Chinese Cabbage Tah Tsai - Brassica napa narinosa

Sowing:

The germination temperature of the Tatsoi Cabbage is around 14° and takes about 14 days.

Sowing period: under heated shelter from March to May or directly in the ground from May to August

Harvest period: from July to October

You can either sow directly in place or prepare seedlings that will later be planted in their final position in the garden.

Preparing seedlings: Under shelter or in a nursery in the garden for the rest of the year (according to the recommended sowing period), sow the seeds at a depth of 1 to 2 cm (0.5 to 1in) in a good seed compost or fine soil. Cover lightly with compost and remember to keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged.

When the young plants appear strong enough to handle, transplant them into buckets if necessary before planting them in the garden, when there is no longer any risk of frost. During planting, respect the recommended spacing for direct sowing.

Direct sowing: In properly amended and finely worked soil, make furrows about one or two centimeters deep, spaced 40 centimetres (16 inches) apart. Sow the seeds and cover them with a thin layer of fine soil. When the seedlings are well developed, thin them out, leaving one plant every 40 centimetres (16 inches).

Cultivation:

The Tah Tsai Rosette Cabbage is grown in full sun. It is a demanding vegetable that requires well-rotted, nitrogen-rich, and potassium-rich soil. It is advisable to apply a generous amount of mature compost (about 3/4 kg per m2) in autumn by digging it in to a depth of 5 cm (2in), after having loosened the soil as you would for any vegetable crop. It is not very tolerant of soil pH, which should be between 5.6 and 6.5. In acidic soil, it will be necessary to gradually raise the pH by applying calcium in the form of Lime.

Beware of pests such as Cabbage White Butterfly or Flea Beetles and consider using insect netting.