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| Green pepper |
Tuesday, 4 October 2016
Growing Green Peppers vegetable farming Botswana
Green peppers are really a great crop to grow in Botswana not only is there a very good market for green peppers but they also grow really well in Botswana because green peppers, well really any peppers need good hot weather to grow and thrive and thats basically Botswana weather year round apart from june july, of course peppers do need water especially when they are germinating, but apart from that you will find peppers to be very hardy and disease resistant, the plants can be a bit brittle and hence they do break easily they always benefit by being staked especially when they have fruit on them and the branches can no longer carry the weight
Drip irrigation the best watering method, farming Botswana
Recently i visited a farm where they just introduced drip irrigation, and i have to say i was amazed, the speed the crops grew was almost doubled in comparison to the sprinkler method that they were using before also there was way less water wasted. With a sprinkler method only a very small amount of water reachs the roots of the plant also water go,s all over the leaves of the crops which causes disease and rot, however with the drip method the water is directed right at the roots of the plant, hence using less water and preventing disease. Really if you can afford drip irrigation go for it, it is amazing, you will save water your crops will grow faster and you will have less disease,
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| Cabbage growing using drip irrigation |
Thursday, 7 April 2016
Growing swiss chard vegetable farming
Growing swiss chard vegetable farming
Hello once again,
Today i am going to be laying out a few tips on growing Swiss chard some call it spinach although it is actually very different from real spinach. However before that, first of all i just want to say a big thank you to all of you who have subscribed/followed, really appreciate it, we are slowly growing.
How to growing Swiss chard?
(1) Prepare the soil first
Although Swiss chard are by no means fussy about the type of soil that they will grow in, you will not be disappointed with your results if you spend some quality time on soil preparation first.
The ultimate soil type would be a rich organic filled loose, moisture retaining soil, so add lots of compost, or organic animal waste, See the danger of using chicken manure here
(2) planting depth
Plant the seeds about 1 too 1.5cm deep, use fresh seeds since old seed often gives bad results. You will notice that each seed is often not one seed but rather a small cluster of 2 or 3 seeds. Hence when the seeds sprout you may need to thin out the unwanted extras, i like to space Swiss chard out in rows of about 15 by 30 cm apart,
(3) Watering
Basically keep the soil moist yet not soggy, you should not see standing water or be able to squeeze water out of the soil,
(4) Harvesting
You can start harvesting as soon as the young leaves are of a size worth eating, lots of people harvest by cutting the tops off with a knife, this is not to be recommended, Swiss chard is harvested leaf by leaf by twisting the leaf at the base and pulling up, the harvester should go from plant to plant removing the biggest three or four leaves from each plant, and allowing the smaller leafs to grow for the next harvest, this way your plants will give a good supply of swiss chard for up to five months
Well thats, that for today thanks for stopping by
Best vegetables to grow in Botswana
Hello once again,
Today i am going to be laying out a few tips on growing Swiss chard some call it spinach although it is actually very different from real spinach. However before that, first of all i just want to say a big thank you to all of you who have subscribed/followed, really appreciate it, we are slowly growing.
How to growing Swiss chard?
(1) Prepare the soil first
Although Swiss chard are by no means fussy about the type of soil that they will grow in, you will not be disappointed with your results if you spend some quality time on soil preparation first.
The ultimate soil type would be a rich organic filled loose, moisture retaining soil, so add lots of compost, or organic animal waste, See the danger of using chicken manure here
(2) planting depth
Plant the seeds about 1 too 1.5cm deep, use fresh seeds since old seed often gives bad results. You will notice that each seed is often not one seed but rather a small cluster of 2 or 3 seeds. Hence when the seeds sprout you may need to thin out the unwanted extras, i like to space Swiss chard out in rows of about 15 by 30 cm apart,
(3) Watering
Basically keep the soil moist yet not soggy, you should not see standing water or be able to squeeze water out of the soil,
(4) Harvesting
You can start harvesting as soon as the young leaves are of a size worth eating, lots of people harvest by cutting the tops off with a knife, this is not to be recommended, Swiss chard is harvested leaf by leaf by twisting the leaf at the base and pulling up, the harvester should go from plant to plant removing the biggest three or four leaves from each plant, and allowing the smaller leafs to grow for the next harvest, this way your plants will give a good supply of swiss chard for up to five months
Well thats, that for today thanks for stopping by
Best vegetables to grow in Botswana
Monday, 29 February 2016
The dangers of using chicken manure, Botswana farming
Todays post is about the dangers of using chicken manure when vegetable farming,
As farmers we know the high value of chicken manure in soil preparation so i am not going to tell you things that you already know.
However here is a little warning that we often over look, and that is that chicken's are famous for being carriers of mites, and some of these mites can attack plants, and of course this is not a good thing, in particular red spider mites, in fact often when you open a sack of chicken manure you can see these little mites crawling all over the place!
What can you do to avoid these mites?
Well first you could just stop using chicken manure or some farmers process there chicken manure by soaking it in huge drums of water, thus drowning all the mites and then mixing the soaked manure into there compost heap.
Well that was the Botswana farming tip for today, i hope you found it helpful! If you did please subscribe of follow
More tips will be up next Monday
Thanks for reading
Tuesday, 16 February 2016
How to grow tomatoes in Botswana, part 2 soil preparation
How to grow tomatoes in Botswana, part 2 soil preparation.
When it comes to growing tomatoes successfully in Botswana a lot of planning and work is needed, especially if one is planning on growing tomatoes out in an open field.
Because it is so very hot here in Botswana one has to really prepare the ground before hand so that it holds moisture yet at the same time remains well drained. How does one do this ?
Well here is how,
1. First make sure each line where you plan on planting out your tomatoes is well dug or worked, you want the plants roots to be able to reach deep into the earth, this will help the plant not to dry out quickly and also to grow up firmly.
2. Tomatos like more sandy types of soil, so if your soil is on the clayey side you should try dig in more sand. Rember you don't want just clay and you don't just want sand you want a nice balance of the two at best.
3. If your soil has to much clay the water won't sink down to the rrootsas it should, and then if it rains the ground will become water logged and this will cause the plants to rot
4. Just sand, and the water will evaporate too quickly causing the plants to dry out in the middle of the day when it gets to hot, when it rains heavily plants may also end up getting washed away or blown over.
5. Another thing one wants to do is add compost to the soil, this will allow water to travel down to the roots, and will help the soil hold moisture longer and provide food for the plants
And thats part 2 of growing tomatoes in Botswana, if you have enjoyed this and found it helpful please follow us here, and share with others, thank you.
When it comes to growing tomatoes successfully in Botswana a lot of planning and work is needed, especially if one is planning on growing tomatoes out in an open field.
Because it is so very hot here in Botswana one has to really prepare the ground before hand so that it holds moisture yet at the same time remains well drained. How does one do this ?
Well here is how,
1. First make sure each line where you plan on planting out your tomatoes is well dug or worked, you want the plants roots to be able to reach deep into the earth, this will help the plant not to dry out quickly and also to grow up firmly.
2. Tomatos like more sandy types of soil, so if your soil is on the clayey side you should try dig in more sand. Rember you don't want just clay and you don't just want sand you want a nice balance of the two at best.
3. If your soil has to much clay the water won't sink down to the rrootsas it should, and then if it rains the ground will become water logged and this will cause the plants to rot
4. Just sand, and the water will evaporate too quickly causing the plants to dry out in the middle of the day when it gets to hot, when it rains heavily plants may also end up getting washed away or blown over.
5. Another thing one wants to do is add compost to the soil, this will allow water to travel down to the roots, and will help the soil hold moisture longer and provide food for the plants
And thats part 2 of growing tomatoes in Botswana, if you have enjoyed this and found it helpful please follow us here, and share with others, thank you.
Thursday, 11 February 2016
Cabbage pests and disease's Botswana farming tips
Cabbage pests and disease's Botswana farming tips
Recently a reader of this blog asked the question: what are some of the diseases that cabbage farmers have to deal with in Botswana?
Well each farmer, often depending on location and weather, will find that his cabbages face different diseases and pests. Hence i will not here write out a list of all the diseases and pests that affect cabbages, rather we will just take a look at a few common cabbage diseases and pests that affect most Botswana farmer's.
1. Damping off
Seedlings will collapse with dark water-soaked stems soon after transplanting. Damping off is a fungus that lives in the soil, particularly where humidity is high.
So make sure the soil is well drained.
Don't plant out seedlings in the heat of the day, rather plant out seedlings in the late evenings.
Don't plant out in cold water soaked ground.
2. Cut worm's
Seedlings are eaten or cut off near soil level. Cutworms are gray grubs that can be found curled under the soil. They chew stems, roots, and leaves.
Also the larvae of the dung beetle, can also be a very big problem if you use kraal manure, goat/cow dung.
Most agriculture shops sell sprays/powders/baits.
However just by keeping a clean farm one can often avoid having to much of a problem, keep compost heap away from main farming/growing areas. Dont use dung straight from the kraal, allow it to dry in the sun, and powder it.
3. Aphids
Spray regularly, ants also farm aphids, so destroy ant nests with baits or powders, keep up this practice only in the vicinity of your field and only if this problem appears.
Basically in conclusion, keep your farm clean, remove weeds don't allow piles of garden waste to build up, make sure the ground is well drained, don't plant cabbage s under tree's. Don't use pest control unnecessarily.
Birds can also be a big problem to cabbage farmers, to learn how to deal with them, you can check out this article: Birds and cabbages
Recently a reader of this blog asked the question: what are some of the diseases that cabbage farmers have to deal with in Botswana?
Well each farmer, often depending on location and weather, will find that his cabbages face different diseases and pests. Hence i will not here write out a list of all the diseases and pests that affect cabbages, rather we will just take a look at a few common cabbage diseases and pests that affect most Botswana farmer's.
1. Damping off
Seedlings will collapse with dark water-soaked stems soon after transplanting. Damping off is a fungus that lives in the soil, particularly where humidity is high.
So make sure the soil is well drained.
Don't plant out seedlings in the heat of the day, rather plant out seedlings in the late evenings.
Don't plant out in cold water soaked ground.
2. Cut worm's
Seedlings are eaten or cut off near soil level. Cutworms are gray grubs that can be found curled under the soil. They chew stems, roots, and leaves.
Also the larvae of the dung beetle, can also be a very big problem if you use kraal manure, goat/cow dung.
Most agriculture shops sell sprays/powders/baits.
However just by keeping a clean farm one can often avoid having to much of a problem, keep compost heap away from main farming/growing areas. Dont use dung straight from the kraal, allow it to dry in the sun, and powder it.
3. Aphids
Spray regularly, ants also farm aphids, so destroy ant nests with baits or powders, keep up this practice only in the vicinity of your field and only if this problem appears.
Basically in conclusion, keep your farm clean, remove weeds don't allow piles of garden waste to build up, make sure the ground is well drained, don't plant cabbage s under tree's. Don't use pest control unnecessarily.
Birds can also be a big problem to cabbage farmers, to learn how to deal with them, you can check out this article: Birds and cabbages
Friday, 5 February 2016
Cabbage farming tips, Botswana part 2.
Botswana cabbage farming tips part two.
Once you have transplanted your young cabbage seedlings out into your field,you will sadly, probably discover that the wild bird population will start to decenend upon your crops and start biting the growing point or head off each cabbage plant!
So what is to be done?
Well i tried first a scare crow, then hanging old music cds off strings hanging about the field, nothing worked, so finally i put up walls of shade netting around the cabbage patch,this was the best method that i found that actually worked well kind of lets say it worked 65% since most birds felt uncomfortable in the field because
1.the shade netting was always moving from the wind
2.they could not see what was happening around them
So yes birds are cabbages number one problem in northern Botswana anyway, so please if you have found any solutions to prevent them pesky birds please leave a comment
And botswana-cabbage-growing-tips-part-1 for all of you who have not yet read it.
Of course birds are not the only pest to attack cabbages, so here is an article that discusses the common cabbage diseases and pests that affect cabbages in Botswana: The common cabbage pests and disease's for Botswana
Once you have transplanted your young cabbage seedlings out into your field,you will sadly, probably discover that the wild bird population will start to decenend upon your crops and start biting the growing point or head off each cabbage plant!
So what is to be done?
Well i tried first a scare crow, then hanging old music cds off strings hanging about the field, nothing worked, so finally i put up walls of shade netting around the cabbage patch,this was the best method that i found that actually worked well kind of lets say it worked 65% since most birds felt uncomfortable in the field because
1.the shade netting was always moving from the wind
2.they could not see what was happening around them
So yes birds are cabbages number one problem in northern Botswana anyway, so please if you have found any solutions to prevent them pesky birds please leave a comment
And botswana-cabbage-growing-tips-part-1 for all of you who have not yet read it.
Of course birds are not the only pest to attack cabbages, so here is an article that discusses the common cabbage diseases and pests that affect cabbages in Botswana: The common cabbage pests and disease's for Botswana
Wednesday, 27 January 2016
Garlic farming Botswana, step one.
Garlic farming Botswana, step one.
First of all if you have not read the introduction to garlic farming Botswana you can read it Here
Ok so here is step one!
When it comes to farming Garlic here in Botswana, your first question is no doubt where do i buy garlic seeds from? Well the good news is that you dont need seeds! Although garlic can be grown from seed, the most common method is to use the garlic cloves for planting, so basically you just have to go into your. Nearest supermarket and buy your self some garlic, when choosing your garlic cloves for planting keep these points in mind.
1. Choose garlic that is fresh, the garlic you choose should be firm and plump NOT soft and hollow,
2. Choose the type of garlic, you will notice some garlic is bigger some are more compact others are even redish in colour, rember what you plant is what you will get.
First of all if you have not read the introduction to garlic farming Botswana you can read it Here
Ok so here is step one!
When it comes to farming Garlic here in Botswana, your first question is no doubt where do i buy garlic seeds from? Well the good news is that you dont need seeds! Although garlic can be grown from seed, the most common method is to use the garlic cloves for planting, so basically you just have to go into your. Nearest supermarket and buy your self some garlic, when choosing your garlic cloves for planting keep these points in mind.
1. Choose garlic that is fresh, the garlic you choose should be firm and plump NOT soft and hollow,
2. Choose the type of garlic, you will notice some garlic is bigger some are more compact others are even redish in colour, rember what you plant is what you will get.
Step two coming soon, please feel free to leave questions in the comments.
Garlic farming Botswana
Well hello dear readers
One of the beautiful things about farming in Botswana is that unlike other country's there is not that much competition in the agricultural field, and hence an entrepreneur minded farmer can do quite well for himself.
Something we dont see much of here in Botswana is garlic farming, now i am not really sure why this is so!? Because garlic is perfectly suited for Botswana. One of the problems garlic farmers often face is....wait for it.... To much water! Yes thats right, for garlic to produce well it needs a short wet season and a long dry season to allow the garlic to mature.
And hence i guess you can already see why garlic farming is perfect for Botswana. Interested? Well what you waiting for check out step one to garlic farming right Here
One of the beautiful things about farming in Botswana is that unlike other country's there is not that much competition in the agricultural field, and hence an entrepreneur minded farmer can do quite well for himself.
Something we dont see much of here in Botswana is garlic farming, now i am not really sure why this is so!? Because garlic is perfectly suited for Botswana. One of the problems garlic farmers often face is....wait for it.... To much water! Yes thats right, for garlic to produce well it needs a short wet season and a long dry season to allow the garlic to mature.
And hence i guess you can already see why garlic farming is perfect for Botswana. Interested? Well what you waiting for check out step one to garlic farming right Here
Tuesday, 26 January 2016
Make the most of the rains, botswana farming tips
Rain is finally falling across botswana, and lots of you may be runing for your plows in order to start planting. Hopefully most of you have already plowed,although this is not looking like a great year with regards to rain, however there is good news in this for some of you! And that is, if you do get a good crop you should have no problem selling it at a good rate.
So heres a few tips to help you get the most of this years rains.
1. Cultivate, yip loosen up that topsoil so that the rain water will sink down to the roots and this will allow the plant to make the most of the rain that does fall.
2. Remove those weeds. There is only so much water, dont let it go to waste by watering weeds,
3. Dig in compost, however make sure its well broken down compost other wise it will start composting around the plants, and that will cause the plant to even die. Well composted soil will hold water longer. Read Here to find what vegetable's grow well in Botswana
All the best.
So heres a few tips to help you get the most of this years rains.
1. Cultivate, yip loosen up that topsoil so that the rain water will sink down to the roots and this will allow the plant to make the most of the rain that does fall.
2. Remove those weeds. There is only so much water, dont let it go to waste by watering weeds,
3. Dig in compost, however make sure its well broken down compost other wise it will start composting around the plants, and that will cause the plant to even die. Well composted soil will hold water longer. Read Here to find what vegetable's grow well in Botswana
All the best.
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