We have been harvesting some Asian veggies hon tsai tai this month. Hon tsai tai is also known as purple choy sum. Its like choi sum twin but the stems and leave veins are purple. Usually its difficult to differentiate the leaf of some brassicas at the stage of newly sprouted seeds as they look similar. However, as it is clearly can be seen that the stem of hon tsai tai newly sprouted seedlings are purple.
The first true leave sets of hon tsai tai.
Look ready to be transplanted.
Ready to be pick Hon Tsai Tai.
They are also enjoyed harvested when flowering.
Flower part is also edible.
Hon tsai tai flower resemble choy sum flower closely.
Have to be aware that this plant will cross-pollinate with other Asian veggies.
On cooler weather, the purple part of hon tsai tai will turn darker.
Time fly so fast!
I have not been updating my blog regularly this year.
Hope to catch up with you and see what you are posting in your blog soon.
Water dragon year is sure a busy year for me.
Top 3 main things for me this year:
(1) Complete my PhD before middle of this year.
(2) Rayyan has to undergo another surgery schedule in May.
(3) Hormonal changes and welcoming a water dragon child.
I am counting on the luck and blessing no. (3) to help with smooth (1) and (2) journey.
You will be really busy this year, that's for sure ! I wish you the best of everything and congratulations for the water dragon child. Courage for your PhD and for the surgery !!!
ReplyDeleteIt's got to be hard to do much blogging with so many things going on. Glad you could touch base, even for just a moment. The Kai lan you sent us is growing under lights and very healthy! We're with you this year in everything that's happening. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteSo it is really going to be an eventful year for you! I hope everything goes well in all your 'projects' and for Rayyan too.
ReplyDeletemaybe with cross pollination you can develop your own oriental leaves.
Your leaves look so fresh and green. The only oriental leaf veg. I have eaten is Bok Choy. Does Choy sum belong to the same family? I should look around here and see if I can find these seeds.
ReplyDeleteI think you have got your priorities absolutely right. Blogging is good fun, but you have other more important committments right now. I wish you good fortune with your plans, and I shall just enjoy any posts that you do find time to publish..
ReplyDeleteThat "Anonymous" comment came from me - Mark Willis - Blogger failed to recognise me!
ReplyDeleteI so love choy sum. I totally forgot to plant it this fall and was so sad not to have any. I've never had the purple kind though. It looks very pretty.
ReplyDeleteThe look good!
ReplyDeleteCongratulation! may you have a smooth pregnancy and delivery!
You have a lot going for you this year. Real world events should take priority over the virtual arena. I wish you the very best of luck in all your current ventures, brave mommy!
ReplyDeleteLook like you will have a busy year! Congrats on your water dragon child. Frankly, i have never eaten this purple choy sum before..
ReplyDeleteYou are one super woman! Remember to take good care of yourself as well. Have a great weekend :-D
ReplyDeletenot only good to eat but look so attractive and delicate. Well Diana, you'll be proud of me, usually i'm so into chucking seeds and see what happens: for the first time in my like I have bought SEED RAISING MIX.
ReplyDeleteTime flies fast and I have seen so many types of vege in your blog.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, you have been/will be busy! Hon Tsai Tai is a beautiful vegetable. I will be on the lookout for it now.
ReplyDeleteLovely greens (as usual) and congratulations on expecting and good luck with the other priority items for this year. You have a very full plate and yet still manage to grow a bounty of good things for your family. Well done!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your dragon child, this is happy news! Yes, hope everything will be smooth sailing for 1 and 2 for you!
ReplyDeleteOn another note, the celery seeds which you gave me, my seedlings died, but I gave some seeds to my sis, she succeeded in growing them and recently harvested some, due to our weather here, the celery is not that huge in size but huge in flavour! Thanks Diana, I still have some seeds left and will try again.
You may want to view the generation of celery from your Adelaide garden to "air tanahku" over here : http://onthegreensideoflife.blogspot.com/2012/01/growing-celery-in-containers.html
Have a nice day, and take care!
Best wishes for you and your children! Some years pass by quickly and when you look back, you're just happy they're over.
ReplyDeleteI would love to learn more about Asian greens and maybe even tackle growing some myself.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with completing your PhD. I also hope Rayyan's surgery goes well and he makes a quick recovery. Hopefully, all goes well with the arrival of your water dragon child.
Wow!I was very surprised to hear of your dear water dragon child. Congratulations!!I am terribly happy to hear the good news,too.
ReplyDeleteI knew your main 3.You must surely be busy this year,I think.Mommy's good health is so important for your family.
So,Remember to take good care of yourself,Take it easy.
Best wishes for your children and your family.
BTW,I feel like growing a purple choy sum this year.
oh, i hv to make sure i 'm reading it correctly..CONGRATS! when are you due?
ReplyDeleteI wish you luck!
ReplyDeleteAll the best for your thesis and congrats on the coming water dragon baby. Hope Rayyan recovers quickly, I am sure he is getting the best medical care.
ReplyDeleteDani~Thank you for the wish. Hope I can balance my time well.
ReplyDeleteJody~I am happy to hear that the kai lan are growing well for you. Hope you, Belle and the kids will enjoy it.
Sue~It will be fun to experiment cross pollination and see what happen. It will be more fun if the hybrid grow in purple and taste much better.
Sri Ranjani~Bok Choy and Choy sum belong to the same family. Both of them will cross pollinate easily. Good Luck hunting the seeds.
Mark~Yes blogging is fun and makes me not lonely and feel isolated;-).
Daphne~The purple choy sum is pretty and add a little bit colour in our winter season crop which most are greens.
Malar~Thanks Malar.I just hope the baby won't decide to see the world early than expected since my PhD completion is very close to the estimate time of delivery;-).
Autumn Belle~Have less time on virtual arena. But I still take some rest from writing reading blogs.
Sonia~Thanks. I wanted to know if this veggie is common in Malaysia. But seems not.
Stephanie~Thanks. You take care too. Hugs.
Catmint~Your grandsons must be loving and enjoying gardening very much then. Hope all of you have a new great adventure with edible this year!
Rainfield61~Time sure fly face. From you I have seen many faces of Ceruk Tekon.
ReplyDeleteLiz~I think I bought these seeds from Phoenix seeds.
KitsapFG~The garden is actually very unkept at the moment. But we were lucky with neglect and a little watering, the garden still provide us with something.
Joyce~ Your sister celery looks good. I am glad that it grow well for her. I never realised that "petite nyonya' was your sister.
Kate~I feel that time fly much faster when we have children now.
Jennifer~Asian green are much faster to harvest than cabbage or brassica. I still remember I owe you the larkspur seeds.
Kumittyi~Thank you for the kind wish. Hope you can grow some purple choy sum this year.
Lena~I am not really sure. I think I am about 14 weeks now. But I have not gone to any check up yet. If I count it by myself probably in August.
J.J~Thanks dear.
Sean L~He will get the best medical care here.
Wow, I had no idea! I knew you were working on the PhD. Hope rayyan's surgery will run perfectly smoothly.
ReplyDeleteI did not know about baby 3! When is the baby due or do you have a little one already??? Oh, I just read it. That's so exciting. I hope you're feeling well!
Wendy~ The baby probably due in August. I am close to 4 months but I have not been to check up yet.The yucky phase has lessen somewhat now.
ReplyDelete