My kailaan is alreay up and growing. I saw the first sprouts yesterday. I gave them a light BT spray as a precaution in case there are some small caterpillars around. These guys are really fast to sprout.

You may have done it just right by sowing it early. Gai Lang usually takes much longer to sprout when I sow in October. I might try to sow earlier this year.

I wonder if the young Gai Lang would bolt if weather is still too warm. Please keep us posted on the progress.

We're still pretty warm here in September but if it's on schedule (according to the literature) it should put out the first sprouts in mid October. By then the weather should be just right.

My red mustard is also breaking ground. If all goes well I should have a good Fall garden this year. Next stop tai jiji (flowering garlic chives)

I had a very poor Gai Lan season last winter, I think it's because I started late. Thank you for the reminder I'm starting earlier too. Did you direct sow? How many days did it take to germinate?
I ordered some Extra Dwarf Choy Sum from Evergreen, so it will be my next project.

I've been succession planting bok choy thru the last 3 weeks and will continue for a couple more weeks. Fun Jen should be in there too and, certainly, some Asian mustard.

One thing I've found is that flea beetle pressure is really low during the late summer and fall.

The bok choy and such don't usually have much trouble from cabbage worms. But, I wish the potato bugs would leave the eggplant the heck alone!!

Steve

I normally direct sow almost all of my Chinese greens. The kailaan and red mustard were both up in less than a week. I put a heavy side dressing about four inches away from the row with organic 5-3-3 to get them growing fast. That seems to be the ticket for sweet and tender Chinese greens. Keep them moving.