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Chinese leaf cabbage
rachelsmithdavies
Posts: 8
in Fruit & veg
Hi all, just wondered if anyone can tell me why my Chinese cabbage leaf has grown like this. this is my first year of veg planting !!! Thanks in adavance , Rachel
0
Posts
It's bolted Rachel.
Often the cause is lack of water and the plant thinks it's going to die so puts all its effort into producing seed before death.
Once they start to bolt, they usually begin to taste bitter
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
They're 'bolting' or putting up a flower spike and will then produce flowers. You should have harvested them before they got to this stage.
You can still use them, I used the smaller leaves and thinner stems at this stage chopped up in stir fries, but they might be a little more bitter than you would like.
I would sow another lot at the end of the month ..... oriental vegetables seem less prone to premature bolting once we're past midsummer's day and the daylength hours begin to lessen.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Snap! Pete
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thank you both. So my rocket, coriander and cabbage have bolted !!! Only good news is my spuds, carrots and tomatoes look fine ( touch wood). So the Thai and Chinese is off the menu but the stews will be fab !! ???
That's the attitude!
as Dove says - sow some more - a little bit late for cabbage maybe, but you could still re-sow coriander and rocket, and have Chinese and Thai through the winter
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Try Pak choi ... I find it does well from midsummer onwards and is quick to reach useable size
http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-pak-choi/
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
And now that your coriander has bolted let it produce seeds and harvest them when ripe to save for your curries.
The Calypso variety of coriander produces more leaf and is less prone to bolting, so if you've not used it already it's worth trying if you want coriander leaves for cooking.
Last edited: 09 June 2017 15:20:05
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks both. I did actually sow calypso and I think I saved the coriander before it got too bad. The rocket has def bolted so I will start some more. My other good news is my oregano seems to be ok!!! Maybe my lack of watering has helped for once ! Thanks both for you advice. I'm really enjoying it. Taking me everything not to pull up the odd carrot or spud and see how big they are!! ?