PlantSowGrow
How to grow Tatsoi
Brassica rapa subsp. narinosa
Flat rosettes of dark, spoon-shaped leaves with a mild mustard taste. Very hardy and quick — a great late-summer sowing for winter salads.
At a glance: Sow mid June to early September, harvest from late July.
When to sow, plant and harvest
Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.
Growing Tatsoi: what it needs
- Light
- Full sun · 6+ hours a day
- Watering
- Water regularly in dry weather
- Soil
- Fertile, well-drained soil
- Spacing
- 20 cm
- In pots
- Grows well in containers
- Feeding
- A general feed before sowing or planting
- Harvest
- About 45 days from sowing
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 3–9
- Difficulty
- Easy
Step by step
- Mid June – early September · 9 weeks after the last spring frost
Sow Seeds Outdoors
Sow thinly in drills where they are to grow.
- 4–10 days after “Sow Seeds Outdoors” · Mid June – late June
Check Germination
Seedlings should appear in 4–10 days. If sown outdoors, thin to 20 cm apart when big enough to handle.
- 0–3 days after “Check Germination” · Mid June – late June
Net Against Pests
Cover with fine insect mesh or netting straight after planting to keep off pigeons, cabbage white caterpillars and flea beetles.
- 35–56 days after “Check Germination” · Late July – mid August
Start Harvesting
Pick outer leaves as baby salad, or cut the whole rosette when 15–20 cm across.
- 14–28 days after “Start Harvesting” · Early August – mid August
Sow Another Batch (optional)
Sow a short row every three weeks until early autumn.
- 60–90 days after “Sow Another Batch” · Early October – early November
Finish and Clear
Clear the remains to the compost heap once cropping ends.
