A researcher from Kiambu County has come up with a new way of germinating and preparing vegetable seedlings which will ensure that farmers do not lose their seedlings during germination and preparation period.
Joseph Mureithi, 52 and a father of three who is the current Principal at Waruhiu Farmers Training Centre, said that after a long research he realised that most farmers lose almost 50 percent of their seedling during germination and preparation period since they lack proper equipment and also most of them use outdoor germination method.
Mureithi said that after realising that most farmers are incurring huge losses during the preparation period, he decided to carry out a research and to find a long-lasting solution to the problem.
“After several years of research, I decided to try green-house germination method and after a short while the method was showing improvements and decided to do further research on how to improve the method,” revealed Mureithi.
He said that a good germination media for green-house seeds usually comprise a combination of vermiculite, perlite, peat moss, coarse sand and expanded shale.
Mureithi said that commercial mixes are available that offer several advantages over homemade media. He added that the mixes are certified free of weeds, insects and diseases and are convenient and ready to use right out of the bag further noting that they have a small amount of fertiliser already incorporated into the mix to sustain the seedlings for 2 to 4 weeks.
He revealed that green-houses provide the perfect environment for plant growth, but they also provide the perfect environment for diseases to flourish as well.
Mureithi added that most farmers fail since they use homemade media and they do not follow the process which is required before sowing the seeds.
“Most farmers fail in this kind of farming since the containers/trays they use are not good enough to fight diseases. Containers used for germinating seeds in greenhouses should be sterile since the constant high humidity, high moisture and warm temperatures of the green-house provide the perfect conditions for plant diseases to thrive. Shallow trays, 2 to 3 inches deep, with holes in the bottom for drainage are the best type of container for most seeds,” explained Mureithi.
He added that the sterility of containers, media and tools used in seed germination is the most important factor for successful growth.
He also observed that new seedlings are especially susceptible to plant diseases, such as fungi and bacteria, which can persist on pots, soil, benches and tools for long periods of time which could kill an entire planting of seedlings in a matter of days. Containers should either be new or disinfected in a 10 percent bleach solution for 5 minutes before use.