Which types: Chinese cabbage, komatsuna, mizuna, mustard, pak choi, and tatsoi.
Sowing depth: 5 to 6mm
Sowing temperatures: Wide range, from 10 to 30ºC
Sowing dates:
- Very early crops: Sow March and April undercover (for baby leaves only; do not sow for large-sized plants or teenage leaves)
- Early crops: Sow May undercover (do not sow tatsoi and mustard if they are to be harvested as large-sized plants or teenage leaves)
- Main crops: Sow June to August outdoors (delay sowing tatsoi and mustard until July if they are to be harvested as large-sized plants or teenage leaves)
- Overwintering crops: Sow the first half of September undercover
Single harvest of large-sized plants
Where to grow: In the ground or large compost-filled containers.
Growing distance: 30x30cm
What to do:
- Direct seeding: Sow 2 or 3 seeds at each ‘post’. Thin down to one seedling after germination.
- Transplanting: Sow 2 or 3 seeds in each cell of compost-filled module trays, thinning down to one seedling after germination. Transplant young plants to their final growing place when the roots fill the cells.
Cut-and-grow-again for ‘teenage’ leaves
Where to grow: In the ground or large compost-filled containers.
Growing distances: 15×15 to 30x30cm.
What to do:
- Direct seeding: Sow 2 or 3 seeds at each ‘post’, thin down to one seedling after germination.
- Transplanting: Sow 2 or 3 seeds in each cell of compost-filled module trays, thin down to one seedling after germination. Transplant young plants to their final growing place when the roots fill the cells.
Cut-and-grow-again for baby leaves
Where to grow: In a relatively weed-free part of the garden or large compost-filled containers.
What to do: Direct sow.
Growing distances: Leave 10 to 12cm between rows. Sow seeds 1cm apart, thinning down to 2 to 3cm between seedlings.
Easy Peasy Gardening for baby leaves
Where to grow: In compost-filled toughs or pots.
What to do: Broadcast seeds quite thickly.
Growing distances: After germination, thin down to leave 2 to 4cm between seedlings.