Chinese Broccoli

A leafy brassica with thick, tender stems and small florets, prized in Cantonese cuisine served simply with oyster sauce. Chinese broccoli grows quickly and can be succession planted every few weeks for a continuous supply. The entire plant is edible including leaves, stems, and flower buds, with the stems being the most prized part. Harvest when flower buds are just beginning to show but before they open for the most tender and sweet stalks.

Direct sow seeds outdoors 1/4 inch deep as soon as soil can be worked in spring. For an earlier start, sow indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost in cell trays. Seeds germinate in 4-7 days at 60-75°F. Thin seedlings to 6-8 inches apart. Chinese broccoli does not transplant as well as other brassicas, so direct sowing is preferred. For continuous harvest, succession sow every 2-3 weeks through spring and again in late summer for fall crops.

The Season Plate

Your Chinese Broccoli Year

Composed for Zone 7 · typical seasons · frost passes Apr 2, returns Nov 1

Sow Chinese Broccoli Mar – Apr, Aug – Sep, pick May – Jun, Oct – Nov. Set your climate below and every date on this plate re-times itself.

Sowing window

Mar – Apr, Aug – Sep

re-timed to your frost dates

Plant out

after Apr 2

once frost risk has passed

First picking

around May 9

≈ 55 days from sowing · 200-400g per plant

Composed for —ColdTemperateMildWarmUse my locationUsed once to set your season · only the zone is kept

Week-by-week Chinese Broccoli reminders watering, feeding and pruning, timed to your dates

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Frost alerts for your garden a warning before a cold night costs you the crop

In the app

Succession sowing dates so the picking never gaps mid-season

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Get my Chinese Broccoli datesSaved to your free garden plan · no card needed

Direct sow Chinese broccoli seeds 1/4 inch deep in prepared beds, spacing seeds 2-3 inches apart in rows 12-18 inches apart. Seeds germinate in 4-7 days at 60-75°F. Thin seedlings to 6-8 inches apart when they reach 2 inches tall. Succession plant every 2-3 weeks from early spring through fall for a continuous harvest.

Chinese broccoli prefers cool weather and grows best in temperatures between 50-70°F. In hot climates, grow as a fall or winter crop. Provide consistent moisture and mulch to keep roots cool. Side-dress with a balanced fertilizer every 3-4 weeks to support rapid growth. The plants bolt quickly in heat, so choose bolt-resistant varieties for warm-season planting.

Harvest the main stem when flower buds appear but before they open, cutting 6-8 inches of stem. Side shoots will develop for subsequent harvests over several weeks. Chinese broccoli is an excellent cut-and-come-again crop that rewards regular harvesting with continued production.

Plant alongside onions, garlic, and celery, which help deter cabbage pests with their strong aromas. Aromatic herbs like dill and sage attract beneficial predatory insects. Lettuce and spinach make good interplanting companions as they mature before the broccoli needs full space. Avoid planting near tomatoes, peppers, and strawberries. Nasturtiums serve as effective trap crops for aphids when planted nearby.

The Society Table

Onion belongs beside it. Tomato doesn't.

Old growers' knowledge, checked against Chinese Broccoli's real companion table below — test any plant you're growing.

Grows well in the company of · 3

OnionGarlicCelery

Keep apart · 2

TomatoStrawberry

Plant Chinese Broccoli with good neighboursThe planner flags conflicts before they're in the ground

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View growing guide

Chinese broccoli grows best in fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0. Work in generous amounts of compost before planting, as the rapid growth rate demands rich soil. Apply a balanced fertilizer at planting and side-dress every 3 weeks with nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Ensure adequate calcium to prevent hollow stems. Boron deficiency causes brown, corky stems, so consider adding borax to deficient soils. Maintain consistent moisture for tender, sweet stems.

Ideal Temperature

Hardiness Zone Compatibility

Harvest Chinese broccoli when stems are thick and flower buds are visible but still tightly closed, typically 50-60 days after sowing. Cut the main stem 6-8 inches from the base at an angle. Side shoots will develop over the next 2-4 weeks for subsequent harvests. The ideal stem diameter is about the width of a pencil. Harvest in the morning when stems are most crisp and hydrated. If flowers have opened, the stems become tougher but are still edible.

Storage & Preservation

Store unwashed Chinese broccoli in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. For best quality, stand stems upright in a glass of water covered with a plastic bag. To freeze, blanch stems for 2 minutes, cool in ice water, drain, and freeze in airtight bags for up to 8 months. Chinese broccoli can also be pickled in a rice vinegar brine for a tangy condiment that keeps for several weeks refrigerated.

Flea Beetles

Pest

Small round holes (shot-holes) in leaves, especially on young seedlings. Heavy infestations can kill seedlings.

Prevention Use floating row covers immediately after planting, delay planting until weather warms, interplant with trap crops.

Fix: Apply diatomaceous earth around plants, use neem oil spray, introduce beneficial nematodes to soil.

Downy Mildew

Disease

Yellow patches on upper leaf surfaces with grayish-purple fuzzy growth underneath. Leaves eventually brown and die.

Prevention Ensure good air circulation, avoid overhead watering, space plants adequately, use resistant varieties.

Fix: Remove affected leaves, apply copper-based fungicide, improve drainage and air flow around plants.

Diamondback Moth

Pest

Small holes in leaves, tiny green caterpillars that wriggle vigorously when disturbed, windowpane damage on leaves.

Prevention Use pheromone traps, rotate crops, encourage parasitic wasps, use row covers.

Fix: Apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray, hand-pick larvae, use spinosad-based organic insecticide.

Alternaria Leaf Spot

Disease

Dark brown to black circular spots with concentric rings on leaves. Spots may merge and cause leaf drop.

Prevention Use disease-free seed, practice crop rotation, remove plant debris, avoid overhead irrigation.

Fix: Remove infected leaves, apply copper fungicide, ensure good air circulation between plants.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Bolting is the primary challenge, especially in warm weather above 75°F. Choose bolt-resistant varieties and plant during cool seasons. Hollow stems indicate boron deficiency or irregular watering. Tough, fibrous stems result from harvesting too late or growing in excessive heat. Yellowing lower leaves suggest nitrogen deficiency. Bitter flavor develops when plants are water-stressed or grown in hot conditions.

Growing Tips

1. Succession planting is the single most important technique for Chinese broccoli. Sow a new batch every 2-3 weeks from early spring through mid-spring, then again from late summer through early fall, to maintain a continuous supply rather than a single glut.
2. Direct sowing is preferred over transplanting. Chinese broccoli has a shallow, sensitive root system that resents disturbance, and transplant shock can trigger premature bolting. If you must start indoors, use biodegradable pots to minimize root disruption.
3. Harvest timing is critical — check plants daily once you see the first hint of flower buds forming. The ideal harvest window is only 2-3 days between perfect and overblown. If you see open yellow or white flowers, you have waited too long for peak quality.
4. Cut the main stem at an angle about 10 cm above soil level rather than pulling the entire plant. This angled cut prevents water from pooling and rotting the stem, and the remaining plant will produce 2-4 side shoots for subsequent harvests.
5. Cool weather is non-negotiable for quality. In warm climates, grow Chinese broccoli exclusively as a fall, winter, or very early spring crop. Heat above 24°C (75°F) causes rapid bolting, thin stems, and bitter flavor.
6. Consistent moisture produces the thickest, most tender stems. Irregular watering leads to tough, fibrous stalks. Apply 5-8 cm of organic mulch and water deeply 2-3 times per week rather than lightly every day.
7. Interplant with lettuce, radishes, or spinach between rows. These fast-maturing crops are harvested before the Chinese broccoli needs the full space, maximizing garden productivity from the same bed.
8. If flea beetles are a persistent problem, cover beds with lightweight floating row covers immediately after sowing. Chinese broccoli does not need insect pollination for the harvest we eat (stems and buds), so covers can remain on until harvest.