Grafted apple seedling.
Marchlyn Green Forest Farm in Nyeri is selling grafted Johnson Keeper apples seedlings which matures within 18 months with and has ability to produce 30-50 fruits per tree.
The farm which deals in over 20 fruit seeds that includes pepino melon, kiwi, persimmon, strawberry, white sapote, hass avocado, chia, fenugreen among more, imports the seeds from different countries upon verification that they can do well in the Kenyan markets and climates.
According to Mr. Ngungu Waititu, the farm’s director, grafted Johnson Keeper apples does well in highland conditions and it starts blossoming eight months after planting then grows up to nine feet to produce fruits.
“Johnson Keeper variety does well in highlands of Kenya meaning it needs enough rainfall but for farmers in low rainfall areas can practice irrigation in order to realize high yields,” said Waititu during Nyeri Agricultural Society of Kenya show.
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As its name suggests, this variety of apples which is slightly flattened is a good producer and has excellent storing qualities meaning it can sell for long without going bad and it normally ripens in late October or early November.
Waititu says that with proper agronomic practices a farmer can discover between 300 and 500 fruits per year per tree whereby each fruit can go for Sh50 and Sh100 depending on the season.
“This variety of apples does well for keen farmers who observe good farm practices for maximum outcome,” he said adding that the farm sell one seedling at We sell each seedling at Sh1,000.
Wambugu, a farmer in Nyeri is an example of farmers earning great from grafted apples. He says that each grafted apple tree in Kenya is able to make Sh50,000 per apple harvesting season.
Reach Ndungu Waititu through 0710178659 or 0719545244