7 Common Mistakes Fruit Farmers Make When They Start Out
Becoming a farmer is an exciting and liberating decision requiring extensive research and learning. As a new farmer, making mistakes at different stages is common. But, everything needs to be done right, as a simple mistake can significantly impact your plants’ performance. This can be costly to rectify; sometimes, your strategies may not work. Here are some of the mistakes that fruit farmers make and how you can avoid them. Check them out!
- Wrong Variety Choice
The ecological conditions in different areas vary, influencing the performance of plants. New farmers might not be aware of this and end up purchasing the wrong variety. To succeed in fruit farming, you need to choose the right variety that is well-suited for your growing region. For instance, for macadamia, you need a variety that is drought-tolerant and resistant to a wide range of diseases, such as Murang’a 20. Various factors may determine the variety you need.
These include:
- Whether you are growing in a greenhouse or open field.
- The warmth and humidity of your growing area
- The climate of your area
- Soil conditions
- Pollination
- Chilling requirements
- Rootstock
- Tree spacing
- Blooming time
With these in mind, you will choose a variety that is resistant to various pests and diseases and most suited for your area. Ensure that you purchase seedlings from certified nurseries.
- Ignoring Soil Health
Your soil health is an important factor when it comes to fruit farming. It needs to be fertile, well-drained, and free from soil-borne diseases. Therefore, before establishing your orchard, you should get a soil test to understand your soil conditions. This way, you will know which fertilizers to apply, when to apply manure and any soil treatment that might be required. Also, you will be aware of the soil pH and how you can raise or lower it. Besides, you will plant the right varieties that are well-suited for your soil.
- Planting in Poorly Drained Soils
Poorly drained soils are one of the top reasons why your plants underperform. Sandy loamy and loam soils drain well and provide the best conditions for fruit trees. Clay soils are poorly drained and more prone to waterlogging, drowning the roots. Also, they take longer to dry, promoting the development of fungal diseases.
- Failing to Spray
All plants are susceptible to pests and diseases. If heavily infested, you will find that the trees fail to yield or bear few and deformed fruits. Regular spraying is important to keep your trees healthy and to thrive, especially in commercial orchards. However, you should apply sustainable practices and use the right amounts of fungicides and pesticides. Do not overspray your plants.
- Applying Too Much Nitrogen to the Plants
A farmer may think they have the best performing plants by looking at the increased number of leaves. But, that is not always the case. What matters is the output from the tree. The number of fruits produced. Excessive application of nitrogen increases vegetative growth at the expense of flower and fruit production. To avoid this, you need a balanced application of nitrogen and other nutrients.
- Having No Business Plan
Fruit farming is an agribusiness. Like other businesses, it needs a plan detailing your budget, finances, what you will be growing, and what the market looks like. This will show how much it will cost to start, the management costs, and the expected net earnings. This will increase your chances of becoming a successful farmer.
- Getting too Big too Fast
One of the mistakes that any farmer can make is expanding too fast without a proper plan. For a fruit farmer, this can be moving from a quarter acre to ten acres at once. When this happens, the farmer is unaware of how they can manage the farm and mess up their investment. This can also be done by running too many enterprises at once. What you need is to grow better, not bigger. Specialize in a particular crop or a few crops that you can manage.
OxfarmAg is always delighted to see you succeed. We provide certified, high-quality seedlings to help you get started. Besides, we walk with you in every step, providing you with agronomy support to do everything right. So let’s get growing with OxfarmAg.
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