Agriculture

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

- 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 laterals, which are 16mm HDPE pipes that serve the tree tomato tree
- A button dripper connected to the 16mm HDPE line to directly irrigate the tree
- Or a micro- sprikler connected to the lateral
- Or a 16mm drip line of 0.8mm – 1mm thickness with pre-perforated emitters

Benefits of Tamarillo Drip Irrigation

- - 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

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

1. What is the cost of tree tomato irrigation in Kenya

– Button drip irrigation system is from Kes 75,000 an acre

– Rain gun sprinkler irrigation system or rain hose irrigation kit is Kes 65,000 an acre

This cost includes; the mainline and fittings, the sub mainline, and fittings, and labor.

For the button drip irrigation system, there is the 16mm HDPE line and fittings, and button drippers

For the rain gun sprinkler irrigation system or rain hose kit, the relevant accessories for each.

2. Do tree tomato trees need a lot of water?

Yes, they do need plenty of water, especially during the flowering period, through to the end of fruiting.

3. How often should I water my tamarillo tree

In the dry season, water the tree twice or thrice a week. During the wet season, irrigate only when it dries

4. Can you overwater a tamarillo tree?

Yes you can which will lead to root rot

5. What does an over-watered tree tomato crop look like?

The leaves will be small and pale. Then they will turn yellow. The fruits too are tiny and few.

6. Does the tamarillo tree like water?

Mature tamarillo trees need 40 to 50 inches of water annually. Younger trees need more water to establish a good root system.

Admin

Established in 2017, Grekkon Limited is a Kenyan agribusiness company. It specialises in the provision of; - Irrigation systems - Greenhouse construction - Dam liners installation - Water pumps - Solar dryers construction - Agriculture nets - Borehole drilling The company has operations offices in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nyeri, Meru, and Nyahururu