Tomatoes are one of the most important crops in Zambia. Every household uses tomatoes to cook. That being said, tomato farming in Zambia can be a lucrative business to venture into.
In this blog post, you will learn how to grow tomatoes in Zambia including everything you need to know about tomato farming in Zambia, when to plant, choosing your tomato variety, where to grow, as well as disease management. I hope this blog post will provide a guide for aspiring tomato farmers in Zambia
Table of Contents
Suitable Conditions for Tomato Farming in Zambia
Before you can plant your tomatoes, you need to first understand and know the suitable conditions in terms of climate conditions such as temperature and rainfall patterns.
In Zambia (as in most parts of the world), tomatoes can be grown throughout the year, however, the best time to plant tomatoes is during the warm season, which typically starts in October and lasts until March. Tomatoes need warm soil and air temperatures to germinate and grow, and they do not tolerate frost or cold temperatures. With that said, growing tomatoes in the cold season(June/July) can tend to produce negative outcomes for your crops. This is because tomato crops do not like frost. It ultimately affects their growth.
As for the soil, Tomatoes thrive in well-draining soil that is rich in nutrients. You can improve the soil in your container or garden bed by adding compost or aged manure. If you’re growing tomatoes in a container, make sure the soil is a good quality potting mix that has been specifically formulated for container gardening. Also, if you are using manure, make sure you water the soil for some days to neutralize the manure before planting. Otherwise, the plants might get “burnt”.
Popular Tomato Varieties Grown in Zambia
When it comes to choosing your tomato plants to grow in Zambia, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Firstly, there are two main types of tomatoes: determinate and indeterminate.
Determinate tomatoes, often referred to as “bush tomatoes,” are a type of tomato plant that grows to a compact, predetermined height and produces a single, concentrated harvest of fruit. On the other side, indeterminate tomatoes are larger, vine-like plants that produce fruit continuously throughout the season.
Another important aspect is that you should decide whether you want to grow hybrid or organic tomatoes. Hybrid tomatoes are bred for specific characteristics, such as disease resistance or higher yield, while organic tomatoes are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
The following companies provide various tomato seed varieties:
- Seed-Co Zambia
- Hygrotech Zambia
- Stark Ayres
- Holland Greentech and
- Amiran
Popular choices in Zambia include Roma, Money Maker, Tengelu Select and Marglobe
You can also find companies that supply ready-to-plant seedlings. Most of these will advertise online or on Facebook There is a small vegetable seedling nursery just outside of Hygrotech Seeds in the showgrounds that sells vegetable seedlings.
Planting and Growing Tomatoes in Zambia
Seed sowing
When it comes to sowing, spacing is important. Space your seeds or seedlings wisely, 60-90cm between rows and 30-45cm between plants. Give them a good drink of water after planting to help them settle in.
Transplanting
Once your seedlings have grown to about 12 cm tall, you can transplant them into their final container or garden bed.
Watering and irrigation
Keep the soil consistently moist. Drip irrigation or watering at the base of the plants works wonders, avoiding direct water on leaves or fruits.
Fertilization
Apply a balanced fertilizer before planting and after the first fruit set. NPK works, but organic options like compost or manure are just as effective. Spread it evenly, then water the soil for optimal nutrient absorption.
Pest and Disease Management for Tomatoes in Zambia
Keep a close eye out for pests and diseases. Use integrated pest management techniques, employing practices such as crop rotation and the use of natural predators. Think ladybugs for aphids or neem oil for fungal issues.
The common diseases that affect tomatoes are
1. Early Blight
Early blight disease affects tomato and eggplant, but not pepper. It is caused by the fungus Alternaria solani. Potatoes are also susceptible to early blight.
Management
- Use resistant varieties. ‘Mountain Supreme’, ‘Mountain Fresh’, ‘Plum Dandy’, ‘Mountain Magic’, and ‘Defiant PhR’ have resistance to the disease.
- Only use pathogen–free seed.
- Use Crop rotation. Rotate soil out of all solanaceous crops for at least two years.
- Provide good weed control and remove volunteer host plants (all solanaceous crops) this will help to reduce potential sources of inoculum.
- Keep plants vigorous through good soil fertility regimes.
- Use fungicides.
2. Blossom Drop
Flowers drop off the plant without fruit development. This is usually caused by extreme temperature fluctuations. Tomatoes need nighttime temperatures between 55-75 degrees F to successfully set flowers and fruit. Other causes include not enough water, insect damage, lack of pollination, and too much or too little nitrogen.
Solutions:
- Use warming aids on cooler nights.
- Adjust watering and fertilizer.
- Plant tomato companion plants or flowers nearby to deter pests and attract pollinators.
3. Fruit Cracking
Skin and flesh separate, introducing disease and compromising fruit quality. Heavy rainfall can cause fruit swelling, which leads to cracking.
Solutions:
- Cover plants or harvest ripe fruit before a heavy rain.
- Provide consistent water through the growing season.
- Cherry tomatoes are more prone to cracking, so should be harvested just before fully ripened.
Harvesting Tomatoes in Zambia
Signs of ripeness for harvesting tomatoes
But how do you know when they’re ripe?
- Ripe tomatoes are their full deep color, with no green spots left. Green areas mean they’re not quite ripe yet.
- Ripe tomatoes should come off the vine quite easily. Ideally, you should be able to pick them with one hand, cup the fruit in your palm, and give a gentle twist, and it should pop right off the vine. If you need two hands to separate the stem and the fruit, they’re not quite ready.
- A ripe tomato won’t be too firm or too squishy; it will feel supple, slightly soft, but not too soft. It should feel similar to a ripe peach or nectarine, just a little bit firmer. If it still feels quite hard like an apple, it’s not ripe yet. If you squeeze the fruit gently and it has a bit of give to it, it should be ready to harvest.
- Ripe tomatoes are shiny. Before they are fully ripe, they will usually have a slightly duller or powdery appearance.
Conclusion
We hope you now know how to grow tomatoes in Zambia and learned one or two things from our tomato farming in Zambia guide. Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.
I well managed, tomato farming in Zambia can be a profitable business venture that can give you an income. Once your tomatoes are ripe, you can sell them to the local market such as the famous Soweto market in Lusaka.