Chapter 1.7 (Agriculture 5)

Care for young climbing fruit plants

ProtectingYoung Climbing Fruit Plants

How do we protect these young fruit plants from physical damage and excessive sun heat?

Activity 1

Constructing a shade to protect young fruit plants.

Let us practice

Working in groups

  1. We can use poles, wire mesh or chicken wire, barbed wire and plastic pipes to make shade for protecting young climbing fruit plants.
  2. Construct a shade to protect a young climbing fruit plant from physical damage and excessive sun heat.
  3. Study the pictures in A and B then construct your own shade for your climbing fruit plant.

A.

B.

  1. Suggest other methods of protecting your young fruit plants from damage.
  2. Suggest other materials that you can use to construct a structure for protecting your young climbing fruit plants from damage.
  3. Share your experiences on the construction of the structure with other groups in class.

Let us understand

  1. We need to protect the young climbing fruit plants from the sun heat which causes wilting.
  2. We can make a shade to protect the young fruit plants using dry leaves over the shed.
  3. We can protect the young fruit trees to prevent damage from animals by making a barrier using sticks.

Watering the Young Climbing Fruit Plants

Which methods do we use for watering young fruit plants?

Activity 2

Watering the young fruit plants.

Working in groups

  1. Visit the site where you planted your climbing fruit plant.
  2. Which method can you use to water the young fruit plant shown?
  3. Discuss other methods that can be used to water the young fruit plants.
  4. Water your fruit plants every day to keep them growing.

Share your experiences with other groups in the class.

Let us understand

Watering of the young fruit plants is done when there is little rain and when the ground is dry.

Manure and Fertiliser Application to the Young Fruit Plants

How do we apply manure and fertiliser to young fruit plants?

Activity 3

Applying fertiliser and manure to the young fruit plants.

Let us practice

  1. Applying manure to the young fruit plant.
Applying manure to a young climbing fruit plant
  1. Applying fertiliser to the young fruit plant.
Applying fertiliser to the young fruit plant
  • Why are manure and fertiliser applied to the young fruit plant?
  • Why did we apply manure and fertiliser near the base of the stem of the young fruit plants?

Caution

Fertilisers are chemicals. If they are to be applied it should be done by an adult.

Let us understand

  1. Fertilisers and manure are applied to the young fruit plants to supply nutrients.
  2. Nutrients make the young fruit plants grow fast, healthy and strong.
  3. Fertilisers and manure are applied away from the base of the stem to prevent the plant from drying.

Protecting young fruit plants from weeds

How do we weed for the young fruit plants?

Activity 4

Protecting the young fruit plants from weeds.

Let us learn

Look at the following pictures and carry out the activities to protect your fruit plants from weeds.

Uproot weeds
Remove weeds by use of a jembe
Slash weeds using a slasher
Mulch the plants to reduce growth of weeds

Why do we protect young fruit plants from weeds?

Let us understand

  1. Weeds compete with the young fruit plants for nutrients and water.
  2. The young fruit plants are protected from weeds by weeding.
    Weeding can be done through slashing, digging and uprooting the weeds.
  3. Mulching also helps to reduce growth of weeds.​

Supporting climbing fruit plants

How do we support the young climbing fruit plants?

Activity 5

Supporting climbing fruit plants using sticks and strings.

Support your young climbing fruit plants using sticks and strings as shown in the pictures below:

A (I)

Pushing a straight stick into the ground of the base of the plant

A (II)

Tying the stem of the plant to stick

B (I)

Pushing two straight sticks at the end of each row of young climbing fruit plants

B (II)

Placing a string to join the top of the stick

B (III)

Tying the end of a string to the top of young plant and the other end to the top string

Why do we support young climbing fruit plants?

Let us understand

  1. Climbing fruit plants have delicate stems that require to be supported and directed.
  2. Young fruit plants can be supported using poles, sticks, strings and wires.

Activity 6

Home project

Growing climbing fruits at home.

Help your parents or guardians to grow climbing fruit plants at home.

To grow your four climbing fruit plants at home, you need to do the following:

  1. Identify the climbing fruit plant in your environment and at home.
  2. Identify suitable planting material for growing the climbing fruit plants.
  3. Collect the planting material.
  4. Prepare the planting material to make it ready for planting. 
  5. Plant the planting material in a ground nursery or a container nursery.
  6. Transfer the seedlings when they are ready.
  7. Protect the young climbing plant from excessive sun heat and physical damage.
  8. Water the climbing fruit plant.
  9. Apply manure and fertiliser to the climbing fruit plants. 
  10. Protect the climbing fruit plants from weeds.
  11. Support the climbing fruit plants using sticks and strings.
  1. Give three examples of climbing fruit plants.
  2. Give three types of planting materials for climbing fruit plants.
  3. Name three places where planting materials for climbing fruit plants can be obtained.
  4. List two ways in which planting material for climbing fruit plants can be prepared.
  5. List four suitable sites for planting climbing fruit plants in the school.
  6. We should protect young fruit plants from damage caused by
  • rain.
  • animals.
  1. Mulching is a way of protecting the fruit young plants from
  • weeds.
  • animals.