tatsoi

[tjg911]

anyone grow this? can you cut the outer leaves and let it keep producing as with lettuce or do you have to cut the whole plant whether at baby or mature stage?

i grew this in 2006 but it did not do well and i never tried it again. it may have been my fault for not watering or maybe the flea beetles - i stopped growing other asian greens due to flea beetles.

the package is from 2006 and i was going to toss it but i seeded 30 seeds to see if i'd get germination and a lot came up. i'll transplant some and see how they do as i have space in the brassica section of the garden.

tom

[pdxwindjammer]

I grew it for the first time this year and planted it in February right next to my dwarf pak choi. They looked and tasted almost identical and both bolted fast rather than forming any type of head. They just became tall stalks with some leaves on them. They were great sauteed up in a bit of butter and garlic but once they bolted they were useless.

I will use up the rest of the seeds but won't grow them again.

[tjg911]

ok the verdict is in for my garden and it's not worth growing. while i like it, the flea beetles attacked the 20+ plants big time. they grow pretty slow and i watered them every day and they were in full sun so i don't see any problem there. i finally decided to just cut them all at a small size (2-3" tall) and saute them. i took them out about 3 weeks ago.

[remy]

Too bad about the flea beetles. I don't have problems with them here.(knock on wood that I didn't just curse myself.) I do have to say that Tatsoi needs to be sown in the very early spring here. I grow it in my field lettuce mix and I like it, but it bolts with any heat so I don't bother trying to grow it past the baby leaf stage.
Remy

[bluelacedredhead]

Remy,
Just email me directions and I'll gladly send you some (flea beetles that is),. I have more than my share this year, Ugh.

[remy]

Originally Posted by bluelacedredhead

Remy,
Just email me directions and I'll gladly send you some (flea beetles that is),.

NO!!
Remy

[tjg911]

Originally Posted by remy

Too bad about the flea beetles. I don't have problems with them here.(knock on wood that I didn't just curse myself.) I do have to say that Tatsoi needs to be sown in the very early spring here. I grow it in my field lettuce mix and I like it, but it bolts with any heat so I don't bother trying to grow it past the baby leaf stage.
Remy

remy,

you just told me the opposite of what i have read! the packet says to sow after the danger of all frost is gone! i wait until early june to plant them out or to direct seed them. and i'd agree, they don't seem to like hot weather! but i never thought about that since the packet says they don't tolerate frost. you're in buffalo? so very early spring is when? early april? have you found they tolerate frost? i'll try them again if planting them out eraly is the trick.

tom

[remy]

Originally Posted by tjg911

remy,

you just told me the opposite of what i have read! the packet says to sow after the danger of all frost is gone! i wait until early june to plant them out or to direct seed them. and i'd agree, they don't seem to like hot weather! but i never thought about that since the packet says they don't tolerate frost. you're in buffalo? so very early spring is when? early april? have you found they tolerate frost? i'll try them again if planting them out eraly is the trick.

tom

well I never read anything before growing it. I'm glad I didn't! Yes, I'm near Buffalo. I've always seeded it out with my lettuce in mid March. I plant in trough planters on my porch since I don't have the garden ready to plant by then and the bunnies like to eat it anyway. Up on the porch they leave it alone. Anyway, point is I sow it out with the lettuce and comes up fine. I've found everything in the brassica family that I've grown to do very well with early spring planting in with the lettuce. The seedlings somehow are very hardy compared to full grown plants.
Remy

[Ruth_10]

I've grown tatsoi as spring and fall crops for several years and this year is my last year growing it as a spring crop. It bolts just too fast in a Missouri spring.

Now as a fall crop, that has worked well for me. Seems like the flea beetle problem abates some then, too.