Grow your own: How to grow rape at home

Rape (Brassica napus L.) is among the most commonly eaten leafy vegetables in Africa and beyond. This versatile brassica, also known as kale, comes in many forms: purple or green, curly or straight, tall or compact, fast-growing or long-lived. One particular variety, rapeseed (Brassica napus subsp. napus), is even cultivated for its seeds, which are processed into oil.

Growing rape in Zambia is a popular practice as it is a staple crop in many local dishes. Rape, also known as kale or leaf cabbage, is a nutritious and versatile vegetable that can be grown in various parts of Zambia. In fact, this article that you are reading right now is the most widely read article on this website, with people wanting tips on home growing but advice for commercial growing as rape is a very profitable crop if done right.

In this article, we’ll briefly explore how to find and grow rape seed, prepare your garden, choose planting methods, and harvest your crop.

Choosing Rape Varieties

When choosing the type of rape to grow for your garden, it's important to select ones that are suited to the Zambian climate. We are fortunate that rape does well all through the year here, although in warmer months it may require more watering to reduce heat stress.

Seed-Co Zambia, Hygrotech Zambia and Stark Ayres are companies that supply Zambian agricultural market with hybrid seed. Seeds are easily available in supermarkets and agricultural supply stores. If you are growing rape for sale and need to maximise production, always speak to the agronomist to find out which variety will work well for your needs. Different varieties may have slightly different care requirements, as they have been bred for different conditions, so it is important to follow the instructions you are given on the seed pack on how to germinate the seed and feed the plant.

Once you’ve selected your preferred variety, the next step is to decide how you’ll start your crop, either by planting seeds directly or by raising seedlings first.

Starting Seedlings

Rape can be started from seeds or seedlings. Seeds can be planted directly into the soil or started indoors and transplanted once they have reached about 12 cms in height. It's important to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged during germination. As a general guide, seedlings should be transplanted into the soil at a depth of about 2cms and spaced 30cms apart.

Buying Seedlings

For gardeners who prefer convenience or want to save time, buying ready-to-plant seedlings is also a good option. Typically, seeds grown in a seed tray may need 6-8 weeks to be transplanted into soil. You can plant direct into the soil or make a seedbed if you do not want to use seed trays.

If you would like to jumpstart the process and just buy seedlings you can also find companies that supply ready-to-plant seedlings. This helps skip over many of the problems that you get from growing from seed like low germination rate, and you just get what you want when you need it. Most of these seedling companies are primarily for large scale growers but you can get small quantities for home use too. A quick search on Facebook will show you who is around in your area.

There is a small vegetable seedling nursery, just outside of Hygrotech seeds, in the Lusaka Showgrounds that sells vegetable seedlings. Other suppliers of seeds are Mayo Agro Services, Makeni Seedlings and Treasure Valley Seedlings.

Amiran Zambia is a popular place to source seeds, seedlings and other gardening supplies.

We also have so many indigenous seeds for leafy vegetables and grains. If you want a more interesting garden, its worth following the Zambia Alliance for Agroecology to find local seed growers and festivals.

Conditions for Growing Rape

Whether you start from seed or buy seedlings, rape plants thrive best when grown in the right conditions. Here’s how to set up your garden for success.

Location

Rape needs full sun to grow, so it's important to find a location that receives at least six hours of sunlight per day. While rape can grow in full sun, Zambia’s extreme spring and summer temperatures can stress the plants.

If you’ve read our article on new ways of growing food, you’ll know that shade plays an important role in successful gardening. Growing under shade netting at these times of the year can help protect them from direct and indirect heat, reducing water loss through evaporation and keeping the soil moist for longer.

Additionally, it's important to ensure that the location is sheltered from strong winds, as this can damage the plants.

Bed Preparation

Rape grows well in containers, raised beds, or traditional garden beds. The choice depends on your available space and personal preference. What’s most important is that the soil is well-drained and nutrient-rich.

Raised or ridged beds are especially useful during the rainy season or in waterlogged areas, as they allow better drainage. Regularly adding compost to the topsoil helps improve both soil structure and drainage over time.

Soil

The secret to any good crop is healthy soil. Yes, you can get a bigger harvest with chemical fertilisers which feed the plant, healthy soil balance means a healthier crop which will be more disease resistant, more nutritious and require less fertilisers.

Start by preparing your soil thoroughly. Add as much organic matter as possible, ideally, work in mature compost a few weeks before planting. Popular local organic compost brands include Ecobiz and Black Gold Compost.

If you choose to use chemical fertilisers, a balanced fertiliser, such as a 10-10-10, can be applied once a month to provide the necessary nutrients. However, it's important to avoid over-fertilising, as this can lead to lush foliage but smaller leaves.

Harvesting Rape

With the right soil and care, your rape plants will grow vigorously and be ready for harvest in just a few weeks.

Depending on the variety, rape leaves can be harvested once they reach a size of about 10 cms in length. It's best to harvest the outer leaves first, leaving the inner leaves to continue growing. Rape leaves can be harvested for several months, and the plants can continue to produce new growth throughout the growing season.

The same growing method can also be used for other popular leafy vegetables such as spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli, cauliflower. The subtle nuances of growing rape and these other vegetables will come with practice. Not every garden is identical, soil, temperature, microbiome will be different and be a bit patient with your home garden and just keep practicing.

By following these growing tips, anyone can successfully grow healthy rape plants in Zambia, providing a nutritious and delicious vegetable that many will enjoy.