Mkulima today we struggle with food security in the country. Well, one of the ways to bit this is through farming different crops from maize and beans are not the only options. Banana farming is a sure way to get the country to eat healthier and earning more. This is how to start out in banana farming

Banana is one of the most important crops worldwide. They are the fifth largest agricultural commodity in world trade.

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This is after your favorite packaging of cereals, sugar, coffee, and cocoa.

Banana cultivation is a profit-making farming practice worldwide. Banana cultivation is a profitable business and if you are not in it then its time you did.

How to start out in banana farming

Land preparation.

Prior to planting, banana grow some green crops that you can use as manure or make manure to be used on the farm.

You should prepare the selected field for four to six times and allow to weather for two weeks. You can use a renovator or Herro to break the Claude and bring the soil to a fine tilt,

Spacing and planting.

You can plant bananas throughout the year, except in severe winter and during heavy rains.

During this period the soil remains very wet and might lead to rot of the plants. However, the plant population depends on cultivars, topography and soil fertility.

Turn the roots and the decayed portion of the corn cut the pseudostem leaving 20 centimeters from the Corum and grade the suckers to size.

Irrigation.

Irrigate immediately after planting give life irrigation.

After four days subsequently, ensure you irrigate the field once in a week for garden land bananas.

For those planted in wetlands once 10 to 15 days. Irrigate the fields copiously after every manuer application.

When using drip irrigation, use the estimated five to 10 liters on the planting day. Increase this quantity from planting to the fourth month, and use 10 to 15 liters for irrigation.

From the fifth month counting from the planting day to shooting day use 15 liters of water.

And 15 liters from shooting to 15 days prior to harvest. This will ensure the plants have a sufficient source of water throughout.

Manuring.

The nutrient requirement of the banana is very high.

Therefore it requires about 150 to 200 grams N 100 to 150 grams P and 200 to 300 grams K per plant per year. It takes up more nutrients per unit area than almost any other fruit crops.

Weed control.

Regular weeding is important during the first four months.

Normally you can use spading therefore for spading a year are effective in controlling weeds.

However, you can adopt integrated weed management by including

  • cover crops,
  • judicious use of herbicides intercropping and
  • hand weeding.

These will contribute to increasing production.

Also, you can adopt double cropping of plants like cowpeas. It is equally effective in suppressing the weed.

Harvesting and yield.

The door of cultivars of banana is ready for harvest within 11 to 14 months after planting while tall cultivars take about 14 to 18 months to mature.

Therefore the average yield of banana is 40 to 50 tons per hectare.

You can extend the shelf life of banana fruits and their quality by three days or more with the use of ethylene absorbent, like vermiculite blocks.

Having an agribusiness question? Do you know of a successful agribusiness venture or story that you wish to share? I would like to hear from you. Send me the TIP(s) at mkulimatoday@gmail.com

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