Chinese broccoli Growing Guide
A productive and versatile oriental brassica, also known as Chinese kale, kailaan, kai lan, or wok broc. It is grown for its tasty leaves, stems, and flower shoots, which are similar to traditional broccoli. Young leaves can be eaten raw, while larger leaves, tender stems, and young flower shoots can be lightly steamed, sautéed, or added to stir-fries. It is a good source of antioxidants and vitamin C.
This guidance applies to the crop in general. Individual varieties and local conditions can differ.
Planting information
Sow seeds indoors from mid-spring onwards, or outdoors between April and September. Sow 2cm deep. For outdoor sowing, make shallow drills and sprinkle thinly and evenly, then cover lightly with soil. Space rows 30cm apart. For continuous harvests, sow small batches every few weeks. Thin seedlings to 10-15cm apart for baby salad leaves, or 30cm apart for full-sized plants. Protect seedlings from slugs and snails. Seedlings from indoor sowings are ready to transplant outdoors after about 4-6 weeks, once they have a good root system. Harden them off to acclimatise to outdoor conditions. Plant them 10-15cm apart for harvesting as baby salad leaves, or 30cm apart for growing to maturity.
Harvesting information
Harvest in as little as ten weeks after sowing, generally between July and November. For tender young florets, cut off the top few centimetres with a knife just before the first white flowers open; increased harvesting promotes more production. Open flowers are edible in salads. Young succulent stems can be cooked separately. For young salad leaves, harvest in as little as three weeks in summer by snipping a few outer leaves when plants are 8-10cm tall; more leaves will grow from the centre.