Sarat/Ethiopian Kale: A Planting Guide

Sarat is an indigenous vegetable. It is also called Ethiopian Kale, or Kanzira.

The plant itself looks like a miniature kale. But Sarat is not a kale variety. It's really a mustard.

Where to get Sarat Seeds

I have not seen the seeds in any agrovet, but you can get them from the market women.

They sell it in spoonfuls. One tablespoon of sarat seeds costs 20 Kenya shillings. Sarat seeds look like kale seeds.

How to Sow Sarat Seeds

Sarat seeds are planted directly into the growing bed. There is no transplanting of seedlings. You prepare the planting bed, mix in plenty of manure, and spread the seeds. Try to spread them so there is a an inch between the seeds. Cover the Sarat seeds with a thin layer of soil.

Sarat matures fast. You can harvest within six weeks.

How to Harvest Sarat

There are two ways to harvest Sarat. You can do complete harvesting by pulling the entire plant.

You can also harvest part of the plant, leaving it to grow more leaves for your next meal. This is the best harvesting method for a kitchen garden.

Qualities of Sarat

Sarat does not taste exactly like kale or collards. It has a slightly sweeter taste, and it smells faintly like mustard.

Sarat has small, tender leaves compared to kale and collards. You don’t have to chop it finely like you would sukuma wiki. It cooks down quickly, too.

Sarat is a hardy plant. It is not as high maintenance as managu.

Comments

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