August 2022: Early Jade Chinese Broccoli

Blog by the Garden Center Team

This month's seed kit features Early Jade Chinese Broccoli! To support our environment, some seed kit materials are now available digitally.

Planting Instructions

• Culture: Good in containers or garden area. Plant outdoors in late summer or early fall. Select a sunny area with moderately rich soil. Place seeds about 1/2" deep with a spacing of about 3 seeds every 8"-10" in rows 18 inches apart. When seedlings are 2" tall, thin to 1 plant every 8"-10" inches.
• Water: Keep soil moist, but not saturated, until seedlings emerge (10-20 days). Thereafter, provide even moisture on a regular basis to prevent complete drying of the soil. Provide additional moisture on days of extreme heat.
• Harvest: Chinese broccoli reaches maturity in 40 - 60 days. Harvest central stalk after flower buds form but before they open. The plant will continue to produce side stalks and leaves. Harvest as needed but before buds bloom.
• Culinary Tips: Blanche then stir-fry stalks, leaves, and buds with garlic, a little sugar, and some rice wine, or boil and dress with oyster sauce.

More About Chinese Broccoli

Also known as Chinese kale, or Gai Lan. This is a popular Chinese green vegetable grown for its stalks and leaves. This open pollinated variety has deep green color and good flavor.

Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

• Serves: 4
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 3-5 minutes

Main Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Chinese broccoli, trimmed
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 8 c. water

Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. oyster sauce or mushroom sauce
• 1/2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 tsp. ginger, minced
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. rice wine or mirin

Instructions:

1. Wash the Chinese broccoli. Cut off the ends of the stems (about 1/2"). Cut or peel the outer layer of the bottom stems.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and vegetable oil. Add the Chinese broccoli and bring to a second boil, cook for 1 – 2 minutes after second boil.
3. Remove from water and submerge Chinese broccoli into bowl fill with ice and water to stop cooking. Drain and transfer to plate.
4. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add vegetable oil, garlic and ginger. Continuously stir for about 2 minutes until golden brown. Lower the heat and add oyster sauce, or mushroom sauce, soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, water and stir until sugar dissolves.
5. Drizzle sauce over Chinese broccoli.

Craft: Tool Cleaning Bucket

Storing lettuce in a damp crisper bag in the refrigerator helps maintain the right amount of moisture and air flow to keep lettuce fresh longer and reduce food waste.

You'll Need:

• Metal of plastic bucket
• Sand, grittier sand works best
• Mineral oil or another general-purpose lubricating oil
• Paint of markers to decorate

Instructions:

1. Decorate your bucket however you want before starting.
2. Fill the bucket with sand up to the 3/4 full mark.
3. Pour in the mineral oil. The size of the bucket determines how much oil to put in; generally, 20-30 oz of oil to 50 lbs. of sand. You can adjust as needed.
4. Mix the oil, looking for a moist, but not dripping, consistency. Add more oil if needed.
5. Add your tools to the bucket. You'll want to leave the handles outside the sand. The abrasive sand and the oil keeps tools sharp, well-lubricated, and rust free.