Fret not when your maize fails, french beans will do!

As the outcry against the ravaging fall army pest in maize continues, farmers should not lose hope. This is because they can on rotational basis grow French beans. 

French beans is a rich alternative for any farmer. The crop has a short cycle — matures within 45 days of planting. Harvesting is done three times a week for the next three to five weeks. In essence, French beans can provide a continuous income stream to producers and, with proper farm planning, generate income year round.

Growing French beans is extremely easy. All you need is get the basics right. Although the bulk of the produce in Kenya has been confined to Central and Eastern, the trend is changing because ideal growing conditions exist in parts of Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western. This makes it easy for maize farmers to switch to this high value fast maturing crop. Already, farmers in Trans-Nzoia and Western have been lured into this farming by an exporting firm.

Requires dedication

Growing these beans requires dedication and capital especially if you are targeting the high season.

There are four major stages which are highly sensitive in the growing process; germination, flowering, podding and harvesting.

It is estimated that it would cost one approximately Sh125,000 from establishment to harvesting for an acre of French beans. The costs may vary from one location to another. An acre of land should give you six tonnes of French beans within 2 and a half months.

Planting is carried out in single rows at 30×15cm or double rows at 60×30×10cm single seed per hole. The most important thing to consider during sowing is the depth.

Research has demonstrated that the most optimal depth is 3 to 5 cm for sandy soils, while for heavy soils a depth of 2 cm is sufficient.

The crop takes 45 to 50 days from planting to first picking. Use of farm yard manure is recommended in poor soils and it should be applied in the planting furrows.

DAP fertiliser is applied in the furrows and mixed well before planting. Split application of CAN for top dressing is applied first at three leaf stage and a second application follows at the onset of flowering. Foliar feeds are also recommended to boost crop development and production. The choice of the fertiliser will depend on soil fertility requirements which can determined by soil testing. Avoid excessive nitrogen because it promotes growth of leaves instead of pods.

French beans need relatively little care after sowing, making them an easy vegetable to grow. The main concern is to control weeds by careful hoeing as soon as the bean plants appear. Care should be taken to avoid damaging the shallow roots. Use of herbicides may be economically feasible for the commercial French bean growers.

The climbing sorts need support with canes or sticks and may need to be encouraged to climb. If the garden is windy, even bush beans may need a few bushy twigs to keep them steady. Constant supply of water is critical because soil moisture affects yield, uniformity and quality of French beans. Water stress during flowering and podding results in flower abortion and curved pods hence reduced yields. French beans are also sensitive to waterlogged conditions.

Therefore, where the soils are not well drained such as the black cotton soils, it is advisable to grow them on ridges. The irrigation regime depends on crop water requirement at various stages of growth as well as the soil and weather conditions.

Growing French beans can bring cash quickly but only if you do the right things. The production of good quality, fine and extra fine green pods, fit for the export market is dependent on various factors including high adherence to International Food Safety Standards and Good Agricultural Practices. [George Mbakaya]

 The writer is an expert on agricultural solutions and sustainable agriculture You can reach him on georgy.mike@yahoo.com