TatsoiBrassica rapa subsp. narinosa

Tatsoi

Tatsoi

1. Brassica rapa subsp. narinosa

1. tat choy
2. rosette bok choy

1. Tatsoi
2. Brassica narinosa
3. Brassica rapa subsp. narinosa

1. Tracheophyta
2. Magnoliopsida

Mustard family

1. Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis
2. Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis
3. Brassica rapa subsp. nipposinica

1. leaves
2. leaf stalks

Tatsoi is an Asian leafy green that forms flat rosettes of spoon-shaped, dark green leaves. It has a mild, mustardy flavor and is rich in vitamins and minerals.

Tatsoi is direct-sown outdoors and grows quickly. It prefers sunny to partially shaded sites with humus-rich, loose soil. Even watering is important.

Leaves can be harvested 30–40 days after sowing. Either cut the whole rosette just above the ground or pick individual leaves from the outside.

Tatsoi is suitable raw in salads, steamed in stir-fries, in soups, and smoothies. Young leaves are especially tender.

Sunny to partial shade

Sheltered from strong wind

Partial shade in summer helps prevent early bolting.

Loose, humus-rich, slightly loamy

Well-drained, no waterlogging

Loosen to a fine tilth and incorporate compost before sowing.

Improve heavy soils with sand or compost.

Regularly, especially during dry spells

Water at soil level, not overhead

Keep moderately but evenly moist

1. Germination
2. Leaf development during dry spells

Avoid waterlogging at all costs.

Incorporate compost (2–3 L/m²) before sowing. No additional feeding required.

Not sensitive to mild over-fertilization

Avoid nitrogen-heavy fertilizers to keep leaves tender.

Tatsoi grows well in mixed culture with kohlrabi, lettuce, or radishes.

Do not grow tatsoi after other brassicas to avoid soil fatigue and the spread of clubroot and other soilborne diseases. Good preceding crops are legumes or potatoes.

1. Legumes
2. Potatoes
3. Onions
4. Carrots

1. Other brassicas
2. Rapeseed
3. Kohlrabi
4. Broccoli
5. Radishes

Remove brassica debris after harvest and let it decay well. Avoid green manures like mustard or oilseed radish as they are also cruciferous.

1. Slugstickstoffmangel

   Name

   Nitrogen Deficiency

   Symptoms

   Pale green to yellow leaves, especially older ones, weak growth.

   CauseZu geringer Stickstoffgehalt im Boden.

   Solution

   Incorporate compost or nitrogen-rich organic fertilizer (e.g., horn meal).

   Severitylow
2. Slugkaliummangel

   Name

   Potassium Deficiency

   Symptoms

   Brown leaf margins, wilting leaves, weak stalks.

   CauseZu wenig Kalium, oft auf sandigen Böden.

   Solution

   Apply wood ash or potassium fertilizer (e.g., potassium sulfate).

   Severitylow

1. Slugvorzeitiges-schossen

   Name

   Premature bolting

   CauseHitze, Trockenstress, zu große Temperaturschwankungen.

   Symptoms

   Plant sends up a flower stalk prematurely, leaves become bitter and tough.

   Prevention

   Sow at the right time, protect from heat (partial shade), water evenly. Choose bolt-resistant varieties.

   Severityhigh
2. Slugschneckenfrass

   Name

   Slug damage

   CauseFeuchte Witterung, dichte Bepflanzung.

   Symptoms

   Holes in leaves, slime trails, young plants may be completely eaten.

   Prevention

   Use slug collars or fences, water in the morning, avoid mulch, encourage natural predators (hedgehogs, ground beetles).

   Severitymedium

1. Flea beetles
2. Cabbage white butterflies
3. Aphids
4. Slugs

1. Clubroot
2. Downy mildew
3. White rust

1. Healthy soil and crop rotation
2. Choose resistant or tolerant varieties
3. Even watering and good air circulation
4. Regular crop monitoring
5. Floating row covers against flying pests

The most common issues are flea beetle infestation and premature bolting in heat. Leaf discoloration usually indicates nutrient deficiency or fungal disease.

1. Slugkohlhernie

   Severityhigh

   Conditions

   1. Acidic soil (pH < 6.5)
   2. Wet weather
   3. Short rotation with brassicas

   Affected parts

   1. Roots

   Prevention

   1. Lime to pH 6.5–7.0
   2. Crop rotation of at least 3 years
   3. Grow resistant varieties
   4. Remove cruciferous weeds

   Organic control

   1. Remove and dispose of infected plants
   2. Improve soil with lime and organic matter
   3. Nematodes (e.g., Heterorhabditis) against larvae?
2. Slugfalscher-mehltau

   Severitymedium

   Conditions

   1. Wet weather
   2. Dense planting
   3. Poor air circulation

   Affected parts

   1. Leaves

   Prevention

   1. Wide spacing
   2. Choose airy location
   3. Water at soil level
   4. Resistant varieties

   Organic control

   1. Remove infected leaves
   2. Apply potassium bicarbonate products
   3. Copper fungicides only as a last resort

1. Symptom

   Yellow spots on upper leaf surface, grayish mold on lower surface

   Possible causes

   1. Falscher Mehltau

   First checks

   1. Check leaf undersides for mold
   2. Check humidity and plant spacing
2. Symptom

   Holes in leaves, especially on young plants

   Possible causes

   1. Erdfloh
   2. Schnecken

   First checks

   1. Look for flea beetles (jumping beetles)
   2. Look for slime trails and slugs

Conduct regular crop inspections, check leaves weekly for feeding damage and discoloration. Act promptly at the first signs of disease or pests.

If clubroot is suspected, dig up plants and check roots for galls. For downy mildew, inspect the leaf undersides with a magnifying lens.

1. Germination
2. Rosette formation
3. Leaf development
4. Bolting
5. Flowering
6. Seed ripening

Tatsoi grows as a flat rosette. Heat or long days cause bolting, producing a flowering stalk. The flowers are yellow and typical of brassicas.

Brassica flower, yellow, four-petaled

May to July, earlier if bolting occurs

Flowering usually occurs in the second year after overwintering, or under heat stress in the first year.

Harvest individual leaves from the outside inward, or cut the whole rosette just above the soil with a knife.

Leaf harvest can begin 30–40 days after sowing. Picking only outer leaves allows the plant to continue growing, providing multiple harvests.

Every 1–2 weeks for leaf harvest

1. Leaves have reached 10–15 cm in size
2. Leaves are tender and crisp
3. Rosette is well-formed (for whole plant harvest)

Store or process harvested leaves immediately. Wash briefly in cold water and spin dry before storage.

In the refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag or wrapped in a damp cloth.

Tatsoi has a short shelf life. Best consumed fresh.

Short-term storage (refrigerator)

5 days in the refrigerator

1. Freezing (blanch first)
2. Drying (for powder)
3. Fermenting (kimchi)

1. Fresh consumption
2. Blanching and freezing
3. Drying
4. Fermenting

For freezing, blanch leaves briefly (1–2 minutes in boiling water, then ice water). Dried leaves can be used as a seasoning powder.

Asian, European

Leaves raw in salads, steamed in stir-fries, in soups, smoothies.

Mild, mustardy, slightly nutty, tender

Tatsoi is a versatile leafy green. Young leaves are excellent in salads. Older leaves are firmer and better cooked.

1. Leaves
2. Leaf stalks

1. Flower stalks (young flower buds can be eaten if harvested for seed)

Non-toxic. Like other brassicas, tatsoi contains mustard oils (glucosinolates) which may mildly irritate digestion in large quantities, but are harmless in normal consumption.

Yes, edible raw (salad)

Let plants overwinter (frost tolerant); they will bolt and flower in spring. Allow seed pods to dry and harvest when brown.

Tatsoi cross-pollinates with other Brassica rapa species (bok choy, mizuna, turnip). For pure seeds, an isolation distance of at least 500 m is required.

When the pods are brown and dry, just before they split open.

Dry seed stalks in a paper bag, then thresh and clean.

The seeds are small, round, and dark brown. They usually germinate very reliably.

Tatsoi is an annual leafy vegetable, not a woody plant. This object is retained for structural completeness but populated with empty or non-applicable values.

Tatsoi attracts pollinators such as bees and hoverflies when flowering, but offers limited habitat.

Tatsoi is suitable for beginners because direct sowing is easy and the plant grows quickly. Ensure even moisture and protect young plants from flea beetles.

Sow every 2–3 weeks for a continuous harvest. Heat stress can cause bolting; choose a partially shaded site to avoid this.

Sow from mid-March. Watch for frost.

Water regularly, protect from heat. Succession sow for fall.

Harvest rosettes. Light frost improves flavor.

No cultivation in winter. Clear beds.