Plantain

About the crop: This crop is perennial, which means once you plant it, the same plant can keep producing for many years. You can normally start harvesting about 320-480 days after planting, depending on care and variety.

Main use: Farmers mostly grow this crop for starchy fruit; cooking.

Pollination: This crop is mainly pollinated by vegetative. Keeping flowers healthy and having insects like bees in the field helps improve fruit set and yields.

Where it grows: Tropical Africa & Americas It is grouped under: Bananas & Plantains.

Best climate: This crop does well in warm areas where the temperature is usually between 22 and 28 degrees Celsius. It prefers places that receive around 1400 to 2200 millimetres of rain in a year. It can grow from near sea level up to about 1400 metres above sea level.

Soil: The crop grows best in slightly acidic to near neutral soils, with a pH of about 6 to 6.8. It does well in deep fertile loam. Good drainage is important, so avoid waterlogged spots.

Plant spacing: Plant in rows about 300 centimetres apart, and leave about 300 centimetres between plants in the row. This gives each plant enough space for roots and canopy to spread.

Planting depth: Dig planting holes or furrows about 30 centimetres deep so the roots sit firmly in the soil but are not buried too deep.

Seed or planting material: Use good quality seed or healthy planting material. Follow local extension advice for the exact amount per hectare.

Nursery period: If you raise seedlings in a nursery, keep them there for about 180 days before transplanting to the main field, when they are strong and healthy.