Traditionally, almost every household has one or two pumpkin plants in the backyard, mainly for domestic consumption. Watermelon is a wellknown fruit in uganda, enjoyed at any time of the day either before or after a meal. Watermelon farming in kenya, watermelon tips and varieties guide. Common pineapple cultivars grown in uganda smooth cayenne. They are sensitive to cold temperatures, and even a.
Soil requirements for growing pumpkins pumpkins do well in loamy soils with a good drainage and a high humus percentage. With the basic knowledge in growing such fruit, you will surely succeed. Currently, he has a contract to supply at least 1,000 watermelons every week to a fruit trader in kampala and he has committed 35 acres to growing the fruits. How to be a profitable watermelon farmer the ultimate. Seeds can be planted when the temperature is at mid 70s to 80s. In uganda, farmers grow it mainly in the districts of luweero, mpigi, kayunga, bugerere, mayuge, masaka, mubende, masindi and bushenyi. Watermelon kenya cultivation is cheaper than it is in uganda and tanzania and hence the fruits from kenya fetch a premium in these countries although to them it is a discount. Meet anita, grew from 1 acre to 7 acres of water melon youtube. With watermelon farming it takes 100 days to grow ksh40. Royal seed is the brand of kenya highland seed, established in 1998. You can grow them on a bigger farm, depending on your market needs. Dont plant when the ground has snow because even the so called hybrid varieties wont be able to tolerate the extreme cold. Anthracnose this seedborne fungus is hard to detect initially, as it may only appear as small spots on your plants and fruits.
Watermelons grow best on soils that hold water well and have good air and water infiltration rates. These vines spread out along the ground and can reach 15 feet in length. Stages of how the watermelon grows home guides sf gate. Growing watermelons requires lots of space, lots of sun, lots of water and lots of nutrients. Pumpkins are grown across the country mainly for domestic use with the balance being sold for cash. Watermelon farming, cultivation information guide agri. Commercial watermelon production 1 watermelon is a warmseason crop related to cantaloupe, squash, cucumber and pumpkin.
Watermelon grows in all parts of the usda planting zones when temperatures range from 65 to 85 degrees fahrenheit. Watermelon is a warm season fruit loved by just about everyone. Mark your field using the 2ft and 1ft spacing for planting. It also contains niacin, thiamin, vitamin b6, zinc, magnesium and many more nutrients. Northern gardeners select earlymaturing varieties and grow the plants in black. But to succeed, you must learn the best farming techniques.
A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Watermelons are one of the iconic fruits of summer. Jun 27, 2015 everything you need to know about growing watermelons is here. Lighttextured fields warm up faster in the spring and are therefore favoured for. The chapters in this publication represent the latest information available on successful watermelon production. Watermelon growing has the promise of high return on investment. Clear up land meant for planting by deep cultivation. Watermelon farming in kenya is easy to start, the plant requires little management and the market is plenty. Amend soil with organic matter such as compost or composted cow manure.
These are just some of the things you need to address if you want to grow healthy fruits. Sow 8 to 10 watermelon seeds in a hill, and push seeds 1 inch into the soil. It has been two years since morori, 38, went into watermelon farming, a venture that has brought boundless fortune, making him the only millionaire in his village. Nov 28, 2018 watermelon citrullus vulgaris is a vining, annual plant with branching tendrils. Watermelons can be grown on any welldrained soil throughout georgia but are particularly well adapted to the coastal plain soils of south georgia.
How to grow watermelons complete growing guide youtube. This is why today seeds of gold is showing you how to start a watermelon farming business. High quality seeds are available at kenya seeds company and simlaw seeds company. If you stay in warmer climates, you can direct sow seeds outdoors, but wait until the soil temperature warms to at least 70 degrees to avoid poor germination. Watermelons do best in loamy, somewhatsandy, welldrained soil. History and background watermelon, citrullus lanatus, is part of the cucurbitaceae family and is thought to have originated in southern arica. It is a large sprawling annual plant with coarse, hairy pinnatelylobbed leaves and yellow to white. Try selling watermelons to the neighbor countries, like uganda for a higher price and double your income. The uganda investment authority uia has outlined business ideas for both local and foreign investors who want to invest in the agriculture sector. Machakos, kajiado and the coastal region are popular watermelon growers. Before the end of this article, you will learn the exact step by step process which successful watermelon farmers use to increase their yield. Contact us here to buy fresh pineapple and pineapple suckers in uganda quick tips for growing pineapples in uganda.
Growing the vines in raised rows, known as hills, ensures good drainage and will hold the suns heat longer. They are great sliced, in fruit salads, and the rind is even used hollowed out as a serving basket or bowl. When raising watermelon, garden space is the main issue. Royal seed company agronomist alex njagi said asali f1 hybrid can give an average of two fruits per plant weighing between 10kg and 12kg. Look for these common watermelon diseases this summer. Honeybees must pollinate the watermelon blossom for fruit to be produced. Watermelon is one of the most widely cultivated crops in the world. Work the compost or organic slowrelease fertilizer into the top soil. Nov 01, 2015 watermelon farming dinner starts here farm 34 duration. Watermelon is frost sensitive and are monoecious both male and female flowers are produced on the same plant. Davis onyango, a in homa bay county, has found greener pastures in watermelon production, making a tidy sum from growing the juicy crop. Varieties of water melon watermelon belongs to the family cucurbitaceae.
The fruit is tradeable and generates a lot of income for farmers who grow it. The watermelon is an annual herbaceous trailing plant which belongs to the cucurbitaceous family and goes by the scientific name of citrullus lanatus. It is never recommended to grow your water melon in the nursery. Today, watermelon is cultivated all over the world on all five continents. Space watermelon 3 to 5 feet apart in nutrientrich, welldrained soil with a ph of 6. From the 88,000 kilos harvested, the farmers will earn a gross income of sh2. Watermelon farming in kenya in 2020 is a very lucrative. Watermelon originally came from southern africa and is now grown in most parts of the world. Even today, in semidesert districts of africa watermelons are cultivated as an important source of water during dry periods. The plant rows should be about 2 metres apart and the spacing between plants should be 1 foot apart. The idea is premised on harvesting 12,000 watermelons per quarter which. Growing conditions for watermelons include lots of sunshine during the day and warm nights. Getting the best from your jambar f1 monsanto africa.
I settled for watermelons because they do extremely well in kerio valley. He plans to sell some of his fruit in uganda, where grocers have offered between sh300 and sh400 per fruit. Land preparation should be carried out early enough to allow thorough soil settling before planting the crop. Watermelon farming in kenya 2020 watermelon growing.
We look forward to receiving your feedback in the comment section at the tailend of this article. It is highly indemand because of the sizes of each fruit that you will get in the end and its unique sweet taste. Meet anita, grew from 1 acre to 7 acres of water melon. Usually the watermelon seed sprouts within a few days. Today kuza biashara wants to share some important tips about watermelon farming. Unfortunately, not everybody gets the pleasure, especially when diseases of watermelon plants derail otherwise welllaid garden plans. What number of watermelons can be planted in an acre of.
When you first encounter anita, the first thing you will notice is her infectious smile. You want to be sure to keep the area free from weeds. In fact, that is the main reason for this watermelon cultivation guide. Water melon fruits are normally planted in hills with a spacing of 1. Common watermelon growing areas in uganda the fruit is grown in most parts of the country however its mostly grown in the following areas. Watermelon can be grown from seed or transplants from a nursery. Jan 19, 2019 watermelon is a wellknown fruit in uganda, enjoyed at any time of the day either before or after a meal. They are greedy, rambling vines, like all plants in the cucurbiteae family e. Watermelon farming in kenya, watermelon tips and varieties. Generally, the method of planting also depends on the variety.
Watermelons need space to grow because of their vines, so make sure you space them well. Watermelon is a nutrientrich food full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The following article details about growing watermelon. The fruit is highyielding, matures fast and has a huge market, he says. Then mound the soil into small hills spaced about 100 cm apart. Temperatures above 35c or below 10c will slow the growth and maturation of the crop. Growing watermelons also requires space, as the plants are vines and take up a lot of room. The tomato is one of the seasonal moneymakers, that farmers should go for.
Make ksh 500,000 per acre in 3 months from water melon. The costs of watermelons in major towns in kenya vary from sh25 to sh40 per kilo. The watermelon is a special kind of berry also known as pepo from the cucurbitaceace family. There are mainly two seasons of tomatoes a year, however if one uses irrigation, tomatoes can be. If you want to start your own watermelon farm, you will need to choose the most suitable land space. Common varieties of pumpkins grown in uganda there are over 7 varieties of pumpkin grown in uganda, they include sweet cream,bala,dulu,onziga,sunfish,sugar pie, and anderina. Therefore you need to prepare soil adding compost or rotted manure. Jubilee, charleston grey and congo are large, cylindrical varieties, while sugar baby and. With headquarters in nairobi and representatives in tanzania, uganda, rwanda and burundi we are africas leading supplier of open pollinated and hybrid vegetable and herb seeds. Why you must plant watermelon this year daily monitor. Watermelon is frost sensitive and are monoecious both male and female flowers are produced on the.
Watermelon farming in kenya and all you need to know. The cultivation process in watermelon farming is quite complicated as you need to plant the seedlings in a specific way to give them better space to germinate. Soil requirements site and soil watermelons grow best on nonsaline sandy loam or silt loam soils. His target is to produce over 1,000 watermelons every week. Growing pumpkins on a commercial scale is slowly becoming popular among farmers in many parts of uganda. Treat the crowns with fungicide and insecticide before planting. Watermelon farmers in uganda agricultural cooperative.
How to grow pumpkin in uganda uganda business travel. The increasing demand for vegetables has contributed to the growing popularity of this crop, particularly in the urban areas. Starting a watermelon farm sample business plan template. Pdf production practices of pumpkins for improved productivity. He ventured into it after learning about the high demand of watermelon in 20. Production practices of pumpkins for improved productivity. Treating watermelon problems is often a simple matter, but the first thing youve got to do is figure out whats causing your problems. Watermelon was widely distributed throughout the remainder of the world by african slaves and european colonists. When planting the watermelon seed, each hole for the watermelon seedling needs to be 1 foot deep and over 1. She started growing the fruit on her parents threeacre farm with a capital outlay of sh20,000. Watermelon growing has the promise of high return on investment but like all business ventures there are risks involved. There are many health benefits to watermelon as it is low in calories so it promotes phytonutrients and antioxidants essential for the optimization of health.
Common watermelon diseases tips for treating watermelon. Since the plants get so large, its not really practical to grow watermelons in containers. Annie nyaga is one of the most successful watermelon farmers in kenya. Yields of 20,000 to 40,000 pounds per acre are common. The vines will surely spread out and will require considerable maintenance over time. You need at least an acre of land to grow watermelons.
Growing the plant in raised rows ensure good drainage. Give plants a fabulous start to the growing season by improving native soil with several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter. On a hot summer day, nothing tastes better than a nice slice of watermelon. In uganda pineapples are mainly grown south of lake kyoga and in western uganda. Commercial watermelon production i foreword ten years have passed since this publication was updated. Plan to space the plants about 2 feet apart in a 5footwide hill. Add a balanced fertilizer that is high in nitrogen. Watermelon vines are very tender and should not be transplanted until all danger of frost has passed. Watermelon grows in all parts of the usda planting zones when.
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