asian garden seeds Hon Tsai Tai Purple Yu Choy Sum Seeds - For 2026 Planting Hong Caitai

asian garden seeds Hon Tsai Tai Purple Yu Choy Sum Seeds - For 2026 Planting Hong CaitaiHon Tsai Tai Purple Yu Choy Sum is an easy to grow leafy vegetable with shiny purple stalks, broad dark green leaves, and little yellow flowers. Purple Yu Choy Sum is prized in China for its lucky color, aroma, taste, and nutritional value, commonly prepared during Chinese New Year and served in high end restaurants and hotels. It has been praised as a "jade vegetable eaten in the golden palace," having been presented as a gift to the imperial family

Hon Tsai Tai Purple Yu Choy Sum is an easy-to-grow leafy vegetable with shiny purple stalks, broad dark-green leaves, and little yellow flowers. Purple Yu Choy Sum is prized in China for its lucky color, aroma, taste, and nutritional value, commonly prepared during Chinese New Year and served in high-end restaurants and hotels. It has been praised as a "jade vegetable eaten in the golden palace," having been presented as a gift to the imperial family since the Eastern Han Dynasty. Hon Tsai Tai can grow up to 15 stalks per 7" - 14" plant and has excellent cold-tolerance, making it ideal for late Summer or Fall planting! Yu Choy Sum is a favorite in southern Chinese cuisine because of its tender stalks and flowers, delicate leaves, and crunchy sweet taste. It is full of phytonutrients and vitamin C making it a healthy addition to any meal.
 
Also Known As: Cai Tai, Caitai, Green Cai-Tai, Green Yu Choy Sam, Green Cabbage Moss, October Moss, Autumn Moss, Hubei Moss, Wuhan Moss, Seaweed Moss, Chinese Cabbage Choi, Cantonese Yu Choy Sum, Kosaitai, Chinese Flowering Cabbage, Flowering Bok Choy, Cai Xin, Sawi Bunga, Chinese Mustard Greens, You Cai.

Plant Name:	Yu Choy, Hon Tsai Tai Purple
Latin Name:	Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis var. purpuraria
Days to Germinate:	6-10
Days to Harvest:	50
Plant Height:	8 - 16 Inches
Spread:	8 - 16 Inches
Growth Habit:	Bush
USDA Zones:	2-11
Lifespan:	Annual
Brand:	TomorrowSeeds
Sunlight:	Full Sun, Partial Shade
Pollination:	Heirloom, Open-Pollinated
GMO:	No
Fungicide-Treated Seeds*:	No
Seeds Packed For**:	2026

*Fungicide-treated seeds protect the seedlings from diseases until they are up and growing. Do not eat treated seeds.
**Seeds are freshly packed for the growing season of the year listed. Seeds are still viable beyond pack date. Store in a cool and dry location such as the refrigerator or basement to best preserve germination rates.

Planting Instructions:

Soil Preparation:

Choose an area with heavy, well-draining soil that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight each day. Remove weeds, large rocks, and litter from the planting area. Leave small weeds and dead grass, they will enrich the soil when turned under. Spade or till the soil 8-12 inches deep. Loosening the soil will help the plant establish strong roots.

Plants grow best in soil with lots of organic matter. You may optionally add fertilizer or organic material such as compost, leaves, or rotted hay to mix into the soil at this point. For small gardens, scatter 2-3 tablespoons of fertilizer evenly and work into the top 2-3 inches of soil for each hill or 2 foot by 2 foot planting area. For larger gardens, scatter 2-3 pounds of a complete fertilizer for each 100 square feet of planting area. Work fertilizer or organic material into the soil and leave the surface smooth.

Form rows of soil beds 4-6 inches high and at least 2 feet apart. This formation of ridges will help with drainage.

Planting:

Planting Yu Choy in cooler weather helps prevent bolting, which can occur in hot temperatures or too cold temperatures (Yu Choy is best grown in 55F-75F temperatures).

Starting Indoors: For an earlier harvest, you may optionally start planting indoors in containers 4-6 weeks before the last expected frost date in Spring. Harden off then transplant seedlings outdoors in a sunny location when the soil temperature is above 50F. To transplant seedlings, prepare a transplant hole outdoors in a sunny location. Remove the plants carefully from the pots or flats and set them in the holes, burying roots in the ground. Pack the soil loosely around the plant and leave a slightly sunken area around each plant to hold water. Water the plants after transplanting.

Directly Sowing: If directly sowing outdoors, plant in spring when the soil warms to at least 50F. For fall crops, direct sow seeds outdoors 10-14 weeks before the first frost. To plant, make holes 1/4 inch deep and spaced 8-12 inches apart down the rows of raised beds. Plant 2-3 seeds per hole. If choosing to thin to the strongest plant, determine the strongest and healthiest plant, then remove all other plants, narrowing to a single plant per hole. Cover seeds thinly with soil and water after planting.

Planting Depth:	1/4 inch
Within-Row Spacing:	8-12 inches
Between-Row Spacing:	2 feet

Care During the Season:

Watering: Water the plants deeply, soaking the soil to a depth of 6-8 inches, once a week. If there is no rainfall, water 2 times a week. Sandy soils may need to be watered more often than heavy clay soils.

Weeding: Keeping plants weed-free improves production. If plowing or hoeing, do not dig deeper than 1 inch to prevent from cutting the feeder roots.

Fertilizing: Once seedlings are established, 3-4 weeks after planting, you may optionally apply a light dressing of fertilizer, without letting the fertilizer touch the plants. Water plants after fertilizing.

Insecticides: Insecticides may be used to protect plants. Bt-based insecticides and sulfur are organic options that can be used for prevention. Sulfur also has fungicidal properties and helps in controlling many diseases. Before using a pesticide, read the label and follow cautions, warnings and directions.

Diseases: If spots or mold appear, treat plants with an approved fungicide. Neem oil, sulfur, and other fungicides may be used. When using fungicides always follow label directions.

Harvesting:

 Yu Choy Sum can be harvested when plants are young and tender, typically 30-45 days after planting, before they begin to flower. For the best flavor and texture, harvest before the flowers fully open, as mature plants become fibrous and bitter. Harvest the leaves, flower buds, and stems are together by using sharp scissors or a knife to cut the entire plant at the base for a full harvest or snip individual stems about 4-6 inches from the top for a continuous harvest. If harvesting selectively, leaving the lower leaves intact allows the plant to continue growing and producing more tender shoots. Harvest regularly for continuous growth. Two-to-three harvests are possible for each season of growth.