Training on strawberry farming and farm planning on request. - Kariokor

Strawberry Farming in Kenya has become increasingly popular in the recent past. Planting Strawberries in Kenya has the potential to become a multi-billion dollar business. Planting strawberries in Kenya aims at producing high value, juicy health-packed red fruits which are eaten whole, in fruit salads, jam, milk shake and smoothie juice. Farming of strawberry in Kenya has traditionally been for export to Europe.However strawberry farming in Kenya is expanding into a lucrative market for the leaves which used to be thrown away. Planting strawberries in Kenya is expanding into production of leaves sold to decorating and florist firms in the major towns around the country. According to a florist from nairobi the demand for bouquets, which was formerly limited to offices, churches and events, is now expanding to individuals, with demand for  home decoration flowers growing in the recent past. This has caused the demand for the leaves, an important component of the bouquets due to their beautiful shape and sweet scent.

Strawberry Farming in Kenya is therefore a good opportunity for self employment and livelihood improvement. Strawberry farming in Kenya is easy, requires little land and the crop performs well in a wide range of temperatures ranging from mild to hot. Basic requirements for strawberry Farming in Kenya include, water, animal manure or compost, garden tools, recommended pesticides and fungicides, packaging materials and capital. The most popular varieties used during planting strawberries in Kenya include Chandler and pajero.

Other varieties in planting strawberries in Kenya are Tioga selva, Douglas, Tristar, Domanil, Rabunda and Tribute. Strawberry farming in Kenya performs well in warm to hot climate and does not tolerate freezing. Some main diseases affecting this crop includes Fusarium Oxysponium, Botrytis Fusarium Wilt. and Vericillium wilt. Planting strawberries in Kenya should avoid land where crops susceptible to Verticillium wilt a viral disease controlled through crop rotation, were planted in the previous season. Such crops are capsicums, okra, tomatoes, and brinjals

Strawberry Farming in Kenya starts with thorough land preparation in order to grow a vigorous orchard. A bed raised to 20cm with a width of 1metre by any convenient length should be prepared, and well decomposed manure incorporated into the soil at a rate of one medium bucket per square metre. Planting strawberries in Kenya require holes made at a spacing of 30cm from row to row and 30cm from plant to plant. Planting strawberries in Kenya uses vegetative material namely splits of the crown.Planting strawberries in Kenya is done after thorough watering of the seedbed bed. During planting strawberries in Kenya the roots should be well covered but not too deep to avoid rotting of the stem.  Mulching is a recommended post planting management practice during strawberry Farming in Kenya. Irrigate daily in the afternoon in the first month after planting for good crop growth, then 2-3 times a week from the second month. De-blossoming/removal of flowers is recommended as a practice in planting strawberries in Kenya, for the first 2 months of growth to avoid premature fruiting. Planting strawberries in Kenya should aim to avoid stunting and poor development of the crop. Fruit harvesting in strawberries planting in Kenya starts 2½months - 3 months after planting. Thinning to2- 3 splits per crown should be done every 7 months to allow rejuvenation and increase yields. Runners and old leaves' stripping is recommended for strawberry Farming in Kenya.  Flowering is continuous with adequate watering and the lifespan of the crop is 3 years.

Strawberry farming in Kenya uses foliar feeds to boost growth.  Training on strawberry Farming in Kenya is provided by the Youth agro-environmental Initiative organization. Getting training is an important step for all serious visionary agribusinesses. Strawberry farming in Kenya is an expanding industry with great growth potential. Contact our agriculture professionals for training on planting strawberries in Kenya.