7 Short-term Crops to Grow and Harvest Within 3 Months.

7 Short-term Crops to Grow and Harvest Within 3 Months.

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The major benefits of short-term crops are their short duration usually 60-90 days and the opportunity to earn money from the sales of the crops within a short duration.

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There are quite a few advantages to cultivating short-term crops to in Nigeria. Ranging from low risks, to farmers being able to raise or earn money in a short period. From a customer’s view, to get regular fresh farm produce for daily nutritional requirements.

There are several short-term crops to grow and harvest within 3 months in Nigeria in no particular order I will be listing the 7 crops to grow and harvest within 3 months.

1. OKRA

Okra is equally known by both the Yoruba and Ibo people. It’s high in nutrients and a popular crop used to make a soup called “Okra soup”, which is usually in high demand. The crop is rich in both Vitamin A and Vitamin K. It can be grown both in rainy and dry seasons. The amount of profit that comes with the sale of okra is weighty which can be over 100% of the capital. Okra plant begins to bud between 4 to 10 days. Farmers make sure to prune the plants to avoid obstacles to their growth. This plant grows after 2 months. During this period, the seed pod starts to shoot out.

2. Maize

Maize is a popular food in Nigeria that can be eaten as a snack, food or processed into a series of other edible things like cereal, chips (snacks), ‘pap’, and other things. A plus for this food is that it can be processed, canned, and preserved for a very long time. It’s high in carbohydrates and fiber. Maize is highly nutritional. Maize takes a lot of space to plant and grow, sunlight, water, and soil nutrients needs to be available in good amount for good growth of the monocotyledon plant. The weeding process should be done regularly. Maize takes about two to three months depending on variety to grow and be ready for harvest.

3. CUCUMBER

Cucumber is a high-money earning crop for farmers. It’s so profitable due to the high demand for it. It helps relieve dehydration. Most people find it nutritional and medicinal to eat. Cosmetic companies also make use of cucumber a lot. There are a lot of nutritional value and benefits cucumber possesses. After planting, the seed begins to germinate after three to ten days. During the growth process, irrigation is very important. Water must not be found lacking in the soil for a long time. It requires a lot of water to keep the growth steady and for the crop not to physically deform.

READ MORE: Cash Scarcity: Poultry business under threat, on brink of collapse —Ogunnaike

4. Pepper

Pepper farming in Nigeria is one of the most profitable spices and a short-term crops to grow. Its huge health benefits have made it a must-include spice in daily meals globally.

Pepper farming in Nigeria is mostly akin to the northern part of Nigeria, due to the belief that the soil composition in the area supports the growth of pepper, but pepper is now been planted in almost every part of the country.

There are different varieties of pepper, but the most common varieties are Habanero, Sweet pepper, cayenne, and chili. Seed selection for each region should be based on the climactic condition and diseases & pests prevalent in the region. Hybrid seeds are the best because of their high yields and disease and pest resistance.

Most varieties of pepper are ready for harvest within 70-85 days after transplanting.

READ ALSO: Rainfall: Why Farmers Should Not Rush To Plant

5. UGU

Ugu is a crawling plant that serves as a vegetable to make various soup delicacies. It’s mostly used by the southern indigene, the Ibo tribe. It’s also used to prepare medicinal concoctions. Ugu is known as a good source for the provision of blood. Not just the southerners make use of it but westerners and northerners. Selling Ugu is a very lucrative business. After a month of planting, one can begin to harvest it. The farmer begins to harvest bountifully after two months of growth. Ugu has a lot of health benefits like it being rich in iron, being a good immune booster, and having high fiber content.

READ ALSO: Chilli Pepper Farming Is Profiting – Farmers

6. Ewedu

Ewedu soup is a delicacy for Westerners as Ugu is a delicacy among the Southerners in Nigeria. This plant is consumed almost daily in Yoruba homes. So, the demand is high. It flourishes when planted during the rainy season. Few farmers get the urge to sow the seeds during the dry season thereby providing irrigation for the plants and more dedication of time to see them grow well. This plant brings in daily profit to farmers. Anyone can take it upon themselves to cultivate the plant in their homes as it doesn’t require so much to grow. This crop is also a short-term crop that grows and gets harvested within 4-5 weeks. There are profound health benefits of this crop like the provision of calcium, phosphorus, antioxidants, etc.

7. Tomato

Tomato is a very healthy and juicy crop that can be used to prepare many delicacies like stew, jollof rice, and salad, and can also be eaten raw. Tomato is one of the short-term crops that can be planted and harvested within 3 months. Tomato farming is one the most lucrative farming in Nigeria due to the demand for tomatoes every day in our homes.

Tomato can be grown in the backyard using a medium like growing bags, buckets, or earthen pots or commercially in greenhouses or open fields. The variety of the tomato planted depends on the yield, it is important to select high-yielding hybrid varieties and disease and pest resistant.

READ MORE: 6 Things Farmers Need To Know About Disease Suppressive Soils (DSS)

To choose short-term crops to grow some factors need to be considered before growing these crops in Nigeria like the choice of farmland, the climatic condition, irrigation system, fertilizers, pesticides, market feasibility, and so on to aid efficiency in the growth of these plants and others.