Question and Answers: How long do vegetables take to be harvested?

The period between plantation and harvest of vegetables varies depending on the species and variety. Different vegetables have different maturity times, with most vegetables you can start harvesting within 90 days after transplanting to the main garden and others can be harvested after 40 to 45 days.

For example, Brassica (cabbage) family especially head forming varieties, you can start harvesting at 70 days. For effective marketing, however, kale or sukuma wiki or swiss chard, spinach, amaranth can be harvested after six months unde proper management practices.

In solanacea family, vegetables such as tomatoes, egg plants, pepper, depending on the varieties, you can harvest from two to three months and harvesting can go up to two weeks for determinate varieties. Determinate varieties are genetically programmed to set all their flowers and forming fruits at once.

They have a definite growing limit and grow to only a determined height. They also grow bushy with more branches and are usually 35-60cm long and usually do not require support. It is usually difficult to distinguish between determinate and Semi-determinate varieties apart from the lesser branches and growth height of one to two metres.

These varieties require support inform of trellising to avoid trailing on the ground.
With indeterminate varieties, they are genetically programmed to set flowers and form fruits at different periods of their growing pattern and they can be harvested throughout the whole growing season.

They usually grow to a height of 5-15 metres and they need to be pruned to a single stem. Indeterminate varieties are most of the time grown in greenhouses and once the shoot tip reaches the top of the support pole, it is released to the base of the plant (lowering) for better production.

You should note that the height of all these varieties depend on how you manage the plants. Good crop management practices need to be observed for high yields.

What can I grow in a greenhouse and how do I take care of crops there?

Green House Farming (GHF) should focus on high value vegetables that can create a financial leverage such as indeterminate tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, English cucumbers, strawberries, and seedling multiplication. Learning how to grow is not a onetime event.

Most important is to understand both the technical dynamics and expertise involved in the GHF concept and its effective management.

Also understand the effective crop development and management. However, after greenhouse establishment and planting ensure:
Planting in clean seedbeds, steam the soil using clean equipment, cool the soil in a clean area, pot it and disinfect the greenhouse before transplanting the crops.

Adequate clean water supply is needed to provide the crops with the right amounts of water at the right time throughout the whole growing period.

Effective proper greenhouse management includes keeping the greenhouse closed at all times, having a quarantine room at the entrance of the greenhouse, disinfecting clothes worn while in the greenhouse and restricting entrance into the greenhouse.

Effective crop management practices are needed.
Proper spacing, pruning at the right time using the right equipment, proper trellising and having specific harvesting times.

Can I intercrop tomatoes with peppers? What do I need to know before planting?

It’s dependent, if it is for home consumption you can because there is effective management because that is on the small scale. But if it is for commercial production, you cannot intercrop the two since they are in the same family. There will be too much competition for nutrients and serious infestation of diseases.
However, you need to consider the following before you start planting;
•Proper site selecting and preparation of both the garden and nursery area. This will greatly contribute to the production.
•Use adaptive varieties and do timely planting to avoid losses.
• Ensure proper crop management practices for high yields.

Do vegetables grow in specific soils?

What should I put into consideration before planting?

Different vegetables need specific soils for optimum crop productivity. Both the texture and PH (acidity and alkalinity in soils) of the soil are worth knowing.

These can vary throughout your garden or plot. The ideal soil (loam) has equal amounts of all three soil components; that is clay, silt and sandy thus making it fertile and easy to drain and dig.

However, right soils amendments and the right soil pH is paramount if you want your vegetable garden to grow better.

Depending on your seed bed, apply integrated soil fertility management focusing on conserving, improving texture by adding organic matter, improving on structure by adding decomposing materials such plant materials. You must pay attention to aeration and draining.

What can I feed my four-months-old layer birds for egg production?

Feeding layers on maize bran alone is not good because it contains few nutrients. Other types of bran are high in fibre, which is not good for chicken that cannot deal with fibre properly, especially during digestion. So with layers, you must obtain good feed for good egg production. Good feeding means giving them balanced feeds. These should have vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, mineral salts and good amounts of water per day.
With good formulation and good quality feeds plus proper and well mixed ingredients, your layers will be able to produce to your expectation.
However, it is important to seek technical guidance from a veterinary doctor as well as other farmers to avoid making losses.

Answered by Victoria Nakyagaba, agribusiness developer

and Muhammed Kato,a poultry farmer