Choy Sum Plant : Complete Guide And Care Tips

The Choy Sum Plant: A Complete Guide and Care Tips for Your Garden

Gardening is a wonderful hobby that lets you connect with nature and create beautiful spaces.

And if you’re looking to add some variety to your garden, why not try growing choy sum? This Asian leafy vegetable is easy to grow, packed with nutrients, and adds a unique flavor to your meals.

In this article, we’ll give you a complete guide on the choy sum plant and offer some care tips to ensure it thrives in your garden.

What is Choy Sum?

Choy sum (Brassica rapa var parachinensis) is an Asian leafy vegetable that belongs to the same family as broccoli, cauliflower, and kale.

It’s commonly grown in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia.

The plant has light green leaves that are slightly glossy with white flowers at maturity.

Benefits of Growing Choy Sum

• Nutritional Value: Choy sum contains high amounts of vitamins C & K which help boost immunity & promote healthy bone growth respectively.
• Fast-growing: With the right care conditions such as ample sunlight & fertile soil , choy sum can mature within 60 days from planting .
• Cooking: The mild flavour profile of chou-sum goes well when stir-fried or sautéed either alone or combined with other greens such as bok-choy , mustard greens e.t.c
• Disease resistance: Unlike other members of its family Brassicaceae such as broccoli which are prone to diseases like Black Rot ,chou-sum has no known common disease making it an ideal choice for beginners

How to Grow Choy Sum

Choy sum is a cool-season crop and is best grown in temperatures ranging from 50-70°F.

Here are some tips to help you grow choy sum:

Starting Seeds Indoors

1. Start seeds indoors in early spring or late winter, six weeks before the last frost date.
2. Sow seeds ¼ inch deep, spacing them an inch apart.
3. Water regularly and keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.
4. The seedlings should appear within two weeks.

   Thin them out so that they’re three inches apart after growing their first true leaves.

Growing Choy Sum Outdoors

1. Select a sunny or partially shaded area with well-draining soil that has been enriched with compost or manure.
2. Sow the seeds in rows one inch deep and three inches apart, watering regularly until germination occurs (7-10 days).
3. Maintain a consistent watering schedule throughout its growth period of eight weeks by providing approximately one inch of water per week .

Caring for Your Choy Sum Plants

Fertilizing: Apply fertilizer once every two weeks when the plant starts to grow vigorously using organic fertilizers instead of synthetic ones.

Pest management:If necessary apply natural pest repellents like Neem Oil spray which discourages pests such as aphids from attacking your plants.

Alternately you can use row covers over your crops for additional protection

Weed control:Weeds compete with chou-sum for nutrients and moisture , regular hoeing between rows at the early growth stage and mulching will help minimize weeds.

Harvesting Choy Sum

The best time to harvest choy sum is when it’s still young, tender, and crisp.

The leaves should be about six inches tall, and the plant should have a firm stem.

You can pick individual leaves or cut the whole stem.

Harvesting at ground level gives new shoots time to emerge in a few weeks for another harvest.

Conclusion

Growing choy sum is an excellent way to add some variety to your garden while enjoying its nutritional benefits.

By following our guide on how to grow and care for your plants, you’ll soon have a bountiful supply of choy sum that can be enjoyed in salads or cooked dishes like stir-fries.

So why not give it a try? Your taste buds will thank you!