jidestroud:


The irony in this my cucumber saga is that I have helped 2 friends set up their cucumber farms (although just 2plots each) and it did marvelously well, though it wasn't organic.

Well, I think the major problem I have with cucumbers is my inability to grow them organically on a commercial scale. For tomatoes, I have grown them in and out of seasons with breaking a sweat, but that thing called cucumbers ehn.... , even pilot projects of few stands using good available seeds at that time, IT STILL DIDN'T WORK FOR ME HABA!!!
The winchy winchy wey dey follow that crop too much. At this stage, no more trails and errors for me oooo, na to make money and one winchy winchy cucumber cannot come and be giving me headaches or force me to go inorganic. Make I leave am for una experts.

Farmerakinloye6:
mine is 30cm ( my drip tape distance) what is your own drip tape distance?

Farmerakinloye6:
mulching!

Farmerakinloye6:
Sure! Renew the ridges. Don't use 20:10:10 again. Use golden npk 15:15:15 two weeks after you transplant, then calcium nitrates when it about to set flowers.you also need to work on your staking! I like your spacing which is 50cm!!! You can call me tomorrow evening if there is anything you still want to ask me. God bless our work!

jidestroud:
The introduction

Okay, I decided to start a new thread dedicated for this project. Believe me when I say this, growing cucumbers organically is definitely an herculean task. To be able to keep the fungi wahala in check is the major problem. I have tried on so many occasions to pull it off but I end up hitting the restart button. The outcome using inorganic means gave outstanding results but I am known for organic ways , so I mustn't compromise in the least way.
I have been able to grow tomatoes (in and out of rainy seasons) organically without issues. In short, it stands as the easiest thing to do for me but, this cucumbers ehn...

The Start Up Project
I went to the agrotropic stores an got two varieties

a. Nagano F1 Cucumbers
b. Marketer Cucumbers

Got a grow tray. Quite unfortunate I didn't get the big trays for crops like cucumbers.

Site Preparation
For this project, I used sacking methods. I didn't want to take chances at all.
Got my soil from a virgin land. Nevertheless, I hard to sundry it for about a week (leaving no rooms for flaws).

Got my manure and did same.

Mixed in appropriate ratio; 50:50 soil to manure mixture. After which I bagged it up in black poly bags.

DeLaRue:


I can probably sell you a packet (1500 seeds) for N13, 500.

I have not grown Platinum before, but it seems it is a very good seed, from what I have been reading here. However, from the pictures I have seen the plants seem rather tall thus necessitating staking - this can be costly in terms of time, money and effort.

If you want to grow a very large field, the variety I have would be a better choice since it doesn't grow very tall and does not require staking. Yes, you lose may be 10% of the fruits to rot, but I think it is worth it when you consider the effort that goes into staking.

Staking is also a barrier to you scaling up. How do you stake 20,000 plants without investing a ton of money

A tomato variety that is low in height, produces well, highly disease resistant, and is generally low-maintenance is a no brainer in my view.

If you look at Tomato Jos (the American lady investor spending millions of dollars growing tomatoes in Kaduna (I think)), her tomato plants are not staked. That's because she plants several hectares and staking is simply not economically feasible in that situation.

I'm not given to hyperbole, but I'm tempted to say that if this particular tomato seed is adopted widely in the South today, in a year or two, there would be little need to import tomatoes from the North.

Based on my experience, it seems to do well in ALL seasons - dry, wet, heavy rainfall, low rainfall, very high temperature etc. Also, the structure, shape, and colour of the fruit is excellent for Nigerian market and taste. It is possible there are tomatoes that produce more in Nigeria today, but boy, I would be surprised if anything beats this tomato when all factors are considered.

That is why I want people to try it in different locations so we can confirm if my report of its performance is confirmed across the entire south or whether my location just happens to be well suited to it.

If you are in the North and you want to try in your location, I'd be happy to send you some seeds.

Sir please I need your contact. I want to make love enquiry on this your seed

DeLaRue:


I can probably sell you a packet (1500 seeds) for N13, 500.

I have not grown Platinum before, but it seems it is a very good seed, from what I have been reading here. However, from the pictures I have seen the plants seem rather tall thus necessitating staking - this can be costly in terms of time, money and effort.

If you want to grow a very large field, the variety I have would be a better choice since it doesn't grow very tall and does not require staking. Yes, you lose may be 10% of the fruits to rot, but I think it is worth it when you consider the effort that goes into staking.

Staking is also a barrier to you scaling up. How do you stake 20,000 plants without investing a ton of money

A tomato variety that is low in height, produces well, highly disease resistant, and is generally low-maintenance is a no brainer in my view.

If you look at Tomato Jos (the American lady investor spending millions of dollars growing tomatoes in Kaduna (I think)), her tomato plants are not staked. That's because she plants several hectares and staking is simply not economically feasible in that situation.

I'm not given to hyperbole, but I'm tempted to say that if this particular tomato seed is adopted widely in the South today, in a year or two, there would be little need to import tomatoes from the North.

Based on my experience, it seems to do well in ALL seasons - dry, wet, heavy rainfall, low rainfall, very high temperature etc. Also, the structure, shape, and colour of the fruit is excellent for Nigerian market and taste. It is possible there are tomatoes that produce more in Nigeria today, but boy, I would be surprised if anything beats this tomato when all factors are considered.

That is why I want people to try it in different locations so we can confirm if my report of its performance is confirmed across the entire south or whether my location just happens to be well suited to it.

If you are in the North and you want to try in your location, I'd be happy to send you some seeds.

Sir please I need your contact. I want to make love enquiry on this your seed

Farmerakinloye6:
nice one! Next will be more okay than this because of the experience you have gain. God bless your hustle!

Farmerakinloye6:
calm down!!! I will not encourage you to keep spending much on this project. Harvest this one, treat your soil next time and plant plantinum. Plantinum has resistance to Nematode to some extent.

vonxe:

This is the work of nematodes as my oga famerakinloye6 said.
But you can still remedy it, buy velum prime by bayer
One of east west distributors said he would sell 500ml for 25k naira for just an acre. It can be applied anytime

Farmerakinloye6:
Nematode at work... best treatment is before planting.

DeLaRue:


20-10-10 is manageable in the early stages of tomato plants life. However, once the plants start showing signs of flowering, the high-nitrogen 20-10-10 should be replaced with a fertilizer with a higher phosphorus and lower nitrogen rate. This is also the time you should be getting ready to apply Calcium Nitrate.

Dont wait until fruits are set before you start applying Calcium Nitrate otherwise blossom end rot will affect some of the tomatoes. Once a tomato fruit has BER, there's no remedy. By the way, I feel some tomato varieties are probably more susceptible than others. Something to think about in your next planting.

In your present situation, I advise you pluck affected tomatoes off the plants as soon as possible so the plants can grow new fruits quicker.

In order to prevent newer fruits from succumbing to BER, you need to up your Calcium Nitrate (preferable) or CalMag game.

CN applied through the roots is probably the best medium term option but it takes several days for plants fully absorb it, so not idea when urgency is a factor. A faster option would be to mix at a ratio of 1 tablespoon CN in 4 litres of water and spray on top and under the plant leaves. If you're using a 12 litre pump, that would be 3 tablespoon. Don't heap the spoons as that will take you above the recommended dose which can result in leaf burn and harm your plant.

All the best.

Farmerakinloye6:
too early for that now! Am not experiencing such. To my understanding you also apply 20:10:10 two weeks ago too(which is bad for vegetable) don't you think you are applying too much fertilizer to your tomato? I will keep saying "wrong handling of fertilizer, insecticide, manure and fungicide always cause trouble!!!"

vonxe:
Very important question!!!
@ritzyluv
@Farmerakinloye6
How much did you guys spent on staking?
Am doing three plots with a total of 4500 stands, Only bamboo will cost 30k, those who will slice the bamboo 10k, those who will erect the bamboo sticks 10k.

My proposed total for staking is 50k!!!
What is yours

Farmerakinloye6:
I like your tomato spacing and your farm is neat. Don't joke with staking (hardest part in tomato farming) falling to ground Will Makes it attract fungi and bringing out unnecessarily branches. I will post video by weekend watch it you will get more insight. Distance between your Pole is like 250cm do you think it will work when the fruit is BIG? MY is 90cm-120cm apart.

tpben:


Your soil does not drain well.
It's overly obvious in the picture..
That's the cause since your plants can't breathe.

emmaachile2:

What variety of tomatoes?

Farmerakinloye6:
am so sorry! This is caused by fertilizer maybe you apply it too near the stand OR Nematode at work. Sorry SIS! If the stem shrink,dry then it definitely fertilizer. Put your number on your signature let me call you.

Farmerakinloye6:
it is cause by weather not a serious issue am experiencing thesame thing here. Yes can start now 15ml per 16litre, spray in the evening. Your farm is neat! Won't you stake ?