Grow Your Tat Soi The Right Way

Growing Tat Soi The Right Way

Tat soi is the leafy green that should get more love. Maybe you've seen it at the farmers' market, those deep emerald spoon-shaped leaves calling out from a pile of mustard greens and bok choy.

This brassica thrives in cool temperatures, refuses to bolt under stress, and comes back strong even after a hard harvest. Play your cards right, and you’ll have a steady crop of tender, mild greens all season.

Start It Off Strong

The best tat soi I ever grew was sown while the summer heat still lingered but cooled off at night. It loves temperatures between 45°F and 75°F, so late summer into fall is prime time.

Planting in early spring is possible too, but once temperatures creep toward 80°F, it’s racing to flower, and the leaves toughen. Late-season sowing means you get those lush rosettes when everything else is winding down.

• Direct sowing: Scatter seeds in loose, well-draining soil. Press them in lightly—no need to bury deep. Keep the soil damp until germination.
• Spacing: Thin seedlings to about 6 inches apart for full-sized rosettes. If you’re impatient, let them crowd and harvest young.
• Container growing: Works like a charm. A deep pot with rich soil guarantees a steady supply, even on a balcony.

The Trick to Perfect Leaves

Tat soi is not picky, but it has its preferences. Give it fertile soil, steady moisture, and a bit of afternoon shade in warmer months, and it'll repay you with flawless, buttery greens.

Avoid bitter, stunted plants by keeping the soil damp but not soggy. I once let mine dry out between waterings, and the leaves turned leathery overnight.

“A dry spell followed by heavy watering can split the stems and ruin your harvest. Keep that soil consistently moist.”

A light side-dressing of compost or a diluted fish emulsion feed keeps it pushing out new growth. Skip heavy nitrogen feeds—too much, and you'll get leggy plants with watered-down flavor.

Pest Control Without the Fuss

The usual suspects—aphids, flea beetles, slugs—love tat soi as much as we do. I once lost half a bed to flea beetles overnight. Those tiny holes in the leaves? Guaranteed sign they’re feasting.

• Row covers: The easiest way to keep flea beetles out. A simple mesh draped over seedlings works wonders.
• Neem spray: If aphids make an appearance, a diluted neem spray knocks them back fast.
• Encourage natural predators: Ladybugs and lacewings keep populations in check. Let nature do its job.

Slugs, on the other hand, are relentless. Crushed eggshells, diatomaceous earth, or a well-placed beer trap help. I’ve spent too many wet mornings plucking them off by hand—best to stop them early.

Harvesting for the Long Haul

Tat soi gives and gives. You can pick baby leaves as soon as they’re a few inches tall, or wait for full heads. Either way, use the cut-and-come-again method to keep it growing.

1. For baby greens, snip outer leaves with scissors, leaving the center intact.
2. For full heads, cut the whole thing at the base—but leave the root in the soil. More sprouts will pop up.
3. Harvest before deep freezes. A light frost sweetens the flavor, but prolonged cold will shut it down.

Stored in a plastic bag in the fridge, tat soi stays crisp for a week. But honestly, it never lasts that long in my kitchen.

Why Grow It?

Because it grows fast, shrugs off weak frosts, and tastes like a dream—a cross between spinach and bok choy, with a sweetness that deepens in the cold.

Toss it into stir-fries, soups, salads, or sauté it with garlic and soy sauce. Every time I grow a patch, I wonder why I didn’t plant more. And then I do.

Growing Tat Soi is an excellent way to upgrade an outdoor garden or an indoor windowsill space. This dark green and savoy-leafed Asian green is incredibly hardy, tolerant of both heat and cold, and highly nutritious. It is also rich in antioxidants and vitamins, full of flavor and looks appealing! Growing Tat Soi is not only easy and efficient, but it also results in a delicious and healthy product.