Planting

After preparing the land to a fine tilth:

Step 1

Make​ ​drills/furrows 30 cm apart for production of fresh leaves and 50 cm apart for seeds  production.

Step 2

Mix well rotten manure and planting fertiliser on the furrows. You need 1­2 buckets of manure  per 1 metre square plot. Use planting fertiliser like Mavuno Vegetables fertilizer N.P.K 20:10:18 and later Top dress with Mavuno Topdressing N.P.K 26:0:0.

Step 3

Sow seeds 2-3 cm deep and cover lightly with soil. You need 2 kg of seeds per acre.

Step 4

Water regularly i.e 2-­3 times in a week. This is when the soil is dry and avoid water logging.  Lack of water can also lead to early bolting (start making seeds early).

Step 5

Germination occurs about 7­-10 days after sowing.

Step 6

Thin to remove excess plant and leave healthy ones when plants are 5­-7cm high to leave  10­-15cm within the rows.

Step 7

You can cut at half foot high to encourage growth of more tillers.

Step 8

It will take 4­-6 weeks for green leaves to mature and 3-­4 months for the seed.

It is recommended to sow seeds directly into a ready seedbed. Transplanting causes early  flowering. Buy certified seeds from good sources.