Introduction
First growing crops are crops that yield quick harvests and a steady food supply for both home consumption and external use. it’s one of the smart ways of earning income for beginners in farming .These crops thrive under tropical climates and mature quickly, just in months their ready for harvest.
How to grow and benefit from first growing crops
1. Amaranthus (Dodo)
Amaranthus locally known as dodo takes 30_40 days to mature to full grown edible greens, a vegetable that adapts with soil structure. During the first 10 days, apply organic manure like wood ash to increase on soil nutrients.
2. Spinach (nakati)
Spinach grows in 30_40 days to its harvesting stage; it’s advisable by experts to plant your spinach in fertile soils rich in nitrogen, watering if in dry season and use fertilizers like chicken manure and NPK fertilizers to boost their rapid growth.
3. Radish
Radishes unlike spinach and amaranthus, it’s a root vegetable and takes a minimal of 25 _35 days to ripe, experts recommend to grow it in a well cultivated loosened soil to allow the roots grow freely and water in taking.
4. Cowpeas
Cowpeas is a two in one first growing crop, in 30_40 days the leaves are ready for harvesting, and grain is harvested later, it’s better to plant cow peas in rows with natural fertilizers, it’s a leguminous plant that supplements the soil with nitrogen
5. Okra
In 45_55 days okra also known as lady finger ripens and can be harvested and ready to be used for all purposes. Profession farmers advise to intercrop it with basil as a natural pesticide and ensure early wedding
6. Bush beans (French beans )
Bush or French beans are not like cereal beans, these beans take 50_60 days to ripe, they also increase nitrogen in soil using nitrogen fixing legumes.pro agronomy farmers emphasize to space your French beans 30_40 cm with proper mulching and weeding for good harvest
7. Cucumber
Cucumber vegetable fruit ripens in 45_60 days, most farmers harvest cucumber when the fruit is still green and horticulture experts emphasize spraying the crop with natural pesticides like neem or garlic juice as pests and disease control
8. Maize corn
Maize farmers bench for 75_90 days weeding, mulching and applying organic manure to boost soil fertility and rapid corn growth before their first harvest. pro corn farmers encourage enough line spacing of maize when planting it
9. Sukumawiki
Sukumawiki at the period of 40_50 days big green leaves are formed and ready to be prepared as sauce. Before sowing sukumawiki, it’s advisable to first plant it in a nursery bed and after transfer it in a well moist and fertile soils
10. Pumpkin leaves
Pumpkin leaves mature in 30_40 days and at this stage, they can be harvested for any consumption, though the fruit takes on some time to ripe. Pumpkins do well in soils rich in compost
In conclusion
First growing crops are the best crops to start with for up coming farmer’s, they grow at a quick pace, ensures fresh harvests and growing income. They also help in maintaining soil preservation and environmental since a natural sustainable method is applied when raising these crops for better outputs