Anyone grown kailan?

[cupcake]

I so fancy having a go at this. How big does it get? I'm thinking of growing it under a netting cage to keep the dreaded cabbage whites away. Thanks.

[gojiberry]

Doesn't look as if anyone else is growing it Cupcake. I have never heard of it before, what is it. I presume from your thread that it is a member of the cabbage family. Might be worth me giving it a go to see how it stands up to clubroot.

Ian

[King Carrot]

I'd never heard of it so did a search and found this from another forum.

Might be a good early or over winter crop in the polytunnel to avoid being caterpillar munchies and luckily I don't know what pollen beetles are

"Like most oriental green vegetables, Chinese broccoli is also known by another name, in this case Chinese kale. The advantage Chinese broccoli (or kale) has over the standard variety is that it can be harvested only 8-10 weeks from sowing, after which it can be used as a green vegetable, in salads, or in stir-fry.

Chinese broccoli/kale is not the same as other types of broccoli or kale, which are dealt with on separate pages.
Site and soil

Choose an open, unshaded site with fertile, well-drained and moisture retentive soil, which should be slightly acid (min pH 5.4, but see note on clubroot - add lime if necessary to adjust pH). Brassicas have a high nitrogen requirement and also need very firm soil. To ensure sufficient nutrient levels, it is best to topdress or apply a liquid feed such as seaweed fertiiser during growth.
Recommended cultivar
: Green Lance F1.

Because brassicas are prone to soil infections, for example, Clubroot, it's important to use a minimum 3 year rotation plan.

Sow direct 2.5cm (1") deep from late spring (end April) to early autumn (end August). Best crops are from July to August sowings. Can also be sown under cover for a winter harvest in mid October.

For young plants for harvest whole, sow in 10cm (4") rows and thin to 10-15cm (4-6") apart.
For harvest in the usual way for broccoli sow direct, 30cm each way (12"x12").

Harvest the immature crop as young plants when shoots start to appear, or cut spears as broccoli from mature plants. Full size spears are midway between sprouting broccoli and calabrese in size.

Pollen beetles are the most likely pest, though cabbage whites can be a problem in some years."

[Bramble_killer]

Yes, I did but mine didn't grow too well as I have flea beetles. But harvest the whole plant young as if you let it grow the stems (which are really tasty) get woody with age.

They are very tasty, I get them from chinese supermarkets all the time.

[oldie]

I did try it but I suspect that I sowed to early and the warm spell we had caused it to bolt. I shall try again but sow after midsummer with my other Chinese veg.