Asian Leafy Vegetables: Hong Kong Choi Sim（香港菜心）

 

Hong Kong Choi Sim（香港菜心）is a well liked vegetable among the chinese families in Asia. It is best stir fried with chopped garlic, olive oil and top it off with oyster sauce. It is crunchy on the bite and it is believed that like other green vegetables contains lots of calcium which is essential for our body. 

It grows well in tropical weather with lots of sunshine. Hong Kong Choi Sim is ideal for farming novices first trying their hands on green vegetables. The success rate is pretty high and it is also less subsceptible to pests attack.

Materials you need

· At least a space of approximately 1m by 0.5m for about 40 to 50 seedlings at a garden plot, balcony area or roof top garden.

· This illustration is designed and documented using a green house garden lot as well as a balcony lot.

· Hong Kong Choi Sim is rather common and the seeds can be purchased from most places including Giant or Home-Fix. The key challanges are how well the seeds germinate, how fast the seedlings grow and the quality of the vegetables harvested. A good seed source gives at least 80% germination rate, the green takes maximum 6 weeks to reach full harvest (8 weeks for balcony plot) and the vegetables are green with thick stalls. Seeds from Farm 85 at Lim Chu Kang and Known-you yield the best results for me.

Step 1: Use a small gardening pot to seed the vegetable (about 20cm diameter pot for up to 60 seeds, I used 50 seeds). Leave the pot at a sunny spot ( ~ 28 to 32 degree). The seeds take about 4 to 8 days to germinate. Assuming a germination rate of 80%, you will have at least 40 seedlings with 50 seeds. It will take about 12 to 18 days to grow into seedlings, ready for transplant. Hong Kong Choi Sim generately germinates faster than most of the other green vegetables like Pak Choy and Kailan.

Fig. 1 Seedlings on day 7 (on top) and ready for transplant on day 18 (below)



Step 2: Water the planting plot with lots of water. You need about 10L of water to 1m x 0.5m space. Gently loosen the soil with a gardening spade and water with another 10L of water. Dig small holes about 10 to 15 cm apart. This ensures each seedling have sufficient space to grow.

Fig. 2 Dig holes ~10 to 15 cm apart on the planting plot

Transplant the seedlings from the pot in Fig.1 to the ready planting plot. You need to prepare the soil 1 to 2 weeks before the actual transplant. Refer to how to prepare the soil or plot in this blog.

Fig. 3 Seedlings layout immediately after transplant. To obtain best survival rate, ensure the soil is well watered (moist and wet).

Step 3: On a bi-weekly basis, fertilise the seedlings. Refer to how to prepare the liquid fertiliser here.

Step 4: This type of vegetable typically survives very well after transplant and it grows very fast compared to other green vegetables.

Fig. 4 On week 1 of transplant or week 3 after the seed(top). On week 2 of transplant (bottom)

Step 5: Continue to water and fertilise the vegetables. The vegetables will be ready for harvesting 3 to 4 weeks after transplant or maximum 6 weeks after seeding. The biggest plant within a batch can grow up to about 20 to 25cm diameter and 30 to 35cm height. Typical size will be about 15 to 20cm in diameter and 25 to 30cm in height for the garden/green house plot.

 

 

Fig.5. Hong Kong Choi Sim ready to be harvested 3.5 weeks after transplant or 5.5 weeks after seeded for the garden plot (above) and 8 weeks after seeded for the balcony plot (below)

 

Like all green vegetables, harvest the greens by pulling the whole plant out and cut off the roots. Spread out the vegetables on a piece of newspaper. Let them air for half a day in a cool place. Do not place it under the sun and do not wash them. You will know if the vegetables are ready for storing when the leaves soften and their size seem to have shrinked.

Prepare a plastic air tight container and place the vegetable loosely into the container. Do not press them. Cover them and place it in the refrigerator.

Remove the the vegetable at least 1 hour before cooking. Soak them in water and let them expand (typically takes at least 30 mins). Cut/slice and cook as per normal. 

Disclaimer:

Information are documented to the best of my ability and your result may varies.

Products and brands mentioned directly or indirectly in this blog reflects the experience of the author and does not represent the views of the individual merchants. There are many factors like seeds condition, weather, actual soil mixed, individual planting habits etc which may affect your results.