Clever farmers are doing an evaluation of the year 2015, noting the mistakes they made, while celebrating their major successes.

And as you plan your farming calendar in 2016, our in-house agronomist Elijah Lemomo, advises that you should make it the year of short-season crops.

Over the next one month, starting December 17, agronomist Lemomo will be telling you the kinds of crops you should be focusing on in each month of next.

This is the third installment of the 12-part series, dubbed Crops of 2016, the only planting and harvesting calendar you should have.

March

In most of Kenya, the months March through to May favour beetroot farming, because of the short rains that typically begin at the end of the third month of the year. Market conditions also favor the crop all year round, as people accept it as great ingredient for natural juices, owing to its renowned medicinal value. Most hotels also use it as an important garnish for salads.

Planting

It is advisable to plant beetroots in nursery beds that are raised six inches high, to protect the seedlings from being washed away in the event of heavy rains.

Beetroots require heavy watering in the one week after seed sowing.  After one month, the seedlings will be ready for transplanting.

It takes about three months for beet roots to mature, and farmers can tell that the crop is ready is ready for harvesting when there is cracking of the soil around the plant.