AdewebsHow to grow tomatoes in Zimbabwe- Tomato farming is a profitable business because of its high demand for everyday use in the kitchen for food preparation, and can also be eaten fresh off the vine. It is a very popular vegetable all over the world, and it is used in a variety of dishes. Also, tomatoes are used to make tomato paste, puree, ketchup, tomato juice, and a variety of other dishes and sauces.
If you want to go into tomato growing or farming in Zimbabwe, you have to select the best specie, buy land, plant your seed, control weed, apply fertilizer, water your tomatoes, beware of pests and disease, and harvest and market your tomato produce.
To get more information, ensure you read through this informative piece from beginning to end.
[Beginners Guide] How To Start Tomatoes Farming In Zimbabwe
All you need to begin tomato farming in Zimbabwe is the necessary resources and knowledge. The steps you have to follow have been outlined and intensively discussed below.
Read Also: [Beginners Guide] How To Grow Cucumber In Zimbabwe
Step 1: Select the Best Tomato Specie
The quality of tomato seedlings determines the yield you will receive at harvest. That is why we advise you to look for the best tomato seeds. You can go to a tomato farm or an agro shop that sells high-yield tomato seedlings.
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Step 2: Buy a Land and Prepare the Farmland
You must acquire land and prepare it before planting season. Check that the soil on the land you bought is well-drained, deep, and loamy. It should also be located in an area with plenty of sunlight and easy access.
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Before planting, the land must be prepared. The land must be cleared and then tilled. You can either hire help or do it all yourself. Consider adding a lot of manure to the soil, which could be cow dung or poultry waste, or you can use fertilizer.
Step 3: Plant Your Seed
It is best to initially plant the tomato seeds in a nursery so that they can be transplanted to the farmland later to mature.
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Remove the seeds from the tomatoes, make a small hole in the center, and fill it with two seeds. Then gently cover it with soil. We will also recommend that it be covered with grass.
This will cut down on transpiration. When planting, leave about 2 feet (0.6m) between seedlings and 2 feet (0.6m) between rows.
After 4 to 5 weeks, the sprouted plant can be gently uprooted and moved to farmland to continue growing until fruiting.
Step 4: Weeding
Weeding is required. It is best to weed as soon as you notice them sprouting to avoid unwanted plants competing with your tomato plants.
Step 5: Apply Fertilizer
Apply fertilizer to replenish soil nutrients and also help speed up growth by providing all of the essential nutrients required for maturation. Purchase a fertilizer with a nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium ratio of 5-10.
When applying the fertilizer, mix it with water and apply it directly to the root surface.
Step 6: Water Your Tomatoes
Tomatoes require a lot of water, and their demand for water increases as they grow. Water twice daily, early morning and late evening. If you can afford it, you can build an irrigation system. Drip Irrigation is the best.
Step 7: Watch out for Pest and Disease
You must spray your farm with an insecticide, pesticide, or fungicide to keep insects, pests, and diseases at bay.
Step 8: Harvest and Market Your Tomato Produce
The majority of tomato species grow to maturity within 70 to 100 days. Once you see your tomato change from green to red color, you can begin harvest which is done in batches.
After completing your harvest, you have to sort and clean them up and then market your products for sale.
Is Tomato Farming Profitable in Zimbabwe?
Tomato farming is one of the most profitable farming business ideas in Zimbabwe, with high-profit margins and lucrative returns.
How Do I Start Farming Tomatoes?
Tomatoes farming can be done by anyone, whether for commercial or personal use. To begin your tomato farm, follow these steps:
- Preparation of farmland
- Tomato Species selection
- Prepare Nursery Bed for tomatoes farming
- Transplanting
- Weed Control and Mulching
- Fertilizer Application
- irrigation
How Much Money Can You Make On An Acre Of Tomatoes?
Tomato farming is a profitable business, especially with the growing demand for tomatoes. The amount of money you make per acre is determined by the yield produced.
Which Month Is Best For Tomato Farming In Zimbabwe?
The best month for tomato farming is the month of February
How Do You Grow Tomatoes In Zimbabwe?
To grow tomatoes in Zimbabwe, you have to select the best specie, buy land, plant your seed, control weed, apply fertilizer, water your tomatoes, beware of pests and disease, and harvest and market your tomato produce.
How Many Tomatoes Do You Get Per Plant?
The amount of tomatoes you can get per plant is 20 to 50
How Long Do Tomatoes Take To Grow?
Tomatoes can be harvested in 60 to more than 100 days, depending on the variety.
How Do Tomato Farmers Make Money?
Most tomato farmers make money from selling their tomato produce. Some further increase their earnings by engaging in extra money making activities such as:
- Sales of farm input
- Lease of farmland
- Sales of farm equipment
- Sales of tomato seedlings
- Tomato processing
How Can I Sell My Tomatoes?
As a tomato farmer, you can sell your tomato as whole sales to large tomato processing companies in farm markets. You can also sell in retail to consumers in your shop, in front of your home, and the market.
How Much Does It Cost To Plant Tomatoes?
The cost to plant tomatoes in Zimbabwe is estimated to be about ZW$3,220,000 for a hectare. The estimated amount includes the price for irrigation, power, and manpower.
How Many Boxes Of Tomatoes Make A Hectare?
12,000 boxes of tomatoes make a hectare. This implies that you will earn more than the amount you invested in your farm when all of the tomatoes are sold at a profitable price.
How To Grow Tomatoes In Zimbabwe PDF
Tomatoes are one of the most important fruit crops grown commercially in Zimbabwe, with modern farm inputs. How to grow Tomato in Zimbabwe PDF provides a concise account of Zimbabwean tomato cultivation. But you can click on this link for a pdf information
It also includes information on growing practices and quality analysis of tomato crops grown on a non-commercial scale by local farmers, as well as recommendations for tomato cultivation and postharvest management strategies.
How To Plant Tomatoes In Zimbabwe
If you are planning to venture into tomato farming in Zimbabwe but have little or no idea how to go about the process, you can follow the steps outlined below.
Step 1: Buy a farmland
Step 2: Best specie
Step 3: Plant your seed
Step 4: Weed and pest control
Step 5: Apply fertilizer
Step 6: Adequately water your tomatoes
Step 7: Harvest your tomato produce
Best Time To Grow Tomatoes In Zimbabwe
Summer is the best time to grow tomatoes in Zimbabwe, especially between August and April.
The Complete Guide to Growing Tomatoes PDF
The Complete Guide to Growing Tomatoes PDF is an in-depth guide to growing tomatoes. It also includes nearly everything you need to know about planting, growing and harvesting tomatoes.
In addition, you will find information on all aspects of starting a tomato garden, including how much space you need, how many plants you need, how to choose good varieties and prepare the soil, and how to fertilize them; varieties that perform well in your area; how much time you need for each step and when you start, what to expect during each step (including whether they will flower, fruit or both), how long it takes each stage of those stages and which variety works best for you
Tomato Spray Program Zimbabwe
Due to the existing and development of bacteria and pests that affect tomato plants, there has been a need for a tomato spray program in Zimbabwe. The essence of the program is to help farmers overcome diseases and insects that affect the tomato plants from growing to maturity.
Best Tomato Varieties in Zimbabwe PDF
The best tomato varieties in Zimbabwe PDF has a compilation of tomato varieties that you can plant in Zimbabwe. Importantly, the material postulates the best tomato varieties that you can plant in Zimbabwe such as trinity varieties, star varieties, Roma VF, Daisy F1, Supersweet F1, Tengeru 97, Nash F1, and Akela F1.
How To Grow Tengeru Tomatoes PDF
Tengeru tomatoes have proven to be the most productive all year. That is why the PDF material on how to grow Tengeru Tomato is available to teach you how to plant Tengeru tomatoes successfully during the rainy and dry seasons while still producing high-quality fruits.
Furthermore, Tengeru tomatoes, like all tomato varieties, require the following conditions to thrive: Soil that is light, moist, and productive (minerals).
Fertilizer For Tomatoes In Zimbabwe
Every three weeks, apply ammonium nitrate fertilizer at a rate of 100kg/ha during the first stage of flowering. 5cm away from the plant, place the fertilizer. Allow the fertilizer to dissolve by watering the crop.
Note: Do not apply the fertilizer to the plant because it will kill it. Rather, fertilizer should be applied to the soil.
Conclusion
I believe that in this guide, you have learned everything you need to know about growing tomatoes in Zimbabwe. You’ll discover in this informative piece all the basic and necessary information that will help you start and run a successful tomato farm in Zimbabwe.
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