Easy Tips on How to Grow Chinese Broccoli from Seed

If you’re looking for a nutrient-rich, cool-season vegetable that’s as delicious as it is easy to grow, look no further than Chinese broccoli, also known as gai lan or kai lan. This leafy vegetable, a member of the Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra crop group, has been cultivated since ancient times and remains a favorite in Chinese cuisine for its thick stems, dark green leaves, and mild, slightly bitter taste that pairs beautifully with sesame oil or oyster sauce. It’s different from its European counterpart which we know simply as broccoli here in the West. Instead of having florets, it has long, leafy greens that it produces.

Whether you’re a gardening beginner or a seasoned green thumb, this blog post will walk you through how to grow Chinese broccoli from seed for best results and continuous harvests.

This post is all about how to grow Chinese broccoli.

Table of Contents

What is Chinese Broccoli?

Chinese broccoli (gai lan or Chinese kale) is a cool-season annual vegetable with glossy blue-green leaves, thick stems, and clusters of small white or yellow flowers. It belong to the Brassica family, which includes broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. However, it is a different variation within the Brassica family. Chinese broccoli is sort of like broccoli but also sort of like bok choy. It thrives in cooler temperatures and is a heavy feeder, making it essential to plant it in rich soil with added organic matter for healthy plant development.

Its nutritional value is impressive— it’s loaded with calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C, it supports eye health and overall well-being. In comparison to broccoli, Chinese broccoli has a bitter taste to it and the flavor is more intense. It’s a good vegetable to add into your diet because of its bitterness.

Bitters as they’re commonly referred as, are great for digestive health, help in fight sugar cravings, boost the immune system, and even help with our stress levels. If you’ve been following the latest science about digestive health, the gut and its microbiome are now being extensively studied. Our gut is where a majority of the serotonin is produced within the body. According to Cleveland Clinic, about 90% of the serotonin in our bodies is produced in the intestines, while only 10% is produced in our brain. So it makes absolute sense why having a healthy diet, which includes bitters, has a profound effect on our mental wellbeing.

Other examples of bitter vegetables are:

Arugula
Broccoli rabe
Collard greens
Dandelion greens
Mustard greens

Vegetables aren’t the only type of food that is considered bitter. There are also all kinds of roots and flowers that are used in all kinds of concoctions.

How to Grow Chinese Broccoli

When to Plant Chinese Broccoli

To get the best flavor, sow Chinese broccoli seeds in late summer for a fall crop or even the fall in warmer climates like zones 9 and 10. In cooler climates, sow seed in late spring. It’s a cool-season vegetable, but it’s well-suited to USDA hardiness zones 2 through 10. Since it’s native to Asian countries and in spite of being a cool weather crop, it thrives in subtropical, tropical, and warm climates. It loves moderate to high humidity environments. This isn’t usually the case for many cool weather crops.

Before planting, always check your climate zone and aim to sow seeds a few weeks before the last frost date in your area.

Chinese broccoli is a fast and easy growing plant that takes as little as 4 to 7 weeks from the time you plant it to harvest time. This is a huge deal considering the weight time of other vegetables and in comparison to regular broccoli.

Where and How to Plant

Choose the Right Spot

Pick a sunny location that gets full sun (6–8 hours of sunlight per day) for faster growth and optimal yield. Chinese broccoli can be, however, planted in some shade. It tolerates some shade, particularly in hotter climates. Consider grabbing some shade clothes if you’re in a hotter gardening zone to give it some reprieve from the heat of the sun. You can also consider planting it amongst companion plants that may provide it shade at some point during the day.

Opt for raised beds, well-drained soil, and areas with good airflow will help prevent fungal diseases like downy mildew or club root.

A good idea is to plant Chinese broccoli in a vegetable garden that previously hosted non-cabbage family crops to practice crop rotation—this reduces risk of soil-borne diseases.

Prepare the Soil

Every spring and fall, I prepare my soil. The soil needs to be replenished after growing food through the growing season. In the spring, I like to put down Black Kow and mulch. I’ll also sometimes grow cover crops. In the fall, I shred up as much of the leaves in my yard as possibly and put them over the soil. It’s super important to make sure the soil is always cover because whatever you cover it with protects it. I may also plant cover crops during the fall too.

Chinese broccoli prefers rich, well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Amend with compost or organic fertilizer, and add aged organic matter to improve soil types and soil moisture retention. Avoid high nitrogen fertilizer, which may encourage leaf overgrowth at the expense of flower stalks and young leaves. This type of vegetable also prefers growing in loamy or silty soil.

Starting from Seed

For a head start, se seed trays or some sort of planter indoors under grow lights if starting early. You can also directly sow vegetable seeds into garden beds or containers using high-quality soil when the soil temperatures outdoors is high enough. Chinese broccoli seeds germinate best when the soil surface temperature is around 60–75°F. Space seeds about 6 inches apart and thin seedlings once they reach a few inches tall to ensure enough room for growth.

If you’re looking for seeds, try sites like True Leaf Market, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, or Botanical Interests. They offer excellent seed assortments and seed mixes including asian seeds, organic seeds, and easy seeds perfect for beginners.

Watering and Care

Water deeply and regularly—especially during dry spells—to maintain consistent soil moisture, but avoid overwatering which can invite fungal disease. Early morning is the best time to water plants, allowing foliage to dry during the day and preventing issues like early blight and downy mildew.

Applying row covers can shield young plants from pests like cabbage aphids, flea beetles, and cabbage loopers. If infestation strikes, use bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) or insecticidal soap, both effective and organic pest management options. Any time you’re using something to manage insects in the garden, be cognizant that anything sprayed may affect pollinators as well. To make sure they aren’t affect, try not to get any of what you use on the flowers or near the flowers.

You may want to be aware of the following diseases that can affect Chinese broccoli:

Clubroot – a fungal disease that causes the root to grow abnormally and develop a clubbed, gnarly shape.
Downy mildew – another fungal disease that affects many different types of vegetables and fruits. It’s particularly important to keep it under control because it can spread everywhere! This is a powdery, white substance that develops on the leaves.
Alternaria Leaf Spot – a third fungal disease which causes the leaves to develop little dark spots that then become bigger. Eventually the leaves start to yellow and fall off.
White Leafspot – a fungal disease that causes pale brown and white spots and cause a papery texture to the leaves.
Bacterial Soft Rots – a bacterial disease that causes the leaves and roots to rot on the plant.
Turnip Mosaic Virus – this virus is spread by aphids and causes the plant to have stunted growth, distorted leaves, and black spots.
Black Rot – a bacterial disease that causes the plant to turn black and rot.

Harvesting Chinese Broccoli

As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, Chinese broccoli is a really fast grower so expect to get a quick harvest. Harvesting can start when the plant reaches about 8–12 inches tall, usually within 30–60 days. Look for tender young leaves, thick stems, and unopened flower buds for the best flavor. Don’t wait for yellow or white flowers to open—this signals the plant is bolting, and the leaves may become bitter. Instead wait till they have developed, and then harvest them.

Use a clean, sharp knife to cut just above the main stem, leaving part of the plant to regenerate for continuous harvests.

Troubleshooting Tips

Blossom-end rot and late blight are rare but possible in extreme conditions.
Avoid overhead watering to reduce fungal spores spreading.
Use crop rotation yearly to avoid recurring soil-borne diseases.
Don’t crowd plants—plenty of space encourages good airflow and reduces mildew risk.

Growing Chinese Broccoli in Containers

Limited on space? No worries! Gai lan grows well in containers with good drainage, making it a smart choice for small space gardeners or those looking to enhance outdoor decor with green vegetables.

Final Thoughts

Growing gai lan is a good idea for anyone who enjoys chinese cuisine, wants to expand their cool-season vegetables, or is just getting started with vegetable seeds. With the right growing supplies, nutritional solutions, and care, you’ll enjoy a bountiful harvest of this flavorful, nutritious, and easy-to-grow leafy vegetable.

So grab your asian seeds from a reputable site, check your weather conditions, and get ready to taste life—one kai lan stir-fry at a time!

This post was all about how to grow Chinese broccoli.