Eucalyptus farming in kenya

Last updated on June 9th, 2023 at 09:21 pm

This article focuses on eucalyptus farming in Kenya.

Eucalypts are wild trees that are cultivated in Kenya.

About 100,000 hectares are under eucalyptus in Kenya.

Eucalyptus trees are commonly grown in Kenya for

The main eucalyptus growing area in Kenya

Eucalyptus species grown in Kenya

Eucalyptus propagation

Eucalyptus can be propagated by seeds and vegetative means (seeds).

Seed propagation

Seeds are obtained from well-developed capsules collected from the crown of an upright plant.

The seeds are first grown on seed plants before planting.

Seed production occurs after about 7-10 days.

The seeds are planted after about 3 months when they reach a height of 30 cm.

Propagating Eucalyptus

The most common method is cuttings.

Cuttings can be obtained from mature plants or trees about 1-2 years old.

The roots of the cuttings usually start after 2-3 weeks.

Land preparation

The soil should be carefully tilled and prepared in time before planting.

Weeding should be done carefully as young eucalyptus trees are prone to weeding.

The best time to prepare the soil is during summer.

Planting seeds

Planting should begin at the beginning of the rains.

The best space for planting depends on the purpose of growing eucalyptus trees.

However, the best space is 3X3m.

Pests and diseases

Insects that attack eucalyptus trees include beetles and snout beetles.

Common diseases include mycosphaerella, powdery mildew, and mycosphaerella.

Harvest

Harvesting depends on where the eucalyptus is going.

For example, if it is a transmission rod, it will take 10 to 12 years.

For trees, it should be after 15-20 years.

Eucalyptus market in Kenya
There is a market for eucalypt in Kenya.

They can be sold to mills and other industries as firewood or as raw materials.

They can be customized and sold at the hardware store as fence panels, plywood or transmission poles.