How to grow your backyard for a long harvest

Are you a backyard gardener who is looking for what to plant in your backyard that will guarantee you a continuous harvest? Well, kale is one of the vegetables you can try.

Experts say kale is closely related to sukuma wiki, a vegetable common in Kenya and has gradually made its mark on the Ugandan market too. Joy Nabirye, a gardener, says kale is planted like any other vegetables.

If you choose to embark on growing kale, you will find the seeds on the market. "You can then plant the seeds in a nursery bed whose soils have been mixed with manure for three weeks before transplanting them to your garden," Nabirye says.

For effective growth, a gardener needs to continuously water kale for it to yield. You will have to spray against pests and diseases that can attack kale. Nabirye says kale can grow in polythene bags, wooden box and even jerrycans.

"If well looked after, kale matures in two months with a number of leaves for you to harvest," she says. Josette Sanyu, a nutritionist, says kale is a good source of vitamin A and C, magnesium and is also rich in dietary fibre, which is good for digestion.

Compiled by Stella Naigino