16 Crops to Plant and Harvest Within 3 Months
Any farmer can make good money from the 3 months crops in Nigeria. These crops are crops that mature within 90 days; it gives the farmer the opportunity to earn money within a very short time.
Cultivating one of the 3 months crops in Nigeria means that a farmer does not need to wait for a very long time before he starts making money from his farm.
In Nigeria, farmers are now tending into cultivating 60 days crops and 90 days crops because of the short life cycle and also the lower risks. The longer the maturity time of a crop, the higher the risk.
Crops to Plant and Harvest Within 3 Months
The following are some crops that can be planted and harvested within 3 months in Nigeria:
1. Cucumber
Cucumber is one of the most profitable 3 months crops anybody can cultivate in Nigeria. Farmers in Nigeria call cucumber money crop because of its ability to improve the earnings of farmers.
In cities and towns in Nigeria, the demand of cucumbers is very huge. Hardly can you go to any city without seeing a lot of people hawking fresh cucumbers. This shows that there is a huge demand for cucumbers in Nigeria.
Cucumbers have a short life cycle. If you cultivate the hybrid varieties of cucumbers, your first harvest of cucumbers can come as early as 40 days. You are expected to keep harvesting every 2-3 days for 30 – 60 days.
A one hectare of cucumber farm can yield over 1,000 bags of fresh cucumbers. A bag of fresh cucumbers weigh about 40 kg and it is sold for ₦3,000. The price of a bag of fresh cucumbers in Nigeria can go as high s ₦7,000 in the lean period.
To earn good money from cucumber farming, you will need to use drip irrigation, specialized fertilizers and quality farm inputs. Do not cut corners.
The varieties of cucumber seeds to plant include Murano F1, Darina F1, Greengo F1 and Monalisa F1.
2. Okra
Okra is one of the 3 months crops in Nigeria. It reaches maturity within 40 days. Farmers cultivating okra in Nigeria can start harvesting fresh okro within 35 – 45 days. Okra is mainly used for the preparation of food in Nigeria.
Like other 60 days and 90 days crops in Nigeria, okra farming can be very lucrative. It is not uncommon to see farmers earning over 100% Returns on Investment (ROI) on okra cultivation.
Okra can grow anywhere in Nigeria. It can also be grown in the rainy season and the dry season. Almost all Nigerians eat okra so the demand is pretty high.
There are peak and off-peaks seasons for okra in Nigeria. At some times in the year, the prices of okra are very high.
3. Fluted Pumpkin (Ugwu)
Ugwu is a type of leafy vegetables used for the preparation of soups in Nigeria. It is also used for the production of medicinal herbs. Ugwu is common with the Igbo tribe of Nigeria. Hardly can you eat a soup in the south eastern part of Nigeria without seeing ugwu leaves in it. Ugwu is also consumed in the south western and northern parts of Nigeria.
Ugwu as a crop is planted with seeds. It is a crawling plant which is usually staked with bamboo or planks. The first harvest from ugwu plants is usually after 30 -40 days. It is one of the most profitable 3 months crops in Nigeria.
The leaves harvested from ugwu plants are the main parts used for the preparation of soups and foods in Nigeria. This means that the leaves are the most lucrative parts of the ugwu plants. The pods can also be sold in the market. Some people demand for the pods.
The strategy of making a lot of profit from ugwu cultivation is for a farmer to cultivate this crop in the dry season. Few farmers cultivate this crop in the dry season, so the few who dare to cultivate it in the dry season often make good money.
4. Ewedu
As ugwu is popular among the Ibo people of Nigeria,. Ewedu is also very popular among the Yoruba people of Nigeria. Ewedu is one of the most popular leafy vegetables in Nigeria. It is used in the preparation of soup.
Like the other crops mentioned, ewedu is also one of the 90 days crops in Nigeria. A farmer can start harvesting ewedu as from the 30th day of planting. Cultivation is done through the planting of the seeds of the crop on well-made beds. The seeds can also be planted on the soil.
The demand for ewedu in Nigeria is huge. The Yoruba people consume this vegetable almost every day. Cultivation of this crop during the dry season can make good money for farmers because only few farmers dare to cultivate the crop in the dry season due to the lack of rainfall.
It is very easy to cultivate ewedu. It can even be planted at home. You only need manure and little or no fertilizers to cultivate this crop.
5. Lettuce
Lettuce is becoming a common leafy vegetable in Nigeria, though consumed by the middle class and the rich. Lettuce is used for the making of salad and other upscale foods.
Lettuce is also one of the 60 days crops in Nigeria. A farmer can start harvesting lettuce as from the 45th day, though some varieties of lettuce take a bit more time.
Lettuce is mostly sold in large quantities in cities like Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt etc. You can also get lettuce in cities and towns like Jos, Kano and Kaduna.
6. Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the crops in the brassica family. It is also one of the most profitable 3 months crops in Nigeria. You can plant and harvest cabbage within 90 days. Cabbages when matured do have dense leaves.
Cabbages can grow anywhere in Nigeria, though it likes a slightly temperate condition to achieve its optimum yield.
The type of cabbage popular in Nigeria is the green colour cabbage. There are few farmers cultivating the red cabbage.
7. Maize
Maize can be harvested as fresh cobs within 90 days. It can also be a profitable 90 days crop in Nigeria because of the possibility of making money from it within a short time. Maize farming can be very profitable in Nigeria.
Sweet corn is also a type of maize crop that can be cultivated and harvested within 90 days. The ROI of sweet corn farming in Nigeria can be very high.
The varieties of maize seeds to plant include Pioneer Hybrid Seeds and Dekalb Hybrid Maize Seeds.
8. Other three months crops are:
9) Broccoli
10) Thyme
11) Baby Corn
12) Sweet Pepper
13) Tomato (Platinum F1 variety)
14) Eggplants
15) Parsley
16) Aragula etc
Factors to Consider before Growing 3 months Crops in Nigeria
The following factors should be considered before growing three months crops in Nigeria:
1. Choice of Farmland
The choice of farmland is important if you want to be successful growing a three month term crop. You should ask yourself the following questions:
- Is the farmland available to farm all year round?
- Is the farmland flooded at some time of the year?
- Is the soil fertile?
- Is the road to the farmland motorable all year round?
2. Irrigation
You should also ask yourself the type of irrigation system you will use. Drip irrigation is the most efficient type of irrigation for most vegetable crops. It can also be used for short erm crops like 3 months crops.
Please note that you will need irrigation if you want to grow any crop in the dry season. Rains hardly fall in the dry season in Nigeria.
3. Types of Seeds
Some types of seeds are good to grow in the rainy season while some are better used in the rainy season. You should consider the time of the year you want to grow your crops and choose the most appropriate type of seeds.
Do you want to use hybrid seeds or open pollinated seeds? East West Seeds have some of the best varieties of seeds for three months crops.
4. Climate
Climate has a role to play in farming in Nigeria. Some types of 3 months crops prefer being grown in the rainy season while some others prefer being grown in the rainy season.
Tomato for example prefers dry season.
5. Availability of Labour
During the farming season of April to August in Nigeria, labour is usually scarce as labourers will prefer to go and work on their own farms.
During the dry season, labour is usually abundant. You should time your growing of crops to the time when farm hands will be abundantly available.
6. Fertilizers
A soil analysis has to be done before you apply any type of fertilizers on your crops. Manure, NPK fertilizers, potassium fertilizers, phosphorus fertilizers, nitrogen fertilizers and humates have to be used in order for you to get a good yield.
7. Pesticides
The types of pesticides to use also have to be considered. You should apply the right types of fungicides, insecticides and miticides at the right time and the right proportion.
Cost and profit analysis of 3 months crops in Nigeria
a) Cucumber
With N500,000, you can cultivate an acre of cucumber with drip irrigation. The profit on one acre of cucumber can be as high as N1 million
b) Okra
N350,000 can be used to cultivate an acre of okro if you use drip irrigation. The profit can be twice or thrice the cost of setting up the farm.
c) Ugwu
The cost of growing Ugwu can be as low as N50,000 depending on the size of the farm. The profit can be twice the cost of setting up the farm.
d) Ewedu
Ewedu is most profitable in the dry season. The cost of growing ewedu is usually low and the profit can be very high.
The cost of growing other three months crops like lettuce, cabbage and maize is usually much less than the profit to be earned from growing them.
FAQ on 3 Months Crops
a) Question: What can I plant and harvest in 3 months?
Answer: You can plant crops like cucumber, okra, ewedu, lettuce, cabbage, maize, tomato, pepper, fluted pumpkin, watermelon and kale etc.
b) Question: What is the most profitable crop to plant and harvest in 3 months?
Answer: Tomato is the most profitable crop to plant and harvest in 3 months in NIgeria.
If you want a set-up for a farm of 3 months crops in Nigeria, you can contact us through sales@veggiegrow.ng or 08025141924.
