Drip irrigation for Spinach farming in Kenya | Aqua Hub Kenya is a dealer in quality drip kits for irrigation of open field and greenhouse plants such as vegetables and tomatoes. Inform and train farmers on how to conduct drip irrigation for cost-effective production using our kits.
Spinach can be grown under drip irrigation. Drip tapes are laid along plant rows and water distributed to the plants in droplets.
Spinach thrives well in temperate areas with relatively low humidity.
Why use drip irrigation for Spinach in Kenya?
- Spinach plants have a tap roots system. They require a well-drained and soft soil to grow well.
- Spinach plants need medium soil humidity to grow well.
- Drip irrigation ensures a balanced soil temperature and warmth for plant growth
- Spinach needs a lot of water hence the roots penetrate deep to the soil.
- Drip irrigation avails water to plants only thus reducing the growth of weeds.
Requirements (Drip Irrigation for Spinach in Kenya)
- HDPE or PVC for mainline connection
- Filtration kit (Disc Filter)
- Tape Connectors
- Drip tapes of 30 cm spacing
- Water tanks or water Source
- Mainline pipe connectors and fittings
- Fertilizer injector (Venturi Kit)
Drip Kits prices in Kenya
| Size/Lines per Bed | 1 Line | 2 Lines | 3 Lines |
| 1/8 acre | 13,000 | 23,000 | 26,000 |
| 1/4 acre | 28,000 | 40,000 | 50,000 |
| 1/2 acre | 40,000 | 61,000 | 71,000 |
| 1 acre | 75,000 | 130,000 | 160,000 |
How do you prepare the farm for Spinach
- Dig/cultivate the land. Ensure the ground is dug fairly deep enough to allow root penetration
- Work on the soil texture. Break heavy soil to fine particles for propagation.
- Add manure and mix with the soil
- Prepare planting beds/sections. Set a space of 0.5 meters between the beds.
- Make/ Prepare planting holes (Placed in a row of 15 cm apart and a column of 5-10 cm apart)
- Plant the Spinach seedlings on the holes. You can water them immediately or plant them after rain stops.
- Lay drip tapes along the spinach plant rows.
- Install drip irrigation system.
You can set a maximum of three drip lines per bed for spinach farming on your fields.
How to irrigate Spinach (Good Practices)
- Irrigate your Spinach farm regularly (For extremely hot areas you can irrigate daily)
- Maintain the water levels to enhance root development.
- Avoid irrigating in the evening to prevent humidity effects on the leaves.
