The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Farming Reporter
HORTICULTURE farmers must keep thermometers at their farms to monitor temperatures during winter to avoid loss of crops to frost.
Agritex Matabeleland North provincial agronomist Mr Davison Masendeke said a number of farmers in the province had recorded losses to their horticultural crops due to the cold spell over the last two weeks.
“A number of farmers especially in the Nyamandlovu area had their horticultural crops damaged due to frost. We therefore urge farmers to always pay attention to weather forecast reports so as to be abreast and alert on weather conditions in their area.
“It is also important for farmers to keep thermometers so that if they see temperatures decreasing to zero or below zero degrees Celsius they should be able to improve temperature within the ambient or surrounding of crops. Since most are irrigating we advise them to sprinkle their crops using sprinklers or centre pivots for about 15 minutes or so,” said Mr Masendeke.
He said farmers can also afford making unwarranted losses by avoiding cropping produce susceptible to the cold.
“To avoid unwarranted losses we also urge farmers to desist from cropping produce which is susceptible to cold and these are mostly solanaceous crops.
“However, these tend to be in demand during this period and as such those that intend to grow them have to take precautionary measures to guard against losses,” said Mr Masendeke said.
Solanaceous crops include tomato, pepper, eggplant, white and red potato, and tomatillo.
“In some instances we have seen some farmers burning old tyres on their fields in an effort to raise temperatures within the vicinity of their crops but as a department we discourage this because the tyres emit carbon monoxide, which has ripple effects when it comes to issues to do with climate change,” said Mr Masendeke.
A farmer from Nyamandlovu area told Sunday News Farming that he has lost a hectare of his tomato crop to frost.
Mr Spencer Maphosa of Thandanani Youth Project Farm, Block 10 in the Nyamandlovu area in Umguza District said the crop was damaged two weeks ago.
“The frost hit my tomato crop on Monday and Wednesday last week (two weeks ago) but fortunately I had managed to harvest four times but it’s devastative because I am not going to realise the yield I had anticipated.
“I am quite aware that it’s risky to grow tomatoes at this time of the season but I had no option but to take the risk because its most sought after at this time,” he said.
In an effort to salvage part of his produce, Mr Maphosa says he irrigates his field using the flood irrigation system at night as well as burning old tyres on the surroundings of the crop to improve temperatures.
Umguza District is Matabeleland North’s prime farming area and it is home to most of the irrigable land in the province.
Matabeleland South Agritex provincial officer Mr Judia Ncube said it was of paramount importance for horticultural producers to be wary of weather conditions during this winter period.
“Those that are into horticultural produce cropping should constantly be in touch with the Meteorological Department so as to be informed about weather conditions in their area. These days, temperatures drop to even below zero degrees Celsius at night.
“If temperatures drop to such levels we always encourage them to sprinkle their crops or put in place windbreakers to protect them as well as seeking assistance from Agritex extension officers on how best to avert their produce from being damaged due to the cold spell,” said Mr Ncube.
Twitter: @DNsingo
