Tapuwa Mashangwa
THE beauty of information is that it permits one to plan accordingly. As winter season approaches we must prepare and plant that which corresponds to this period of time. For those with the means plant, non-winter crops under strict monitoring and evaluation of the project.

The Bible clearly states in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that: “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens”.

The ideal crops to plant for winter are beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, onion, peas, garlic, asparagus and tomatoes, preferably hybrid varieties.

However, despite this recommendation one can also plant other crops not readily available during winter as these uncommon crops would fetch higher prices during this period. It is a risky affair but it is not impossible to make profits as long as the appropriate infrastructure for the production is available.

It is also paramount to remember to follow a crop rotation plan to avoid using up all of the soil nutrients. Plant families are inclusive of the following:

Tomato family (pepper, aubergines/eggplant, tomatoes, potato and chilli pepper); Brassicae or Cruciferae or Cabbage Family (cabbage, pak choi, cauliflower, broccoli, mustard and radish); Cucurbits or Cucumber family (cucumber, squash, courgette, pumpkin and melon); Alliums or liliaceae or onion family (onion, shallot, chive and garlic); Apiacae or umbeliferae or carrot family (carrot, celery, parsley, coriander and fennel); Legumes or bean family (cowpea (yard long bean, asparagus bean), pigeon pea, mung bean, chick pea, groundnuts, lentil, etc); Other Leafy crops (spinach, calaboo, cassava leaves, pumpkin leaves,cocoyam leaves and corchorus); Root and tuber crops (yams, cocoyams, sweet potato, tannia and cassava); grasses and cereals (maize, sorghum, millet etc).

Generally hybrid seeds for most crops are expensive and to tackle this challenge it is best that farmers collectively purchase their seeds and farm together.

This not only permits to produce quality winter produce but it also promotes the sharing of ideas and technology among themselves.

Winter green-housing can be a meticulous affair. Another disadvantage of investing in a greenhouse is that it can be quite costly. Greenhouse installation accessories can cost up to several thousand dollars.

However, if one is sufficiently skilled they could build one from scratch from one of many available greenhouse plans. It’s important to note, though, that the cost of winter production of warm-weather crops like tomatoes is very high hence one must be prepared to invest and ensure that there is a readily available paying market for the produce and a return permitting one to do more than just break even.

Depending on where one is doing the winter green-housing heating can be the highest expenditure, followed by labour. If one plans to maintain production through the very coldest, shortest winter months, additional lighting — particularly during a long spell of overcast weather may be a necessary investment.

For those inexperienced in winter farming it is recommendable to thoroughly investigate to determine whether it could be a lucrative affair, taking into consideration the climate, greenhouse structure, and fuel costs.

According to the website <http://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/vegetables/protected-culture-greenhouse-growing-basics.html>, season extension is just one of the advantages gained from greenhouse growing.

Protected crops are less apt to be damaged by wind, rain, and hail so the percentage of marketable products is higher. Yield is often higher as well if you can provide optimum growing conditions for each crop.

Greenhouses protect crops from many diseases, particularly those that are soil borne and splash onto plants in the rain. And greenhouse crops may be protected from common field pests. Of course, greenhouse crops have their own particular problems such as foliar disease, aphids, and whiteflies, so vigilance is still required.

Non-horticultural crops are also good for green house production. For example for floriculture, iris, calla, freesia, daffodils, tulips and hyacinth, orchid, and lilies <http://www.johnnyseeds.com/c-102-snapdragon.aspx?vectorids=9&source=W_GrnHseBascsAdvntgs_012017> are ideal for greenhouse production and for herbs basil, rosemary, chervil, coriander, chives, tarragon, dill and thyme grow well. <http://www.johnnyseeds.com/c-68-celosia.aspx?vectorids=9&source=W_GrnHseBascsAdvntgs_012017>The main considerations for greenhouse location is site and spacing. The site should be level with the optimum exposure to sun.

Trees and various tall bodies could provide unwanted shade. With regards to spacing the greenhouse should be large enough for growing plants and allow for mobility.

Allocating storage space for project inputs such as tools, seeds and so on is paramount. Green housing for winter crops is one of the beauties of farming. Once all basic requisites are met, production can be all year round.

*Eng. Tapuwa Justice Mashangwa, Group CEO of Emerald International Consortium and CEO Emerald Agribusiness Consultancy. He can be contacted on +263 771 641 714 and email: [email protected]