Tree Tomato or Tamarillo Irrigation
Tree tomato or tamarillo irrigation in Kenya is by button drippers, or rain gun sprinklers, or rain hose irrigation kits. Grekkon Limited advises on how to irrigate tree tomato or tamarillo trees to farmers in east Africa. This is on small one-acre pieces to large hundreds of acres fruit tree estates. When choosing an irrigation system, use one that will not cause tree tomato diseases by leaving moisture on the leaves. Tree tomato spacing in Kenya determines the irrigation layout for any irrigation system adopted. Commercial farmers practicing tree tomato farming in Kenya grow it largely through irrigation.
Tree tomato or tamarillo irrigation system requirements
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- The mainline supplies water from the source. Your tree tomato irrigation water source will be either a reservoir, a river, a well, or a tank. The size of the HDPE or PVC pipe will depend on the acreage. A Tamarillo farmer with 10 acres of trees will use a larger main pipe than a grower with a half-acre of tamarillo trees.
- A sub-mainline will deliver water from the mainline to the 16mm HDPE pipes that serve the tree tomato tree
- A button dripper connected to the 16mm HDPE line to directly irrigate the tree
Benefits of Tamarillo Drip Irrigation
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- It is water efficient because it uses 70% less water than sprinkler irrigation
- The system is easy to install and maintain
- It requires just one individual to run it over very large acreage
- Button drippers are adjusted to provide water according to each tamarillo tree’s need
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How to Irrigate Tree Tomato
- Check the soil moisture
Assess your soil moisture to a depth of 10 cm and if it is all dry, it is time to irrigate your tamarillo tree
- Assess the state of your tamarillo crop
Do the leaves droop and seem water-stressed? Then proceed to irrigate
- Tamarillo drip irrigation system management
Irrigate according to the various blocks, and move to irrigate the next block after the soil is fully moist but not overflowing with water
Tree Tomato or Tamarillo Irrigation FAQs
Yes, they do need plenty of water, especially during the flowering period, through to the end of fruiting.
In the dry season, water the tree twice or thrice a week. During the wet season, irrigate only when it dries
Yes you can which will lead to root rot
The leaves will be small and pale. Then they will turn yellow. The fruits too are tiny and few.
Mature tamarillo trees need 40 to 50 inches of water annually. Younger trees need more water to establish a good root system.
