‘Greenhouse handy during drought times’
WITH conventional agriculture reeling under the harsh effects of climate change, Government yesterday urged farmers with greenhouse facilities to improve their land preparation techniques and ensure they do all-year-round production.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development chief crop production specialist Mrs Hilda Manditsvara advised farmers to embrace producing crops under greenhouses especially during drought situations saying the practice came with several advantages.
“Greenhouses provide better control over water usage compared to the traditional open-field agriculture. They allow for efficient irrigation systems, such as drip, which deliver water directly to plant roots minimising wastage. Additionally, the enclosed environment of a greenhouse reduces water loss through evaporation,” said Mrs Manditsvara.
Droughts often result in limited water availability, making rain-fed agriculture a challenge.
“Greenhouses provide controlled environments where crops can be grown regardless of external weather conditions, including drought. By shielding crops from drought conditions, greenhouses enable continuous production and reduce dependence on rainfall,” she said.
Greenhouses enable year-round or extended growing seasons by creating a microclimate suitable for plant growth.
Added Mrs Manditsvara: “This is particularly advantageous during droughts when outdoor conditions may be unfavourable for crop cultivation. By cultivating crops in a protected environment, greenhouse farmers can supply fresh produce even when it is not traditionally available.”
Meanwhile, a director with a local firm — Total Farm Solutions, Mr Tapiwa Mugabe concurred with Mrs Manditsvara challenging farmers to embrace the greenhouse farming initiative and make use of its controlled growing conditions and fully utilise the land to ensure food security in the face of unpredictable weather patterns.
“Farmers must turn to greenhouse farming as a viable alternative. Land preparation in greenhouse farming plays a crucial role in the profitability of greenhouse farming. It is very difficult to correct a poor land preparation later in the growth stages of the crop. Rather do the right thing at first,” he said.
Various crops are grown in greenhouses while making use of the controlled growing conditions and capacity to boost yields and ensure food security in the face of unpredictable weather patterns.
Added Mr Mugabe: “Crops commonly grown in the greenhouse are tomatoes, cucumbers and coloured peppers — all of which have a vigorous root system. Most indeterminate varieties grown in greenhouses a have a strong and vigorous root system, which is responsible for translocating nutrients, water and also providing a support base for the plants, which in most cases go for more the four metres long.”
These roots require good bedding so that they can perform their function optimally.
“Fertility trenches of about 50cm deep and 40cm wide are dug to provide good bedding for the roots. In the fertility trenches, various soil amendments are often placed based on the soil analysis results
“After the soil is analysed, recommendations are often given on the nutrient status and the nutrients to be added to cater for the crop requirements, for instance, the soil pH and humus status. The amendments normally applied to the soil are basal fertiliser, manure, lime or gypsum if need be,” he added.
He added that the depth of land preparation also helps improve infiltration of water thus, reducing the risk of waterlogging. Water infiltrates freely thereby drawing oxygen from the atmosphere, as it moves downwards, while the roots benefit from oxygen.