Vegetables are one of the horticultural crops that are demanded throughout the year at the market. The quality and quantity of it's yield highly depend on the method of production. Leafy vegetables commonly grown in Malawi are rape, mustard (Mpiru)  and Chinese cabbage.

To Improve Yield

 Use recommended varieties

• Rape: Giant essex and Local cultivars
• Mustard (Mpiru): Local cultivars
• Chinese cabbage: Wong bok, Pse-Tsai and Chihili

Seed rate: 300-350g/ha

Field Preparation

Plough deeply and mix the soil with 5 to 10kg of compost or khola manure per square metre. Make sure that the bed size is manageable and easy to maintain, i.e., 120cm wide to the length of your choice, and the distance between the beds should range from 30 to 50cm apart.

Sowing

For rape and mustard, sow the seeds in rows that are 15cm apart between the months of February and March in the nursery.Chinese cabbage goes best by direct sowing; however, seedlings can be raised like rape and mustard. Direct sowing in Chinese cabbage: place 3-5 seeds at 45cm x 45cm planting stations. Thinning should be done, leaving only one at every planting station when they have 4-5 true leaves.

Spacing And Transplanting

Transplanting of seedlings should happen after 4 weeks, or when the plants reach 10 cm in height. Transplant in rows of 45cm apart and 45cm between seedlings. The process should happen in the afternoon hours or when it is cool.

Fertiliser Application

These vegetables require an adequate nitrogen supply. Basal dressing of 70g of compound "s" per square metre using three heaped cupfull of cup NO.22; top dressing with 70g CAN per square metre using cup NO.22.

To improve vegetable yields you have to carefully follow the giudance provided above and by doing that you are assured of success and profits.