14800plants per acre yielding heads weighing 1kg each, sold at 40/= per kg. Cost of production is about Ksh 148, 580 per acre. Gross income: 14800×40=Ksh 592,000.Net income: 592,000-148,580= ksh 443,420.Broccoli growing in Kenya is gaining momentum as more people discover the high nutritional value of the vegetable. The vegetable belong to cabbage family and management practices are similar.
The crop is started in the nursery which is shaded and regularly watered. The seedlings should be transplanted when they have at least 4 true leaves. During field establishment, seedlings are spaced at 60cm between rows and 45 cm from plant to plant. At planting, up to 40 tons per hectare of manure is applied. 40grams of double superphosphate fertilizer is applied per plant and later top dressed with CAN at a rate of 20g per plant when plants are 20 cm high.
Broccoli growing in Kenya requires a second top dressing with CAN fertilizer three weeks after the 1st topdressing at a rate of 40 grams per plant. Keep the field free of weeds until the crop covers the ground. Major pests include diamond back moth, cabbage sawfly, cabbage aphids, cutworms etc. When growing broccoli in Kenya, serious diseases which should be controlled include black rot, ring spot, downy mildew.
Downy mildew is a severe problem in broccoli growing in Kenyan high altitudes. Crop rotation, use of certified seeds in addition to nursery and field hygiene are the major control measures against diseases while growing broccoli in Kenya. Maturity takes 80-90 days from germination. The crop should be harvested in clean containers.
