Hydroponic Trays
Grekkon Limited is a top supplier of hydroponic trays to livestock, and food crop growers in east Africa. Our black HDPE hydroponic fodder trays in Kenya are popular with farmers growing hydroponic barley or maize for their livestock. All hydroponic trays in Kenya by Grekkon Limited have no holes, and each tray holds 1kg of barley. The growth of hydroponic fodder in Kenya is driven by diminishing land and water resources. It is produced without soil and little water
Hydroponic fodder tray price is Kes 200 a piece
Hydroponic Trays: How To Make Hydroponic Fodder
Common hydroponic crops for livestock in Kenya are; maize, wheat, oat and pulses. Do not grow sorghum or pearl millet because their sprouted leaves are poisonous to livestock.
- Select good quality seed. Avoid broken or unhealthy seed which will not germinate
- Place your seeds in a basin, then add warm water. Warm water triggers germination by breaking any dominance present. Remove the seeds that float in the water; they won’t germinate. Remove too any other impurities floating
- Add 50-100g of salt to reduce fungal production on the sprouted seed
- Soak the seed for 12 hours, then drain it and run them in clean water
- Place the seeds in a germination chamber/ room
- Thoroughly clean the hydroponic trays in clear fresh water
- Transfer the seedlings onto the hydroponic tray, evenly spreading them
- Place the trays on a rack
- Water them with a misting system, a light sprinkler, hose pipe, or watering can to create high humidity for rapid and healthy barley growth
- In seven days, the fodder is ready for harvest. Your seedlings are 30cm to 35cm tall. If it remains longer in the trays, the nutritive value will depreciate, and fiber will develop
Hydroponic fodder grows best within a temperature range of 15 to 32 degrees Celsius. The relative humidity range is 80-85%. Allow light for photosynthesis, so growing in a greenhouse or light shade house is fine
3 – 4 litres of water will grow 1kg of hydroponic fodder. No pesticides are sprayed
Low Cost Greenhouses In Kenya
Our low cost greenhouses in Kenya are either wooden or metallic in structure, vented or tunnel in shape. Internally, they will or will not have crop support systems, and the steel will be galvanised or painted with a protective coat. These low cost greenhouse construction in Kenya attributes are explained in detail below:
- Greenhouse size; the larger it, the lower the unit area cost
- Greenhouse material type. Wooden greenhouses are cheaper than steel frame greenhouses. However, they have a shorter lifespan
3. Greenhouse design. Tunnel type greenhouses are lessor priced than vented types. The former are for cool highland locations so that they retain heat, while the latter are for hot locations for less build up of heat
4. Greenhouse use. Is it for flowers, vegetables, strawberry, herbs and spices or seedlings production? This influences the infrastructure set up within the greenhouse. Crops that do not require a greenhouse with an internal crop support system such as; strawberry, herbs, and spices have lower greenhouse construction costs
Seedlings production in a greenhouse
5. Steel treatment type. To lower the cost of the greenhouse structure, some growers opt for steel painted with an aluminum or zinc coating. This is less costly than the zinc galvanised steel. However, the paint wears out over time and the greenhouse frame is repainted to prevent rust
As the leading greenhouse company in Kenya, we utilise local greenhouse construction techniques. Our low cost greenhouses in Kenya are for such crops as; roses, carnations, tomato, capsicums, strawberry, and assorted herbs and spices
I. Low Cost Greenhouses in Kenya
1. Greenhouse price in Kenya: Tabulation of steel types
Greenhouse Type | ||||
Tunnel Type | Open Ventilated Type | |||
Greenhouse Sizes | 15M x 8M | 290,000 | 330,000 | |
20M x 8M | 300,000 | 340,000 | ||
24M x 8M | 320,000 | 350,000 | ||
30M x 8M | 460,000 | 540,000 | ||
40M x 8M | 575,000 | 655,000 | ||
15M x 16M | 460,000 | 555,000 | ||
24M x 16M | 620,000 | 665,000 | ||
30M x 16M | 900,000 | 990,000 | ||
40M x 16M | 1,100,000 | 1,240,000 |
2. Low cost wooden greenhouse prices
Greenhouse sizes |
Tomato Crop Population |
Price in KES |
15 x 8 | 600 | KES 155,000 |
24 x 8 | 800 | KES 200,000 |
30 x 8 | 1,200 | KES 250,000 |
30 x 16 | 2,500 | KES 400,000 |
II. How much does it cost to install a greenhouse in Kenya?
Every tabulated greenhouse price in Kenya above by Grekkon Limited covers both the material and labor cost of greenhouse construction or installation
III. How profitable is greenhouse farming in Kenya?
Every low cost greenhouse for sale in Kenya procured for crop production is a significant investment for the farmer. To optimise revenue and ensure profitability, a grower will adhere to the following
1. Conduct a complete soil test. This will guide the farmer on 2 things
- the right crop nutrition regime
- and the suitability of that soil to establish a greenhouse in regards to any existing soil pests and diseases
2.Choose the right seed. Whatever crop you choose to grow, select the best yielding greenhouse varieties
3. Crop type. The value of the final produce according to market preference
4. Right greenhouse structure. This will be determined by the greenhouse location. Is it a vented or tunnel design?
5. Proper greenhouse polythene color and specs. Follow this guideline
- Yellow polythene is for mono color flowers or none fruiting crops which produce well under lower light intensity
- Clear polythene is for bi or multi colored flowers and any fruiting crop which requires higher light intensity for photosynthesis
- It will have UV treatment to last for long, and to block strong UV rays from reaching the crop
- It will be treated for anti-drip qualities. This prevents dew from forming on the paper and dripping on the crop causing disease infection
6. Irrigation management. As an irrigation company, we provide a detailed irrigation regime tailored to the crop type and growth stage
7. Disease and pest management.
- Have a sanitary pouch at the entrance to sanitize feet, and hands
- Limit access to the greenhouse to a few people
- Daily scouting for pests and diseases
- Have a scheduled pest and disease spray program
Plastic Rain Gun Sprinkler
Our plastic rain gun sprinkler in Kenya is the Shrub body style whose application is both domestic and industrial. Grekkon Limited’s low pressure plastic rain guns are 1-1/2″ in size. It is a double nozzle with additional detachable nozzles as; 6mm, 8mm, 12mm, and 16mm
This irrigation sprinkler is lighter than it’s metallic counterpart, but with a shorter longevity. It makes it highly portable to reach any point in your farm. It is black in color because it is made from high density polyethylene material (HDPE). This material is UV- treated to reduce it’s degradation by the sun, thus extending the sprinkler’s working life. UV treatment is an important quality in tropical climates where radiation is high. Every tropical grower ought to consider this because it impacts the working life of the rain gun sprinkler
This irrigation rain gun for sale works with water pumps to provide requisite pressure. The necessary water pump specs are:
- It will be electric, diesel or petrol powered
- It must provide a minimum pressure of 3 bars,and a discharge of 8 cubic liters per hour
- The outlet pipe is 1-1/2″ and above. A delivery, HDPE or PVC irrigation pipe evacuates the water from the pump to the sprinkler.
The rotation is up to 360 degrees. A farmer will adjust the rotation area manually as necessary using the pins below the nozzles. All metallic parts are rust proof and the rubbers are easy to replace once they wear out. Our plastic rain gun sprinkler features a friction collar and a trip lock, and are also provided with a jet breaker for uniform water application
Types of rain gun sprinklers
1. Plastic
2. Metallic; PY type, Atom and the flange type rain gun sprinklers. Learn more here; https://grekkon.com/rain-gun-sprinklers-2/
Plastic Rain gun sprinkler specifications and price
Type | Body Type | Inlet Diameter | Max Spray Diameter | Min Head (Pressure Rating) | Max Flow Rate | Price in Kes |
Plastic | Shrub | 1.5″ | 30M | 25M | 7M3/ Hr | 5,000 |
Plastic Rain gun
Product benefits
- This is ideal for newly cleared areas
- It reduces irrigation time
- Low labour cost
- High efficiency
- Improves humidity or creates a micro-climate
- It is easy to maintain and use
- Irrigates a much wider area than conventional smaller impact sprinklers
Disadvantages of rain gun irrigation
- It consumes a large amount of water
- The need for a high amount of power makes it costly to operate
FAQs
1. How much horsepower (Hp) is required for a rain gun?
This depends on the rain gun sprinkler size, and the number of rain guns set to run at a go. Generally, it is from 8.5Hp
2. Is rain gun good for irrigation?
Yes it is. However, do not irrigate on crops that are highly susceptible to fungal infections with overhead irrigation. Examples are; tomato, potato, capsicums, and others
Onion Farming In Kenya
Grekkon Limited supports onion farming in Kenya through provision of onion irrigation systems that make farmers optimise maximum yields, and income. We provide 3 irrigation systems options for onion production. They are;
1. Sprinkler irrigation systems
- small plastic impact sprinklers for small acreage. They range from 1/2″ to 1″
- large metallic rain gun sprinklers for large acreage. They range from 1″ to 2.5″
2. Rain hose kit
This is a pre-perforated 100M long HDPE pipe that is laid on the ground to irrigate vertically and horizontally. Our diameter sizes are; 1″, 1-1/4″ and 1-1/2″
Both the sprinkler and rain hose irrigation systems share these common characteristics
i. They consume large amounts of water
ii. They are easy to install and operate
iii. Both require high pressure for optimum water flow
iv. Both work well in onion nurseries
v. They water everywhere in the farm, so weeding costs are high
vi. They are inexpensive to install
vii. Material and installation cost per acre is Kes 65,000
3. Drip irrigation
We provide 16mm diameter drip lines with double emitter spacing of 15cm, and a flow rate of between 1.5L per hour for onion farming in Kenya. There is a choice of 0.3mm, and 0.4mm wall thickness. All are treated to last for 4 -6 years in the farm
- drip irrigation has the least water consumption
- works under low gravity pressure
- it delivers the crop directly to the crop, so very low weeding cost
- it is expensive to procure and install
Onion drip kit prices
Acreage | Cost In Kes |
Kitchen garden | 20,000 |
0.125 | 27,500 |
0.25 | 45,000 |
0.50 | 85,000 |
0.75 | 130,000 |
1 | 165,000 |
Onion Farming In Kenya
Summary
We provide 4 months of free agronomy support to new onion farmers in Kenya. This is after installation of an irrigation system from us. A detailed onion production manual is provided to the grower showing;
- soil management
- seed selection
- a nutrition program
- chemical spray program
- pest and disease management
Pond Liner Calculator
In this pond liner calculator article, we answer the following frequently asked questions
1. How is a dam liner calculated?
The formulae adopted depends the shape of the water pan. The water reservoir’s dam liner is calculated differently for a circular or oval water pan vis a vis that of a square/ rectangular one. Similarly, a square water tank has a different formulae from a circular one. A water pan with slanting edges has a different formulae from that with straight edges. Whether the water reservoir or tank is for irrigation, domestic or industrial application, the formulae is the same
I. Square/ rectangular water reservoir or tank pond liner calculator
a. Square/ rectangular pond liner calculator for straight edges: Total length in meters: (length + 2depth + 2meters). Total width in meters: (width + 2depth +2meters). The additional 2meters on each side are for the overlap which is tucked in a trench for water reservoirs. For tanks, it’ll be 0.5M. Multiplying the total length with the total width gives the pond liner area in meters
Tucking is in a trench all around the water pan
b. Square/ rectangular pond liner calculator for slanted edges: Total length in meters: (base length + 2slanting depth + 2meters). Total width in meters: (base width + 2slanting depth +2meters). Multiplying the total length with the total width gives the pond liner area in meters
II. Circular pond liner calculator
Diameter + (2height/ depth) + (1meter). The 1meter is the external allowance that goes outside the tank as shown in the image below
2. How do I calculate how much pond liner I need?
The size of the pond liner is according to the water pan or water tank area. The size of the water pan or tank is by volume, shown as; length by width by depth/ height. The liner size is by area, shown as; length by width. For this conversion, the formulas shown above work
The larger the water pan or tank, the larger the pond liner required
Wooden Greenhouse Prices in Kenya
Wooden greenhouse prices in Kenya by Grekkon Limited are by size and choice of timber. This low cost greenhouse construction in Kenya takes the same amount of time to build as metallic greenhouses. In our local greenhouse construction, we include the following components A sanitary pouch. This is for disinfection of hands and feet as […]
Tomato Drip Kit Price
Tomato drip kit price in Kenya by Grekkon Limited is by acreage. Our drip irrigation prices range as; kitchen gardens, 1/8th acre, 1/4 acre, 1/2 acre, 3/4acre and 1 acre. The components of these tomato drip are; HDPE pipe. The diameter ranges from 1″ to 1-1/2″ according to the size of the area HDPE fittings. […]
Dam Liner Company In Kenya
Grekkon Limited is the foremost dam liner company in Kenya. From material selection, to welding and installation, our professional teams train growers on all these aspects. It ensures that they make the right choice and why. This is according to the size and nature of their irrigation water reservoirs and tanks. These dam liners in Kenya are UV treated, HDPE geomembrane material in varying thicknesses and weights as tabulated below
Liner Thickness | Liner Weight/ M SQ |
0.5mm | 460g |
0.75mm | 880g |
1mm | 910g |
The UV treatment reduces radiation damage which is high in tropical countries
Dam Liner Prices In Kenya
Our dam liner cost in Kenya is broken down into; material, welding, and installation. Once a grower procures a dam liner, s/he will have it welded if the width exceeds 8M. If the farmer chooses for us to install, then the cost of installation applies.
Liner Thickness | Material Cost (KES) |
Welding Cost (KES) |
Installation Cost (KES) |
AMOUNT (KES) |
0.5mm | 220 | 25 | 25 | 270 |
0.75mm | 300 | 25 | 25 | 350 |
1mm | 380 | 25 | 25 | 430 |
Dam Liner Installation
Our dam liner rolls are 8M wide. So for any width beyond this, the additional size has to be welded on. Welding is carried out fully in the ware house for small liners, and partly in the field for large liners. This is to reduce bulkiness during transportation to site
When installing a dam liner in a reservoir, trench round about the reservoir. This anchor trench is where the liner will be tucked for support. The diagram below illustrates the trench dimensions
The video below shows a farmer in Nandi county recounting the benefits he has received 2 years later after having his dam liner installed by Grekkon Limited
Dam Liner Company In Kenya: Summary
Every dam liner size is available from our outlets countrywide. Besides supplying and installing liners, our technical team advises growers on;
- The right size of reservoir for a particular acreage
- How to properly excavate your reservoir
- How to select the right dam liner according to ; the reservoir size, surface texture, and one’s budget
Greenhouse Paper In Kenya
Grekkon Limited’s greenhouse paper in Kenya is of various rent characteristics. These characteristics determine it’s overall performance on the crop. The paper choice is the same irrespective of the greenhouse type by shape, or by structural material. Our greenhouse paper price in Kenya is Kes 96/M sq irrespective of the polythene properties.
Greenhouse Paper In Kenya; Properties
- Thickness. 200 microns/ 0.2mm
- Colour . Clear or yellow
– clear paper allows more light. This is good for fruiting crops such as tomato, strawberry, capsicums, and peppers. This is because more light has higher photosynthesis, which equates to more food for the plant. It is necessary for bi-color or multi -color flowers to enhance the different colors
– yellow paper will be for leafy vegetables, herbs, spices, and mono color flowers. These require less food as they are not fruiting
3. Width 5.5M, 8M, 16M. This not split but supplied as such to the grower
4. Roll length of 100M. The roll is cut as per client’s ordered length
5. UV treated. UV treatment blocks off excess UV light which in turn enhances the greenhouse paper lifespan. Our UV treatment is for 3 years/ 36 months. This warranty is on the paper
6. Anti-drip properties. Anti drip treatment prevents dew drop lets from forming on the greenhouse paper. Dew formation is as a result or crop respiration which releases moisture from the plant. Dew droplets falling or crops in the greenhouse pr-dispose the crop to fungal infections. The droplets also refract light, limiting the amount of light falling on the crop
How to choose your greenhouse polythene
- By crop. Is it a leafy or fruiting vegetable? Is is s mono or bi/ multi-coloured flower? This determines the paper color
- By width. There are different widths to choose from based on your greenhouse structure size
When the greenhouse paper tears, we provide a greenhouse repair tape that has the same characteristics as the greenhouse paper
Greenhouse polyethylene price in Nairobi
This is Kes 96/ M sq in Nairobi and all our up country branches
Rain Hose Pipe Price
Grekkon Limited’s rain hose pipe price is by diameter size. Our rain hose for sale in Kenya is attached to a HDPE, PVC, or delivery/ lay-flat irrigation main or sub-main line when in the farm. These rain hose pipes are made from HDPE material with UV treatment for use in tropical climates.
Rain Hose Pipe Price Kenya
Diameter size | Flow rate per 100M | Diameter of spray at 50M Head | Price in KES |
32mm or 1″ | 13 cubic litres per hour | 6M | KES 4,500 |
40mm or 1-1/4” | 16 cubic litres per hour | 8M | KES 5,500 |
50mm to 1-1/2″ | 22 cubic litres per hour | 9M | KES 6,500 |
Rain Hose Vs Drip Irrigation
Rain hose pipe | Drip irrigation pipe | |||||||
1 | Set up cost per acre is from Kes 45,000 | Set up cost per acre is from Kes 90,000 | ||||||
2 | Has holes punched with nano technology | Has a drip emitter | ||||||
3 | Has many holes per section | Has a single or double drip emitter per section | ||||||
4 | Irrigation rate is from 13 cubic litres per hour per 100M length | Irrigation rate is from 8.5 cubic litres per hour per 100M length | ||||||
5 | Has thicker (0.5mm) walls so lasts longer | Has thinner walls (0.3mm or 0.4mm) so a shorter lifespan | ||||||
6 | Diameter size is from 32mm to 50mm | Diameter size is 16mm | ||||||
7 | Maximum pipe length is 100M | Maximum pipe length is 1000M |
8 | Irrigates aerially using sprays | Irrigates to the ground via small drops |
9 | Easy to move from section to section in the farm | They are permanently set in one section |
The rain hose pipe price is not a good cost comparison to either drip or sprinkler irrigation. Rather, consider the set up and operational cost per acre under each method of irrigation
Rain hose works well with crops that thrive under sprinkler irrigation. Examples are; onion, garlic, cabbage, traditional vegetables, leafy vegetables and others. Crops that are susceptible to fungal infections if the leaves remain wet for long are irrigated with drip. Examples are; green beans, potato, strawberry, tomato, capsicums, peppers and others