Planting, caring for and using Tatsoi

Tatsoi is also known as leaf mustard because of its taste and is visually reminiscent of pak choi. The Asian vegetables may look exotic, but with the right knowledge they can be cultivated in the local vegetable garden without any problems.

Are you looking for cool-weather, leafy vegetables that are as versatile as spinach but last longer? Then we would like to offer you the Tatsoi (Brassica rapa convar. narinosa) bring closer. Anyone who tries the cultivation of Tatsoi will quickly find that the Asian vegetable is undemanding and easy to care for. With us you will learn everything about the culture and use of the exotic leaf mustard.

Tatsoi: origin and characteristics

The Tatsoi has so far disagreed about its actual origin: some say it comes from China, others attach importance to a Japanese origin. What is certain is that the plant, which comes from Asia, has been cultivated and consumed since around 500 AD. Today Tatsoi is cultivated in the warm temperate zones of Asia up to the tropics. Just like his close relatives Pak choi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) and Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis) Tatsoi is increasingly finding its way into our kitchen and is now also cultivated in Europe and North America.

The Tatsoi is also called spoon mustard or leaf mustard because of its small, spoon-shaped leaves. It is also known as rosette pak choi. As its name suggests, Tatsoi has a mild, mustard-like taste, with the younger leaves being the spinach (Spinacia oleracea) resemble. The resilient plant also thrives in cool weather and can withstand temperatures of up to - 26 ° C for a short time. Even snowfall is not a problem, which is why Tatsoi is the ideal winter vegetable. The Tatsoi grows biennially, developing an inflorescence up to 1 m high in the second year and seed formation takes place.

This is how you can recognize Tatsoi:

• Low-growing herbaceous plant that forms a taproot
• Spoon-shaped, dark green, stalked leaves with white ribs
• Leaves arranged in an approximately 20 cm high, densely growing rosette of leaves
• It differs from spinach in its special taste
• Typical cruciferous flowers: about 1.5 cm large, four-leaved, with an intense yellow color

Grow Tatsoi

Tatsoi can be sown directly or grown on the windowsill. If you want to make your work a little easier, you can use young plants grown in advance from the garden center. The right time is crucial for sowing: Tatsoi shoots if it is grown too late in spring or too early in autumn.
We recommend preculture for spring and direct sowing for autumn, with which you get plants for the late harvest in the winter bed.

The right location for Tatsoi

Tatsoi grows quickly and is ready for harvest in around 45 days, as a baby leaf even four weeks after planting. Since it doesn't mind cooler temperatures, it can be sown in autumn for a second harvest. Although Tatsoi is undemanding in terms of temperatures, it needs a sheltered location and a well-drained, loose and humus soil. The plant prefers full sun when it is adequately watered. Tatsoi needs little water in general - however, it must not dry out in order to avoid premature flowering.

How do I plant Tatsoi?

Soil poor in nutrients should be supplemented with some compost or manure before planting. Alternatively, fresh, high-quality soil can be worked into the soil. A nutrient-rich substrate like ours is suitable for this Plantura organic tomato & vegetable soilwhich, unlike many conventional vegetable soils, is peat-free. Their increased potassium content meets the needs of cruciferous vegetables such as the Tatsoi.

• Prepare the planting site by digging up the soil 15 to 30 cm deep to remove compaction.
• Take Tatsoi young plants to hand and plant them at a distance of 10 to 15 cm. Make sure that the heart of the plant is above the ground - even after watering.
• Water the plants and keep them moist for the next few days.

Sow outdoors

If you want to sow Tatsoi directly outdoors, you can do so at two different times: Either you sow it between mid-April and mid-May in spring. Alternatively, sowing takes place between August and mid-October in late summer for an autumn and winter harvest well into the new year. However, you should take into account that no-till increases the cultivation time by about a week. Plants sown later than mid-October remain in the bed for the winter and can be harvested the following year.

For direct sowing, the Tatsoi needs a row spacing of around 30 cm. The Tatsoi seeds are placed in a furrow and then covered with soil. Well watered, the seeds germinate after four to eight days and can be thinned out as soon as the plants are about 10 cm high. Keep a distance of 10 to 15 cm between the specimens. Fortunately, rejected plants do not have to be disposed of, but can be consumed as an accompaniment to salad. If the Tatsoi is grown as a baby leaf for lettuce, it is not necessary to separate the young plants.

Sow indoors

The sowing and preculturing of Tatsoi in the house can begin around mid-March. To do this, fill the seed trays with a high-quality, nutrient-reduced seed compost like ours Plantura organic herb & seed compost, as this promotes strong root growth and promotes healthy plant development. About 60 to 100 seeds are needed for an area of ​​one square meter. After sowing, they should be covered with some soil. A cover made of cling film, in which a few holes have been punched, creates a kind of mini greenhouse, which ensures optimal germination conditions. In a bright place at 18 to 22 ° C, the seeds germinate within four to eight days. The film can then be removed.

As soon as the young plants are about 10 cm high and there are no longer any longer frosts to fear, the Tatsoi can be acclimatized by placing the plants in a shady place outdoors during the day. After another five to seven days, they are finally transplanted into the bed. Alternatively, Tatsoi is cultivated in a bucket and then finds a place on the terrace or balcony.

Tip: The right temperature for seedlings and young plants is crucial as they tend to shoot up when it's too cool. A temperature of 18 to 22 ° C must therefore be maintained during youth development.

The most important maintenance measures

The Tatsoi needs some care as it grows - most importantly, it needs watering and fertilization. An even supply of water to the plants is important, as otherwise drought damage quickly occurs. But there are also some diseases and pests to watch out for. These points are important in caring for the Tatsoi.

Pour Tatsoi properly

Make sure that the Tatsoi plants do not dry out. During hot days, regular watering is mandatory for the health of the plants. A layer of mulch made of grass clippings, straw or bark mulch also reduces evaporation and at the same time suppresses the growth of wild herbs. In heat and drought it can happen that the Tatsoi shoots and blooms. Flowering is then inevitable, but to prevent a bitter taste, the flowering heads are cut off just below the first leaf base. However, with the right sowing time and appropriate care, shooting can be prevented at an early stage. As with pak choi, all parts of the plant are edible. The blooming heads can be consumed in a salad, for example, but they taste more intense and a little bitter.

Since Tatsoi - like many cruciferous vegetables - are prone to mildew the irrigation water should only be distributed at the base of the plant. A drainage hose or drip irrigation are particularly suitable for this, or you can water carefully with a watering can or garden hose. Avoid wetting the leaves.

Tatsoi fertilize

Fertilization of the Tatsoi is necessary during the short growing season. A nitrogen-rich fertilizer is suitable for this, as it optimally covers the nutrient requirements during the intensive growth phase. A long-term fertilizer in granulate form releases nutrients into the soil over a longer period of time. These absorb the plants, which supports healthy leaf growth. For example ours Plantura organic universal fertilizer Thanks to its high content of organic raw materials, it promotes soil life as well as healthy plant development.

A high-quality flower fertilizer is also suitable for pot culture and low-nitrogen soils. So is ours, for example Plantura organic flower & balcony fertilizer significantly more nitrogen-oriented than a liquid vegetable fertilizer and perfectly covers the needs of the Tatsoi.

Frequent Diseases and pests

As already mentioned, powdery mildew on Tatsoi can become a problem due to incorrect watering. But also the fungal disease Carbonic hernia is a danger that should not be underestimated. Pests like Earth fleas, but also Aphids, the Cabbage white butterfly and the Cabbage fly can appear at the Tatsoi.

Harvest and use leaf mustard

Those who grow Tatsoi can look forward to the harvest soon after.

How to Harvest Tatsoi

Tatsoi is ready for harvest after 40 to 50 days, baby leaf plants even after 30 to 35 days. The Tatsoi should not be harvested during frost, as damage occurs to the points of contact between the sensitive leaves. For harvesting, the heads are cut off about 1 cm above the ground with a sharp, clean knife. In mild weather the Tatsoi can sprout again if a little further up is cut so that another harvest is possible. The second rosettes are smaller than the first, but just as aromatic.

Store Tatsoi

Tatsoi can be stored the same way as pak choi - the cabbage can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week in a plastic bag or wrapped in a damp towel. Because of the fine weave, Tatsoi does not freeze as well as other plants in the Brassica family, such as Kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) or Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera).

use

Tatsoi can be used in many ways. The cabbage is wonderfully suitable as a pesto, salad, steamed, as a pan dish, Tatsoi vegetables and to garnish soups. It is a very versatile leafy vegetable that can be served raw or cooked. Tatsoi is used wherever you would also use spinach or pak choi.

Discover the diversity of the Asian cabbage family and learn about them in our special article Pak choi know something better.