How to Grow Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)

Updated June 2026

A cool-season brassica for the home garden.

Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) is a rewarding cool-season crop for backyard growers.

🌱 Plant profile: Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), with sowing times for your region, companion plants and common pests.

When to plant

Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) is a cool-season crop. In the South and Southwest, plant in fall through winter when the heat eases. See your region on the gai lan (chinese broccoli) page for exact timing.

Varieties

• Green Lance, Tender stems and leaves (Kitazawa/True Leaf Market)

How to grow it

• Sun & soil: full sun, rich well-drained soil with even moisture.
• Spacing: about 10 in between plants.
• Sowing: barely cover the seed.
• Water: roughly 1.3 gal per plant every 2 days in hot weather.

Pests & problems

Watch for Imported cabbageworm and Aphids. In humid regions, Clubroot and Black rot can appear, so space for airflow and water at the roots in the morning.

Harvest

Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) is usually ready to harvest in roughly 8 weeks. Pick regularly to keep plants productive.

When to plant in your region

Pick your region to see exactly when to plant gai lan (chinese broccoli) where you garden.

See also: Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) in the plant library →

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