Grow tomatoes organically in a greenhouse

New products enable organic greenhouse production. Innovative farmer manages organic tomato production in a greenhouse.

Zipporah Itinga always wanted to grow her crops the organic way. But she lacked information on how to do it. But luck came her way two years ago when she came across The Organic Farmer and visited

Mrs Zipporah Itinga tending her crops

our offices. From the various articles in the magazine, she has acquired a wealth of knowledge on organic production. Last year she read an article that featured a company that was selling a range of organic inputs suitable for organic farmers and immediately contacted them.


Organic production programme

The company, Lachlan Kenya Ltd introduced to her a range of products that can be used in place of chemicals and which produce better results. At the same time, her husband, Francis Itinga had learnt about a tomato variety that could be grown in a greenhouse and which matures in six months. They had already lost their six dairy cows to diseases and also abandoned French beans production in their 10-acre farm in Kamulu in the outskirts of Nairobi. After reviewing their options, they decided that growing tomatoes in a greenhouse was the best way to go.


Company offers technical back up


Zipporah Itinga once more approached the company for advice on how she could do it organically. Lachlan Ltd. was interested and promised to do a trial on her farm. They provided the necessary technical back up through every stage of tomato production using their organic fertilizers, fungicides and pesticides. The company offers free technical service to all farmers who buy their products. The British Soil Association, an internationally recognized certification body, and Ecocert of South Africa certify all these products. Another advantage is that these products are cheaper when compared to chemical pesticides and herbicides.

Drip irrigation saves water

Organic inputs used at every stage


Itinga put up a 16 by 60 metre greenhouse with 3500 plants last August. She later spread tonnes of compost on the greenhouse. Afterwards, technical personnel from the company helped her to sterilize the soil in the greenhouse and the nursery, using Bioxx 5000. This is a broad spectrum soil drench. It kills all pathogens that attack crops in the soil while sparing beneficial organisms.


Later the soils were inoculated with a product Eco-T. It contains beneficial fungi that control fungal diseases, and fortified with bio-stimulants. Black majick, a soil conditioner that helps to balance the soil pH and reduce acidity, is also added during early soil preparation. After planting, TwinN for nitrogen fixation and Aton A to Z, an organic foliar feed with amino acids and trace elements are added. To ensure sustainable quality yields, Biocure, a crop protection product, is applied at intervals of two to three weeks for the entire growth cycle to control pests and nematodes.


Greenhouse sanitation


Mrs. Itinga also uses plant extracts and ash to repel pests and to increase potassium levels in the soil. No plants in the tomato family such as potatoes, capsicums or eggplant are planted near the greenhouse to avoid disease transfer. Anybody entering the greenhouse has to dip their shoes in a disinfectant solution to prevent any contamination that can introduce diseases to the crop. When The Organic Farmer visited his farm, Itinga and her daughter, who has also trained in organic farming were busy tending the healthy and succulent tomatoes that she expects to start harvesting in a week’s time.

The ropes support the plants during rooting

“ I have always wanted to avoid the use of chemicals when growing crops. This is after learning that most of the chemicals are responsible for most of the diseases that affect our people. I knew it is only the farmers who can change the quality of the food in the market. I am happy to grow food that is healthy”, she says.

Any farmer interested in greenhouse organic production can get more information from Zipporah Itinga Tel.0722 739 025 or Lachlan (K) Ltd P. 0. Box 494, Nairobi, 00100, Tel. 020 207 39 12/3/4 or 0722 209 474.