How to grow tatsoi

Brassica rapa subsp. narinosa · Brassicaceae · Vegetable

Tatsoi is a cool-season vegetable in the Brassicaceae family, almost always sown straight into the ground where it will grow. It wants full sun, though it tolerates a little afternoon shade in hot regions and steady, even moisture. From sowing to first pick is about 35–50 days. It is one of the toughest crops here, standing through hard frost and often improving for it.

Grower’s note: A flat rosette of dark, spoon-shaped Asian greens - mild and quick. Extremely cold-hardy, so it is a top choice for fall and winter cutting under a low tunnel. Harvest whole rosettes or pick outer leaves.

Sowing

Sow about 0.25″ deep, into soil between 45–85°F — germination is quickest near 70°F. It comes up fast (4–8 days). It does not transplant well, so sow it in its final position rather than starting it in pots.

Spacing & layout

Give each plant about 6″ along the row with roughly 10″ between rows. On a square-foot grid that is 4 per square foot. Allow at least 8″ of loose, workable soil for the roots. It grows well in containers at least 6″ deep.

Fitting it to your season

As a cool-season crop, tatsoi does its best growing in the mild weather of spring and fall and tends to bolt or turn bitter in summer heat. A second sowing in late summer, timed to mature as the weather cools, is usually the better crop of the year — and light frost only sweetens it.

Quick facts

When to plant tatsoi

Companions

Common problems

Pests: flea beetle, aphids.

Diseases & disorders: downy mildew, clubroot.

Same family (Brassicaceae)

Rotate these so they don’t follow each other in the same bed year to year.

Figures are typical home-garden ranges from Cooperative Extension planting guides, cross-checked against multiple state sources. Your variety and conditions will vary.