Vegetable · Brassica
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
Brassica oleracea var. alboglabraA slender, thick-stemmed Chinese green grown for its tender flowering stalks rather than a solid head. It grows fast in cool weather and pushes up a flower spike the moment heat or crowding stresses it. The one rule: harvest the central stem while buds are still tight to keep side shoots coming.
Sow depth
½ in
Spacing
6 in · rows 18 in
Sun
Full sun
Germination
7–10 days
Time to harvest
45–60 days
Difficulty
Easy
When to sow gai lan (chinese broccoli)
- Sow from about 6 weeks before your last expected frost until about 3 weeks before your last expected frost.
- Sow from about 10 weeks before the first expected autumn frost until about 7 weeks before the first expected autumn frost.
Direct sow shallowly into fertile, well-drained soil once the sharpest cold has passed.Sow every two to three weeks for a steady supply of stems.Keep the seedbed moist; germination slows in cold or dry soil.
Thin to 6 in — crowded plants bolt sooner and produce thin, weak stems.Water consistently through the season; drought stress toughens the stems.Mulch to keep roots cool through any unexpected warm spell.
Cut the central stalk about 6–8 in long, just as flower buds form but before they open.Cutting above a leaf node prompts side shoots to follow within days.Keep harvesting side stems for several weeks after the first cut.
Companion plants
Nightshades like peppers and tomatoes prefer more acidic soil than gai lan, so keeping them in separate beds suits both.
Watch out for
Flea beetles — Riddle young leaves with small holes in warm, dry weather. Cover with fine mesh from sowing.Snails — Graze on tender leaves and stems more than on most other brassicas. Hand-pick at dusk or ring plants with grit.