Feedback: The good and the bad of eucalyptus

A farmer inspects her eucalyptus trees. The trees can be used for making firewood, charcoal, building materials, fencing posts, electricity transmission poles, pulpwood, timber and plywood. You can also make money by selling the trees. FILE PHOTO | NMG

What you need to know:

  • Oil palm trees require deep, well-drained medium loam soils that are rich in humus.
  • Poultry projects have high economic returns if proper husbandry practices and management are adhered to.
  • Commercial aloe vera bio-fertiliser is not currently available in Kenya but there is a company called Sunland Aloe Vera Bio-Fertiliser in Indonesia which is manufacturing it.
  • Eucalyptus can be used for making firewood, charcoal, building materials, fencing posts, electricity transmission poles, pulpwood, timber and plywood. You can also make money by selling the trees.

PLANTING EUCALYPTUS

I have four acres in Nyeri near Kagumo High School where I have planted coffee trees on it, the rest is idle. I work in the city and intend to plant eucalyptus trees, is it advisable?
Kariuki James

Eucalyptus can be used for making firewood, charcoal, building materials, fencing posts, electricity transmission poles, pulpwood, timber and plywood. You can also make money by selling the trees.

However, the trees also have disadvantages in that they are allelopathic (produce poisonous substances that hinder the growth of other crops) and they also drain a lot of water from the soil.

Therefore, if planted near coffee, the crop would lack water.

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

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COMMERCIAL PALM TREE FARMING

I have a farm in lower Nyakach, near River Nyando, Kisumu County. Is it suitable for commercial palm trees for oil production?
Walter Apiyo Apiyo-Jaseme

Oil palm trees require deep, well-drained medium loam soils that are rich in humus, well distributed rainfall of 2,500 to 4,000mm per annum and does well in temperatures of 19-33°C.

Rainfall should be 1,300mm per year. If rainfall is not sufficient, irrigation should be practised. Yes oil palm can do well in Kisumu.

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

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GOING BACK TO POULTRY BUSINESS

I am Harmatone Kalume from Kitengela. I have been reading Seeds of Gold and have been motivated by successful farmers. I once started a poultry project six months ago but found the going tough. Guide me on how to start again?

A young poultry farmer attends to his chicken. Proper feeding and disease control measures such as vaccination, treatment of sick birds and other practices such as deworming are other management practices that will ensure higher economic returns in the long run. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Poultry projects have high economic returns if proper husbandry practices and management are adhered to.

To begin, first discard all bedding materials you previously used in the earlier project and ensure disinfection of the poultry house to prevent cross contamination of diseases.

Ensure the birds have adequate spacing in the poultry house to avoid crowding, which might lead to vices such as cannibalism.

Proper feeding and disease control measures such as vaccination, treatment of sick birds and other practices such as deworming are other management practices that will ensure higher economic returns in the long run.

Fredrick Agutu,
Department of Animal Sciences, Egerton University.

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VARIETIES OF POMEGRANATE

I would like to know how many varieties of pomegranate are grown in Kenya and where I can get seeds and seedlings for research.
Dr Remmy W. Kasili
Research Fellow,
Institute of Biotechnology Research (IBR), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

There are about 10 varieties of pomegranate grown in Kenya. You can get seedlings from Wilson Ndungu by reaching him on 0714080532.

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

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ALOE BIO-FERTILISER

I would like to learn more on aloe vera bio-fertiliser. Which institution can I go to? Can it be used on tea crop?
Jeremiah Chege

Commercial aloe vera bio-fertiliser is not currently available in Kenya but there is a company called Sunland Aloe Vera Bio-Fertiliser in Indonesia which is manufacturing it.

Aloe vera bio-fertiliser has several minerals required by plants. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

You can contact them on +61 (7) 38442233 or [email protected] for more information about the fertiliser.

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

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STEVIA SEEDS

Where can I get stevia seeds? I am interested in planting them.
John Macharia

You can get seedlings from Stevia Kenya, please contact them on 0715 639223.

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

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I NEED COMFREY ROOT CUTTINGS

I would wish to get some comfrey root cuttings from a farmer for propagation on trial basis. I will appreciate if you could give me a suitable contact.
Abdallah Mwachui, Kwale County

You can contact Wilson Ndungu on 0714 080532.

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

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HERBICIDE TO SPRAY BEFORE PLANTING

What chemical would you recommend for killing pests and micro-organisms in the soil before planting water melon? And how is it applied?
Wakahiu

According to Green Life Crop Protection Africa, you can apply Pyramid 10g+Loyalty 10g+Optimiser 20ml in 20l of water as a drench after seed sowing.

A farmer inspects her watermelons in a farm at the Napuu Irrigation Scheme in Lodwar. Spraying chemicals on the farm before planting melons helps keep the field free from soil-borne pests and diseases. FILE PHOTO | NMG

This will help keep your field free from soil-borne pests and diseases. It breaks seed dormancy and also facilitates uniform germination.

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

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SWEETNESS IN MELONS

I am farming watermelons in Embu, which are one month old now. Is there a substance that is applied to these plants to make the fruits sweet or the sweetness in the melons is just natural.

Wahome

There is no chemical or substance that you can apply to make watermelons sweet. Melons need water in the first few weeks of growth but when they start producing fruits, if you are irrigating you have to stop.

As the fruit develops, the less water it gets the better as this will increase the sugar content and sugar concentration making it sweeter.

When you start harvesting the melons, only pick the ripe ones because they don’t continue to ripen after picking.

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