The Sunday Mail
Magicians perform tricks on the stage all the time, much to the amazement of their audiences. But there is a fruit that is equally impressive due to its healing and curative properties.
The orange is not just nutritionally beneficial but is one of those fruits which can be grown over a wide geographical range and has a massive potential to transform livelihoods across Zimbabwe.
Oranges are one of the best sources of vitamin C which is known as a good prevention for the common cold.
It offers quite some relief if you drink the juice when a cold has set in. Vitamin C has also been linked to the prevention of colon cancer. The orange is a good source of dietary fibre.
Apparently there is big difference between drinking real orange juice vitamin C and fortified drinks with vitamin C.
More benefit is derived from the real orange juice, something to do with the combination of vitamin C with other phytochemicals in the orange fruit.
Other amazing health benefits of the orange are a reduction of strokes, various cancers, preventing kidney stones, arthritis and protecting against lung cancers even for smokers.
The fruit has also been claimed to help fight recurring ear infections.
Unfortunately, the main business for this week’s instalment is not necessarily in the health benefits of the Orange fruit but rather how one can grow it.
The only drawback when growing oranges is to avoid too hot or cold temperatures as they are damaging to the crop, but the most damaging temperatures are above 42°C and those are not a regular occurence in most parts of the country.
High or cold temperatures cause leaf, flower and fruit to drop.
Erect wind breaks where excessive winds are prevalent, as they will cause drying of young leaves and fruit drop.Oranges also prefer well drained soils which are not too alkaline.
Water logged soils will eventually lead to rapid decline of the trees with age, a slightly acidic soil is preferable.
The trees require irrigation throughout the year so ensure that you have adequate water supplies before mounting any orange trees.
To germinate the orange seed ensure that it is dried first before planting.
Pick fruits for seed extraction from the tree rather than on the ground to avoid Phytophthora infections which cause rapid decline of susceptible rootstocks.
Plant trees seven to nine metres apart.
Animal manures applied on the surface benefit the trees a lot. Inorganic fertilisers can be used though excesive application can be detrimental to the trees which are sensitive to high content of soluble salts in the soil.
Apply nitrogenous fertilisers during periods of active growth; phosphorus can be applied any time whilst potassium should be applied twice in a year.
The trees will need about a kilogram of fertiliser in a year gradually increasing after each year.
Orange trees are most susceptible to scales, which are sucking pests which can kill trees if left unchecked.
The fruit fly and other sucking pests such as thrips, aphids and the citrus psyllid are major pests on oranges.
The control of sucking pests such as psyllids is important to prevent diseases from spreading.
Common diseases are tristeza virus infections and citrus greening disease.Ripe oranges can be degreened by exposing them to ethylene at 1-10ppm at 20-30°C; however oranges can be stored for up to three months (at 3-8°C) from a marketing perspective.
Smile all the way to the bank with oranges because the magic is not just in the nutritional value but also in the selling of this hot commodity.
Oranges do have a ready market locally, with the greatest demand coming from juice manufacturers.
For further details contact the writer by email at [email protected].
