A retired teacher in the rolling hills of Kamune, Mathioya constituency in Murang’a County has earned both fortune, wealth, and fame with his purely organic farming of horticulture crops.
Notably, his efforts in minimising environmental impact and promoting healthy soil and ecosystems by use of natural inputs like cow milk and charcoal dust has earned him a niche in horticulture production as clients troop from far and wide to learn and purchase the produce.
He has a vast wealth of experience, as he has been farming since 2003.
From Hass avocados to coriander to passion fruits to a variety of herbs like rosemary, lemon grass, mint hibiscus to vegetables and the blossoming, mouthwatering tamarillo fruit, Fredrick Muya Kariuki’s five-acre farm offers both traditional and improved crop varieties, all organically grown.
A relatively warm Tuesday evening, and KNA finds Muya and his wife, also a retired teacher, at their farm tending to their over 1000 tamarillo fruit crops commonly known as tree tomatoes, a semi-woody shrub tree with a similar appearance to a tomato.
Tamarillo (Solanum betaceum) requires moderately well-distributed rainfall, a temperature of between 15 to 20 degrees Celsius, and a soil pH of five to 8.5.
“There are over six varieties of the tree tomato, but what we have planted on our farm is the Ruby Red variety, which is fast maturing and quite resistant to pests and diseases,” he said.
Other varieties include the Ecuadorian orange, Gold mine, Inca gold, Red Oratia, Rothame, Solid Gold, and Yellow and are differentiated by colours ranging from yellow and orange to red and purple.
Planting holes should be 30 to 45cm deep with a diameter of 60cm to accommodate sufficient volume of manure
Transplanting is done when the seedlings are between 60 to 70 days old or when the seedling is 20 to 30 cm, and the plants should be planted in deep holes to protect them from winds.
“After planting, the fruits ready to be harvested from 9 months but commercially from one year and can be harvested all year long for up to seven years,” he said.
“Each fruit tree produces an average of 60-100 kg of fruits annually, and we sell a kilo locally at Sh200 at the nearby Othaya market and its environs.”
The tree tomatoes require regular watering, which is a major challenge to this venture, especially with the changes in climate and low rainfall patterns.
“The soil should not be waterlogged.”
Like many fruit trees, tamarillos are susceptible to pests and diseases.
Common pests include aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites, but muyas do not use synthetic fertilisers to curb this.
“We use the locally available natural materials to make botanical pesticides like the Sodom apple, Mexican marigold, tigonia, garlic, rice husks, and tobacco,” he said.
“For the fruit white flies, we use cow milk either fresh or fermented (Mala) to get rid of them at the early stages before they become widespread.”
He advises farmers to avoid overuse of synthetic fertilisers, which make the soil too acidic, and this gives the fruits a bitter, sour taste and subsequent losses.
“Harvesting tree tomatoes is done when they develop a rich colour and feel slightly soft to touch,” he says, gently twisting one of the fruits off.
Tamarillas are an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and E, which are essential for maintaining healthy skin, boosting the immune system, and promoting good vision.
Additionally, they contain potassium, iron, and calcium that contribute to overall health and are also rich in antioxidants, including flavonoids and phenolic compounds, which help combat oxidative stress and reduce inflammation.
The retired teacher’s blueprint to a thriving agribusiness venture lies in extensive research, patience, and endless exploration of sustainable agricultural methods.
“Produce crops that you can encourage your family to consume by avoiding overuse of synthetic fertilisers to avoid degrading the environment and compromising soil health,” he said.
By Florence Kinyua
