The Sunday Mail
Today we are discussing butternuts.
The first thing to do is a soil test so that we see if the soil is good enough for the growth of squash butternuts. Butternuts require soils that are organically rich but we need to treat the soil with Lamda to kill all cutworms that usually cut the stem of the seedling during the first week.
The soil pH should range between 5 and 7. Butternuts can be grown in both the wet and dry seasons and two seeds per hole is required.
For a hectare, the seed that is required is 10 000 seeds. The general fertilizer rate is 600-800kg of Compound C and 400kg of ammonium nitrate (per hectare).
The recommended spacing for butternut is 60-75cm (in-row) and 120-150cm (between rows).
Butternuts are prone to the following diseases:
Dawn mildew, which can be controlled by alternating Dithane and Copper Oxychloride
Blights can controlled using Bravo and Copper Oxychloride
Drenching copper oxychloride in the soil helps to reduce the spread of bacteria wilt
Pest that attack butternuts
Carbaryl can be used to destroy bugs and their eggs
To control the squash vine borer, you can alternate Karate, Zion and carbaryl
Pamela Kamuzonda is a holder of a BSc degree in Agronomy and is the founder of Unique Farming Solutions. She trains farmers, focusing on single mothers, widows and has trained over 700 farmers.
