leaf yields in the range of 1 to 3 tonnes per hectare compared to the optimal range of 20 to 30 tonnes per hectare.

There is also the metallic blue beetle which is a major pest of spider plant and if not controlled, the beetles feed on the leaves leaving holes and the crop will not do well.

To overcome some of these problems, one should go for certified seeds. The removal of flowers once they appear can also help curb the problem of short vegetative phase and increase yields.

Insecticides can be used to spray the metallic blue beetle.

Carol Mutua, Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University ([email protected])