LOCAL horticulture producers, despite having been pushed off the market by imported produce, have begun to increase production.
Legislators have urged Government to be consistent on its import regulations to ensure a level playing field for local farmers.
One horticulture produce that thrives in most regions is cabbage.
The plant is used for medicinal purposes to treat gout, stomach problems and headaches.
The entire plant can be consumed cooked or raw as a salad.
In an interview with Patriot Agriculture, Agritex agronomist Luke Munyoro said cabbages thrive in well-drained, moisture-retentive, loamy soils well supplied with organic matter.
“It does not grow well in highly acidic soil,” he said, adding “The ideal soil pH ranges from 5,5 to 6,5 and it should not be allowed to drop below 4,5.”
“The optimum temperatures for growth and development are from 18 degrees to 20 degrees.
“It is fairly resistant to frost and can survive temperatures as low as minus three degrees without damage.”
Munyoro said cabbage adapted to a wide variety of weather conditions and thus can be grown throughout the year in most regions.
When preparing land, Munyoro said it should be cultivated eight weeks before planting.
“The ground must be ploughed deeply immediately before planting, with a disk harrow or other suitable implement to a depth of 450 to 600 mm.
“The soil should be fumigated two weeks before planting time if necessary, to control nematodes.”
Munyoro said cabbages may be planted by direct seeding or transplanting of seedlings.
“If direct seeding is to be used, about two kilogrammes (kg) of seed a hectare may be required,” he said.
“Seedlings should be transplanted as soon as they reach the desired size and, only when well-hardened, young, stocky plants should be used.”
Transplanting is done in moist soil.
“The soil around the roots should be firmed and irrigated as soon as possible after setting the seedlings.
“In wet areas, cabbage should be planted on raised beds or ridges to reduce water-logging and stem or root rot diseases.
“Plant populations of 40 000 to 45 000 a hectare are suggested for large-headed types while for cultivars with medium-sized heads, populations of 55 000 to 65 000 plants per hectare are said to be ideal,” he said.
“For baby cabbage, populations of 80 000 to 100 000 plants per hectare are recommended.
“It is recommended that large-headed cultivars should be planted 600 to 700mm apart between rows and 450mm apart within rows.
“Smaller-headed varieties are planted 600mm between rows and 300mm within rows.”
Munyoro said fertiliser programmes should be based on soil analyses. “Cabbage requires 200 to 250 kg nitrogen a hectare,” he said, adding, “Nitrogen is supplied in split applications, where half to two-thirds are broadcast and ploughed in just before planting.
“The first application is made together with phosphorus and potassium.
“The remainder is applied as a side dressing two to three weeks after transplanting and again three weeks later or applied (once-off) at about six weeks.”
Top dressing of 300kg LAN should be applied approximately four weeks after transplanting and again four weeks later if required, said Munyoro.
Cabbages should be irrigated immediately after sowing or transplanting.
“Thereafter, irrigation should be applied at intervals of 10 to 12 days in heavy soils or eight days in light soils and the schedule should be followed until the heads are fully developed and firm,” said Munyoro.
“Young plants should receive enough water for vegetable growth before forming heads.
“Excess moisture, when the heads have formed, may cause them to crack.”
Weeds in cabbage fields are controlled mechanically, by hand or chemically by applying registered herbicides.
“Mechanical cultivation should be done during land preparation until the plants are about half-grown,” said Munyoro.
“The first cultivation should be done two to three weeks after transplanting.
“Frequent pests that affect cabbage are: Aphids (several kinds), diamond-back moth, bagrada bug, American bollworm, cabbage webworm, greater cabbage moth, red spider mite, cutworms, plusia looper, thrips and nematodes.”
“Frequent diseases include: damping off, sclerotonia rot or white mould, clubroot, fusarium wilt or cabbage yellows, black leg, downy mildew, black rot and bacterial and leafspot.”