Carrot Farming in Kenya; The Ultimate Guide for 2024

Carrot farming in Kenya has emerged as a highly valuable and profitable agribusiness. As a result, many small-scale farmers opt for carrot farming due to the high returns from even a small piece of land.

Carrots are among the most popular and widely consumed vegetables worldwide, partly owing to their ease of growing and versatility in various recipes and cultural cuisines. Carrots have a shorter maturity period than other crops such as coffee and maize; they require minimal attention and are easy to manage.

In this article, I’ll discuss carrot farming in Kenya. You’ll know the different carrot varieties that perform well in Kenya. I’ll also illustrate the best way to grow carrots including pest management and treatment. Keep reading!

Carrot Varieties in Kenya 

The most grown carrots varieties in Kenya include;

• Sunrise F1
• Super Koruda
• Chanteny
• Samba
• Napolitana
• Mini color
• Amsterdam
• Nates 

Ecological Requirements 

Carrots thrive in areas with the following environmental conditions.

Rainfall 

Carrot tolerates a wide range of rainfall, but excess may cause a reduction in root color. Dry conditions cause branching and cracking- as they search for water.

Soil 

Carrots require loose, deep loamy soil that is well-drained since poor drainage encourages bacterial diseases to attack the crop.  Heavy clay soil is likely to produce low-quality twisted and malformed roots. Carrots require optimum PH of 6.0-6.5. 

Find Out: Successful Onion Farmers in Kenya

Altitude 

An altitude greater than 500m above sea level is necessary for the production of economic yields.

Temperature 

Although a cool-season crop, carrots may endure some degree of warmer conditions. High soil temperature promotes the growth of short roots and may adversely affect germination.

Ideal temperatures for germination are between 25 and 300, while rapid growth and good color development best occur at 15-200C. Temperatures above 250C produce carrots with a pale yellow color, a strong flavor, and coarse textured texture. Too low can cause bolting.   

Land preparation 

Carrot farming requires proper land preparation, including ploughing, harrowing, and bed preparation. Plough the land deeply ( at least 30cm) during the dry spells, and remove all perennial weeds. Harrow the seedbed to a fine tilth.

You should dig the seedbed to a depth of about 20cm. Then harrow the seedbed to a fine tilth. You should not apply manure at this point since it promotes forking, which affects crop quality.

Like any other vegetable, carrots perform well in soils with plenty of phosphate and potassium. You can supplement these nutrients to the crop using compost manure; however, you should prepare the soil six months before planting the seeds. This will help you attain an ideal pH of 6.

Related: The Cost of Onion Farming in Kenya; A Breakdown

Germination 

Carrot seeds require plenty of humidity to germinate. Therefore you can wrap the seeds in dump paper two days before planting.

Planting 

When planting the carrot seeds, make a slight furrow in the soil 1-2cm deep, depending on the soil type and moisture content, and sow 4-5 seeds every 2.5cm. Cover the trenches with a thin layer of lawn clippings or appropriate mulch, just thick enough to retain moisture and prevent crusting while still enabling the plants to grow.

Do light daily irrigation with a watering can until the plants emerge.

Irrigation 

Carrot’s requirements differ from those of other vegetables. The first one concerns irrigation. The carrot plant has a very deep root system; it extends considerably further than the tip of the tap root- the part we eat.

The overall system’s length can easily exceed 2m. These are the fine roots that source nutrients and water.  Irrigating down to this depth requires 200mm of water if the soil is dry. Since this is impractical in a mixed vegetable patch, irrigate to a depth of around 30cm and rely on good rain to penetrate deeper into the soil.

Most farmers irrigate frequently but lightly. This may work for many other vegetables but will not work for carrots, resulting in short carrots and meager harvests. Before irrigating, you need to check the moisture content of the soil. You can use farm soil or any other suitable tool to do it.

You should check it the following day after irrigating to ensure it’s moist enough. Irrigate every five to seven days.

Thinning 

Since carrot seeds are too small, it’s easy to sow them too densely. If this happens, thin out the emerging plants. This is critical; Contrary to popular assumption, the sunlight leaves capture is crucially more significant than the space roots occupy.

Target a population of between 800plants per m2 and 1000 plants per m2 of the bed surface. Rows 20cm apart should give 20 plants/m of row.  You should thin out the plants at the four-leaf stage and after watering. You can see what you’re doing at this stage, and the thinned plants are easy to uproot.

Fertilizer Application

Carrots need 220 kg of either TSP or DSP per hectare during the planting phase. You should then top-dress with 220 kg of CAN per hectare when the plants get to 10 centimeters. These guidelines prevent over-fertilization which can lead to insufficient root development and ultimately, poor harvest.

Disease Management.

The following are some of the diseases you need to watch out for in your carrot plants. We have also included a guide on how to manage them.

Powdery Mildew

This disease is illustrated by white deposits on the top side of carrot leaves. As a result, the leaves will have a ghostly gray appearance. The best way to manage this disease is by maintaining proper hygiene. Moreover, you should spray with ridomil fungicide.

Carrot Soft Rot

This is a disease caused by bacteria and it affects the carrot’s taproot system. In most cases, the root appears slimy, soft, and watery. You should not expect sufficient harvest when this happens.

The best remedy for this is Spraying with fungicides like ridomil and practicing crop rotation.

Damping Off 

Carrot damping off is caused by soil-borne pathogens. These pathogens like fungi are mostly active in wet and soggy soil. The best way to manage this is by reducing water in the soil and planting certified seeds depending on the water level in your soil.

Leaf Blight

Carrot leaf blight is caused by the fungus Alternaria dauci which weakens the leaves. In severe cases, this fungus cause defoliation.

You can identify this issue in your carrots through dark brown to black lesions. In most cases, these lesions are found along the margins of the leaves. In severe cases, the lesions make the leaves turn brown and eventually die.

The best way to combat carrot leaf blight is by soaking the seeds in hot water (50°C) for about 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can soak the seed in 0.2% thiram suspension for one day at 30°C.

Pest Management 

• Carrot fly: Spray suitable insecticides, intercrop with garlic or onions, and carry out timely weeding.
• Root-knot Nematodes: Soil drench using Triotech, marshal, or nematechs.
• Carrot battle: Spray with appropriate insecticides like Confidor.
• Aster leaf-hopper: Spray using suitable insecticides like Confidor and pyrethroids.

Harvesting 

Carrots mature after three to four months. When you notice that your carrots are mature and ready to harvest, use the below procedure:

1. Loosen the topsoil with a spade or trowel.
2. Lift the plant from the ground.
3. Cut the leaves at the base.

Expert Tip: The best way to know that your carrots are ready for harvesting is when the tops of the carrot roots start popping out of the soil.

Bottom Line

Carrot farming in Kenya is becoming popular as many people are encouraged to eat these vegetables. It’s therefore important for farmers to venture into this lucrative agribusiness. 

Carrot farming is a simple and easy activity once you’ve mastered carrot farming basics and processes for planting carrots.   

Carrot growth has several benefits apart from profitability; carrots are rich in vitamin A necessary for beautiful skin and clear sight.