OUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE

1. FORESTRY: The art, craft and science of creating/establishing,caring for/managing, using, conserving, and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural tree stands

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1. AGROFORESTRY: The interaction/integration of agriculture and trees, including the agricultural use of trees. This comprises trees on farms and in agricultural landscapes, farming in forests and along forest margins and tree-crop production.

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3. AGRONOMY: A branch of agricultural science that deals with the study of crops and the soils in which they grow. Agronomists work to develop methods that will improve the use of soil and increase the production of food and fiber crops. They conduct research in crop rotation, irrigation and drainage, plant breeding, soil classification, soil fertility, weed control, and other areas.

Photo: courtesy 

4. APICULTURE: The science and art of managing honey bees or the maintenance of bee colonies, commonly in man-made hives, by humans for honey and other bee products.

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5. AQUACULTURE: Art and science of rearing, breeding and harvesting of water animals and plants, in controlled aquatic environments like the oceans, lakes, rivers, ponds and streams for:  food production, restoration of threatened and endangered species populations, wild stock population enhancement, building of aquariums, and fish cultures and habitat restoration

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6. LANDSCAPING..read meaning and steps in the post....

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Next post soon.

PROFESSIONAL CONSULTATION: WHY YOU NEED THAT TREE EXPERT

It is evening and as Covid-19 has conditioned every Tom, Dick and Harry, I am coiled under the comfort of my abode. The phone beeps and the number displayed on the phone screen starts with a strange code. I pick up. It's Omino.

His booming sound echoes from the other side.

"Hey, Salim, good evening."
" Good evening, Omino, long time."
" Yeah yeah, long time. How is home?"
" Very fine, buddy." "How's there?"
" It's just Corona, nothing much" "Well, could we talk, now..or ? Some serious business stuff"
" Oh nice. No problem"

For those not in the know, Joel Omino is an environmental Conservation enthusiast and a tree-prenuer at that, hailing from the deep valleys of Lambwe, seated in Homabay County. Oscar Odhiambo and J. M Henga tell me they are his good neighbours.

I had not known him in person for 4 yrs, not until last year. This guy loves anything tree. I hear Omino can stand and mourn the death of one tree and literally reign terror in demanding the cause of death.

Controversially, he loves Eucalyptus more. Most people cringe when the name Eucalyptus leaves anybody's lips of late. Both laymen and professional in equal measure. You know why? See Take-a-ways below...

All said and done, Eucalypts beat other trees  species in preference because of its availability of high quality planting materials, fast growth, ability to coppice,
ready market for its wide range of products and wide ecological range. In addition, the species supports rural livelihoods in terms of fuelwood, poles and building materials.

Omino: Salim given that God brought you home, i must be the first to tap the top layer. You remember my eucalyptus plantation?

Me: Yes I do. How are they doing?

Omino: They needy you. I need your vast forestry expertise here. You see, you have been away for so long. I got to make good use of you. I need you to advise me on my Eucalyptus management.

Me: ( chuckiling) At your service, Sir,

Early last year, we paid Omino a visit with my friend and Regreening Lambwe Initiative Co-Founder, Maxwell Ochoo. We were marvelled. You walk into his 3yr old plantation, sited next to his home in the "muddy Gamba" village, ( according to his wife,  not my words), and you are greeted by a sight to behold. Very straight healthy Eucalyptus poles spanning the vast plantation with their leaves lively swaying to the evening breeze's force. He told us it runs into acres.

Omino: That is nice buddy. How much are we talking about here for your service?

Me: Well, professionally, i need to visit the plantation to give an informed case by case prescription of any silvi-cultural practice for each stand. However homogeneous a stand may be, there are still variations.

Omino: Wow. I love the approach. I am already learning some forestry vocs!

Me:  Yeah, sure. Pay for classes already, hehe.

Omino: Well, when can you go? I have another one next to Ruma National Park. One year old. You must visit that too.

His other new farm has preparation going on in earnest, the seedlings are ready for transplanting,  This farm, he says, will be called COVID-19 FARM. This he says believing that if we do not perish in this pandemic, we cannot look back and wish we worked  the farms in 2020.

Me: As I am working from home, i am also gardening,  lemi check my diary. And Joel, my charge will be based on the following deliverables;

Advice on: 

1. Species choice and site matching( now that you want to establish another plantation.)
2. Ecological requirements
3. Management objectives( per species)
4. Site preparation
5. Transplanting/Planting
6. Tending
7. Pruning
8. Thinning
9. Pest and diseases control( for older stands mostly)

Omino: Salim, do a good job n i won't hesitate to recommend you for many referals.

Me: Deal Omino, remember eucalypts are self-pruning, but pruned to half heights only if necessary.

1. Professional Consultation is Key. In any project you MUST budget for consultation if you want to succeed. To realize good returns from a forestry  investment/project, always consult people who are practically skilled in such. That is where WE , Foresters, come in.

2. Not all Eucalyptus trees are bad. They only need to be matched to a site( provenance matching)

3. Plant eucalypts in places receiving enough rainfall(mostly swampy, away from water sources) and for correct rotation period.

4. Eucalyptus grow very fast hence need more water for more carbon stock, but its cumulative water consumption in a rotation is far less than other species, less than a banana plant. Research by KEFRI, link download the document here,

5. Your production objective informs the espacement, how far a tree will be from the other.

6. Pruning is selective. Only if necessary.  Mostly for sawn timber and pulp to reduce knots. Prune only promising trees.You look to remove double leaders( double stems), branches competing with the main stem(lateral leader), and too much
branching within a small stem length

7. Thinning is done to give promising trees good room to grow in height and girth( diameter); Poorly formed trees are to be removed, but in stages. Thinned product can be sold as withies/ poles.

Side Note:

Samora Salim,  is a Forestry and Agroforestry professional who has worked with various renowned conservation organizations in Kenya; equiped with  unique vast practical experience and skills in forest management and agroforestry. Will be glad to serve you.

HOW TO MAKE NATURAL PESTICIDES:

CUT COST AND SAVE ENVIRONMENT

Photo: credit

Natural or Botanical Pesticides?

Good gardening practice is to grow plants in ways that reduce the threat from weeds, pests and diseases. Choose plants well suited to the conditions and where possible have innate resistance to problems. Providing good drainage, crop rotations, mulching, well-planned pruning regimes and allowing sufficient space for plants can avoid problems

Natural or Botanical Pesticides are organic and natural pesticides that are derived from plants and minerals, that have naturally occurring defensive properties.

They are popular because they are cheap, easy to make, very active, no residual effects on crops, you spray and eat your vegetable, act fast, does not harm other non targeted animals
and no pest develops resistance against them.

How Plants Pesticides work

#Repellants: drives the insect away from the host plant by their smell and taste

#Anti_feedants: causes insects feeding on plants to reduce their food intake until they die from starvation

#Oviposition: deterrents which prevents insects from laying eggs

#Inhibition: stops the development of different stages of the insects

In our bid to conserve environment and mitigate climate change effects, and most importantly live a healthy life free of diseases this is the way to go...

Plants Used: Neem, marigold, tithonia, garlic, ginger, onion, black jack, sodom apple, aloevera, euphobia, chillies, stinging nettle, spiderplant, corriander, lemon grass, tobacco, pyrethrum etc



Plant Pesticide Preparation

1. NEEM (MWARUBAINE)

• Leaves or seeds crushed or ground. One kg of ground or crushed leaves or seeds are then put in a cloth bag and soaked in 20l of water for 24 hrs.
• Then sieve.
• This mixture or extract from seeds are more effective in controlling pests.
• Neem can also be absorbed through plant roots if it sprayed around the plants.
• The chemical absorbed by the plant can kill sucking such as white flies and leaf miners.
• This mixture is enough to spray 0.5 of an acre.

 2. CHILLIESHOT PEPPERS

• Chop 500grm (2 cups) of fresh fruits of chilies.
• Mix with 5lts of water and leave for 24hrs (boil chilies for twenty minute to make plant tea).
• Sieve the extract and add another 5 lts of water then add an equal amount of bar soapy water to make 20 lts of water enough to treat half an acre and then spray.
• Precautions: use the correct ratio of chilies and water because at higher concentration, the spray will destroy the crop. Prepare a solution which is enough for the area to be sprayed. Avoid spraying during hot or windy weather and dispose the remaining solution by diluting the content and pouring them in the soil.

3. MEXICAN MARIGOLD

• Cut Mexican marigold plant at flowering stage
• Chop the plants to fill half 50 lts drum
• Add 20 lts of water. Cover the drum and allow the component to stay in water for 5-10 days
• Stir the content in the drum once every 2 days to fasten decomposition
• After 5-10days, remove the decomposed Mexican gold and sieve the extract it
• Dilute the mixture with 10 ltrs of soapy water and spray.
• The solution is enough to spray half an acre

Target: CBD, rice blast, tomato blight

NB: extracts of Mexican marigold and chilies can be combined and used as a spray to control several pests. The mixture is more effective on wider range of pests than when each is used alone.
Mexican marigold can be planted around the vegetable fields to repel various insect pests
The decomposed material of Mexican marigold can be used as mulch on vegetables such as kales and cabbages

4. TITHONIA DIVERSIFOLIS (MBEGU RAISI)

• This planting is used for fencing by many farmers and is easily available.
• Crush 2 kgs of fresh leaves and soak in 5ltrs of water for 3 days then sieve and spray to control blight, mildew, rust and black spot.
• When mixed with onions or garlic or hot pepper, the mixture is effective against diseases as well various insect pests.
• The tithonia leaves can also be used as mulch to improve soil fertility.

5. GARLIC AND ONIONS

• Useful as a repellant against many pests if intercropped with other crops.
• Crush 2kg of garlic or onions (1 gorogoro) or both (1kg of each) and leave in 20 litres of water for 24hrs.
• Sieve and spray or mix with any other botanical pesticide such as chilies, Mexican or neem
• 20 ltrs of extract is enough to spray half an acre

6. GINGER ( TANGAWISI)

• Grind 100 grams of ginger to make paste
• Add 5 lts of water and soap and stir
• Target: aphids, hoppers, thrips, anthracnose, yellow vein mosaic

7. LEMON GRASS ( MAJAND LUM)

• Soak 100 grams of lemon grass in 5 lts of water for 3 hrs and add soap.
• Target : leaf blight, bactericidal

8. STINGING NETTLE ( AYILA)

• Crush 5kg (two and a half gorogoro) of stinging nettle in 10 ltrs of water
• Leave in water for 24 hrs
• Sieve and spray
• 10 litres is enough for half an acre

9. SPIDER WEED (CHINSAKA\ DEK)

• Dry and burn the mature plants
• Mix 2kg ashes with 20 lts of water
• Spray to control aphids in vegetable

 10. ALOE VERA ( OGAKA)

• Grind 5kg aloe to get extract.
• Mix with 50 ltrs of water
• Add soap
• Target: armyworms, hairy leaf caterpillar, stem borer, bacterial and fungicidal

 11. CORRIANDER( DHANIA)

• Crush 200 grams of seeds
• Boil in 4lts of water for 20 min
• Strain and add soap
• Target: spider mites, antifungal

 12.PAWPAW LEAF EXTRACT

• Shred  ½ kg of leaves, squeeze and get extract
• Dilute the extract in 3 litre of water
• Add soap
• Target : leaf rust, mosaic virus, powdery mildew, caterpillars
• 
  

  13. TOBACCO

• Boil 250 grams( 4 cups) of tobacco leaves or cigarette ends (1 cup) in 14 ltrs of water for 20 min to make a strong tea and leave the content to cool and the sieve.
• Add 20 litres of soapy water and then spray
• Solution enough for half an acre

Precautions

Tobacco is poisonous  therefore should be kept away from animal and humans. Do not harvest the sprayed crop until after three to four days. Avoid spraying tall crops


14.GLIRICIDIA 

• Grind ½ kg leaves and add into 20 lts of water
• Soak overnight
• Filter and add soap
• Target: army worms , cabbage loppers, tobacco budworm

 15. PYRETHRUM

• Boil 1kg (half gorogoro) of pyrethrum flower in 10 ltrs of water to make a strong tea. Allow to cool and sieve
• Another way of making the extract is to crush 1kg of pyrethrum flowers and soak in 10 ltrs of water for 18 hrs and then sieve
• Add 10 litres of soapy water to dilute the pyrethrum, then spray.
• Enough to spray half an acre

 16.  ANIMAL URINE ( LACH JAMNI)

• Mix 5o ml of urine in 50kg of water
• Sprinkle on the plant

Target: fungal and bacterial diseases

 MILK

• Add 1 ltr of milk to 10 ltr of water
• And spray after every one week.
• 
  
• Target: powdery mildew, mosaic virus, blight and other fungal diseases

  17. FINGER EUPHOBIA

• Pound 1kg of leaves
• Add 10 litres of water and soap
• Target: cut worm, DBM. Termites.

HOW TO SPRAY PLANT PESTICIDES

• You can use knapsack sprayer, watering jar or a soft broom
• Most plant pesticides do not require protective equipment.
• Cover your eyes and nose when spraying chilies and tobacco
• In order to avoid strong wings and hot sun, spray early in the morning or late in the evening
• Repeat spraying whenever slight pest damage is observed.

THE LARGEST FRUIT IN THE WORLD: JACK FRUIT

Common name:Jack fruit/tree

Botanical: Artocarpus heterophyllus
Kiswahili: Fenesi

The jack tree is well-suited to tropical lowlands, and it bears the largest fruit of all trees, reaching as much as 55 kg in weight, 90 cm in length, and 50 cm in diameter. A mature jack tree produces some 200 fruits per year, with older trees bearing up to 500 fruits in a year, containing 100–500 seeds. One fruit can feed 20 adults.

The immature fruit (unripe, commercially labeled as young jackfruit) has a mild taste and meat-like texture that lends itself to being a meat substitute for vegetarians and vegans. The ripe fruit can be much sweeter (depending on variety) and is more often used for desserts.

Ripe jackfruit is naturally sweet, with subtle pineapple- or banana-like flavoring. It can be used to make a variety of dishes, including custards, cakes, or mixed with shaved ice commonly used for cuisines. Both the ripe seeds and the unripe fruit are consumed. It's low in calories, naturally fat- and sodium-free, provides ample vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) and vitamin C, and packs in a surprising blood pressure-lowering potassium.

The jack tree is widely cultivated throughout tropical regions of the world.

The seeds from ripe fruits are edible, and are said to have a milky, sweet taste, often comparable to nuts. They may be boiled, baked, or roasted. When roasted, the flavor of the seeds is comparable to chestnuts.

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