Onions are a popular vegetable in Kenya and are often grown by both small-scale and large-scale farmers. But how much does it cost to plant onions in Kenya? And what are some of the other costs of growing onions in the country? This blog answers those questions and more.
The cost of planting onions on a small-scale farm in Kenya ranges from Ksh. 100,000 to Ksh. 200,000 depending on the cost of onion seeds in the market. When it comes to the large-scale farm, it will require more than about Ksh. 250,000 because it will require different types of farm equipment and machinery to work on it.
Cost of Planting Onions
For a one-acre plot of land, planting onions requires 100 kilos of onion seeds, with each kilo costing Ksh. 500. As a result, the total cost of purchasing onion seeds will be Ksh. 50,000. You will also need to purchase fertilizer. A 25kg bag of each costs nearly Ksh. 500, pesticides cost nearly Ksh. 1000, and miscellaneous costs nearly Ksh. 50,000.
How Much is 1 kg of Onion Seeds in Kenya?
The price of onion seeds in Kenya varies with the type of onion and quantity. For instance, one kilo of onion seeds is Ksh. 1200 and 10 g of onion seeds is sold at Ksh. 135.
The price of the Jambari F1 seed depends on the quantity. For instance, 50 g is Ksh. 1,500, 250 g is Ksh. 6,000, and 500 g is Ksh. 13,000. The price of 250g red pinnoy seeds in Kenya is about Ksh. 5,000.
How Long Does It Take for Onions to Grow in Kenya?
Onion seeds take between 7 and 10 days to germinate after planting . Onions take three to five months to grow to maturity after planting seeds, depending on the type of onion variety and climatic conditions. For example, bulb onions are ready for harvest between 3 and 5 months, and spring onions take 2 to 4 weeks after planting.
Which Is the Best Onion Seeds in Kenya?
There are different seed varieties that perform differently under different climate conditions. The most popular and best onion seeds in Kenya are bulb onion and spring onion because they produce a high yield. The best hybrid onion seed is Jambari F1 because it is popular in Kenya, produces high yields, and the size of its onions is large.
The following are Amiran Kenya onion seeds: Neptune F1, Rogue F13, Russet F1, Texas Grano, Sivan F1, and the Rio Grande.
Russet F1 is an onion variety with a firm, fresh red color, strong plant vigor, and resistance to diseases such as pink rot. It has a granex shape and a shelf life of 3 to 3.5 months. It reaches maturity quickly.
Best Fertilizer for Onions in Kenya
The best onion fertilizer is nitrogen-based fertilizer, because onions require a high source of nitrogen. Also, it increases the size of the onion leaves, as a result, increasing the scales of the bulb, making it bigger and heavier.
There are six best fertilizers for onions and garlic, and they include:
1. Jobe’s Organic Bone Meal Fertilizer.
2. Burpee Organic Blood Fertilizer.
3. Greenway Biotech Brands’ Ammonium sulfate 21-0-0 Fertilizer.
4. Espoma Organic Blood Meal, Natural Fertilizer Plant.
5. Fox Farm FX14092 Grow Big Liquid Concentrate Fertilizer.
6. Right NPK ratio.
The best recommended organic fertilizer is Homesteader Hobbies Onion Fertilizer because it is essentially formulated specifically for onion crops.
Homemade fertilizer is fertilizer made natural. There are different types of homemade fertilizer for onions. They include;
1. Onion Peel Fertilizer
Onion peels are an example of homemade fertilizer that has a good amount of nutrients for plants like nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, and copper. Onion peels are soaked in water and left for 24 hours. After 24 hours, the solution will be pink. Strain it well with the help of a sieve to obtain the maximum extract.
2. Dried Banana Peel Fertilizer
Using dried banana peels, you can make fertilizer rich in calcium and potassium for onion plants. Take banana peels, chop them into small pieces and dry them in the full sun. After drying, grind them to form powders. The powder will be ready to be used as homemade fertilizer for onion plants.
3. Dried Eggshells Fertilizer
Eggshells contain calcium that is good for onion plants. After being washed and dried to full sun, they are ground in a mixer and they will be ready as homemade calcium fertilizer.
4. Rice Water Fertilizer
Rice washing water is good for onion plants because it contains starch, proteins, and vitamin B1, which stimulate root growth and metabolism function in plants.
5. Wood Ash Fertilizer
Wood ash is a commonly used homemade fertilizer that is sprinkled lightly on the bases of plants. It contains calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium, which are good for the onion plant.
Onions require fertilizer that is well balanced with high nitrogen. The best NPK fertilizer is nitrogen-based fertilizer like ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate.
Onion fertilizer with a ratio of 10-10-10 is good for onions because it has balanced nutrients of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Onion Fertilizer Schedule
Before planting, apply band fertilizer rich in phosphorus at 3 inches below the seed. Three weeks after planting, apply nitrogen-based fertilizer and every 2 to 3 weeks apply nitrogen to boost the seeds until the neck starts to appear. When you feel it is soft, do not apply nitrogen fertilizer.
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