asian greens – Welcome to my backyard city homestead

01/10/202601/20/2026

the glory of Cabbage

As a gardener I swore off growing cabbage over three decades before now. I had tried every organic way I read or hear about to control the infamous cabbage worms – with no success. Finding creepy worms in the cabbage we wanted to make into sauerkraut took the joy out of an entire season of growing. I’ll admit I’m squeamish, I don’t like worms – even the good kind. I don’t like bugs other than lady bugs and bees (and those only from a distance). I can’t handle slugs and snails. The list goes on. So why do I garden? Yeah, that’s sometimes a mystery even to me.

But we loved cabbage, and I kept thinking I was missing something critical. I continued searching for solutions and trying every organic trick I heard of – full of promises but never delivering. Finally one day, I gave up. I had given it my best shot, but decided it couldn’t be done without chemicals I had chosen not to use in our garden. “No more cruciferous vegetables in our garden!” It was a liberating feeling, free from disappointment, and I stuck to my guns for years. Until now … …

Thirty years later, my new friend Kim Ross convinced me to try again – using her hoop and netting system – organically. No bugs, no cabbage worms, no chemicals, . . . . hmmm. I thought I’d heard it all, but I hadn’t tried THIS. I had trusted her in the past – she steered me right in the No-Til approach to gardening. If I was ever going to believe anyone about cabbage – it was going to be her, because she had repeated success with it.

left: view from outside the netting,
right side: view from the inside – images from Kim Ross’s garden

In 2025, I started cabbage plants by seed in March, and ordered some netting from her. Dan and I set out the plants and immediately covered them with the netting. The sun and rain came through the netting as promised, not a single fly or moth could find an opening. The cabbage grew big and beautiful. I was SOLD! I even had a couple broccoli plants in there. Equally beautiful. 100% pest free.

A whole new world opened up to me.

About five years before, I had made an exception to my rule for kale. I kept them separated, in different quadrants of the garden, prepared to dispose of any that became infested with some nameless pest. I didn’t care what the bug was – the plant would go into the garbage can in the alley the very minute I discovered the problem. My thinking was that by doing that, I’d protect any other kale plant from suffering the same fate. It worked for me the trial year, so I did it again. Kale are now a standard in my garden. I grow a few interspersed throughout the vegetable and flower gardens, always ready to sacrifice one or two as needed.

Okay I confess, I was weakening – soon, I also allowed some Asian greens to join my party: Tatsoi and Bokchoi. And we were getting along just fine, but I drew the line at cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. Those ugly worm memories were too strong to get rid of.

I had observed other gardeners use various ‘hacks’, including covering cabbages, and I watched with interest as the seasons progressed, but too often the end was disappointing, and I felt vindicated. Until Kim Ross bragged about her specific netting that is. I finally caved. Thankfully. And now I am the proud ‘grower of cabbage’.

This is good news for me, because cruciferous vegetables are low in calories and rich in vitamins and fiber. They’re delicious and nutritious. Cabbage is known for its dense heads that come in green, red or white, (I’ve only ever grown green), and is used fresh in salads and cooked dishes like cabbage rolls. In our house its often the base of stir fried vegetables as well as vegetable soup. And it is what makes sauerkraut – SAUERKRAUT. I simply wouldn’t want to do without cabbage.

Cabbage is a cold weather vegetable – so it can be planted earlier than most others. In our area, you can usually plant them mid April – getting a full month jump on most other vegetables. I’m not going to tell you about its usual enemies – because its a subject I care nothing about. I will forever more plant my cabbages in rows under the protective netting Kim Ross advocates, and because of that, I expect to never again meet cabbage moths, flies or caterpillars in any of my cruciferous plants. I am content to be the ridiculous, finicky, easily disgusted, “city person” that you can make fun of behind my back. In my mind that’s far more preferable to worms.

Planting and Soil

WHAT
Try different types of cabbage seeds till you find your favourite. I don’t have a favourite yet. I liked what I grew last year, but I’m still gonna try others since I’m such a novice.

WHERE
Selecting the best spot: Cabbage prefers well-drained, loamy soil, rich in compost or aged manure. And it need SUN. Full sun implies a minimum of 6-8 hours daily. You can’t fake the sun so this is very important. Choose a nice sunny spot. I am told that in southern climes you can plant cabbages in more shady areas to protect them from hot unyielding sun (remember they’re a cold weather crop), but I don’t live in a southern climate and where I live, full unfiltered sun is still important for cabbages to grow.

WHEN
Start seeds indoors in late winter (February or March), for spring planting outdoors, or simply buy your plants from a garden center. No judging here.
As soon as the days start warming up enough that the ground has thawed and dried enough to work in, set your plants out.

Don’t hesitate to plant a few different varieties of cabbage – paying attention to the length of time each is expected to take. This could help you harvest consecutively for several weeks. Some will have a suggested growing at 80 days. Some more, some less.

HOW
I practise no-til gardening with a very deep layer of straw as mulch. Deep as in 6-8 inches of straw or more. Because mine is an urban garden, space is always an issue so we mow our straw to break it up a little. There are mixed reviews on this practise, some prefer to leave the long stalks, personally I find them more manageable in my smaller garden if we’ve lightly chopped them up with the lawn mower. My entire row is covered with straw – LOTS of it. In my paths I have a deep layer of wood chips, also for mulch but this mulch takes longer to break down than the straw, perfect for the pathways.

The straw and wood chip mulches (not mixed) allow the rain to go through, while reducing evaporation. This makes best use of our water.
It also prevents the sun from getting through to the ground which eliminates many of the weed seeds from being able to sprout and thrive.
The straw also begins decomposing where it touches the soil, and over the course of the season – that composting of the bottom layer will add to the richness of the soil.

Mark your row and decide exactly where you want each plant. (If you’ve got more seedlings than you can use, give some away.) Space out your stakes for the hoops, in even spaces from each other. Hammer them into the ground to keep them solid.

Allow plenty of room for all the outer cabbage leaves that accompany the actual cabbage – a minimum of 12 inches on either side of the cabbage itself, more depending on the type you’re growing. Pay attention to the recommended space written on the seed package. These outer leaves take up a lotta room but they’re important. They’re busy all season gathering sun, rain and nutrients for your plants.

netted row of cruciferous vegetables in our community garden 2025
2nd picture is my friend Sandi hold up three magnificent from her community garden plot. No bugs,

to PLANT
Gently move the straw over and add plenty of nice, rich compost to the row. Set the small cabbage plants into the prepared ground and water well. Gently firm all the soil around the plant with your hands, and give them a nice thirst quenching drink of water.

Cabbages are heavy feeders, so make sure you add a generous amount of compost to the area reaching out at least a foot around the sealing.

When all done planting, tuck the straw around the plants, being careful NOT to allow the straw to touch them – you want air and a little space between the plant and the straw. Once the plants get strong and happy in their new neighbourhood, you can tuck the straw in closer.

Putting the netting on
Attach the rubber hose / hoops to one stake and then pull the hose to the stake directly across from it. Once all stakes with hoops are attached, take your netting and gently pull it across all stakes, going down your entire row. Be sure to leave enough fabric to fasten down both ends, as well as fasten down the sides to give it a nice snug fit – like putting a bottom sheet on your bed.

That’s it. It really is that easy. You’re good to go.

WATER
The straw mulch will restrict the need of LOTS of water being required all season long. Water generously in the beginning few weeks to help get roots established. Then water as needed throughout the rest of the season.

*Hint: whether water or rain, it will go through the netting just fine and will go through the straw mulch. As the season goes on, reduce the amount of watering you’re giving each plant. Once the cabbage head starts to form, too much moisture may cause the head to split. This doesn’t affect the taste or nutrition but it can look quite unsightly, and will affect the long term shelf life, as well as preventing you from using this particular cabbage from being cabbage rolls.

The big outer leaves gather the rain from which the plant drinks. In most cases, the rain will be sufficient IF you have a deep enough protective straw layer around your vegetables. You should rarely have to water your garden if using enough straw.

I hope you’ll give cabbage an honest try in your garden if you haven’t already, or haven’t for a long time. Prepare to be pleased.

*hint: if you EVER hear of Kim Ross speaking in your part of the world – attend. You’ll thank yourself many times over for having done so.

Warmly,

Cindy

05/03/202505/07/2025

Garden Vegetable Seasonal Highlight: Tatsoi and Radish Greens

It’s the beginning of May as I write this, and there are SO MANY vegetables that are ready to be planted right NOW! Its gorgeous outside with no frost in the foreseeable forecast but don’t be fooled. It could turn on a dime, and make you regret that you trusted the weather. Wait until toward the end of May for warm weather vegetables like tomatoes, beans, cucumbers and squash. But there is no reason you cannot be planting cool weather vegetables like carrots, beets, rutabagas, and potatoes, and some hardy green vegetables like Swiss chard, various lettuces and Asian greens. Here are some favourite standbys of mine: Tatsoi, Radish Greens, Chives, Garlic Chives, Sorrel and Welsh Onion.

TATSOI

Being open-minded can reveal a whole new world of vegetables that thrive in our climate. Don’t overlook TATSOI just because it’s unfamiliar—it has so much to offer. Sometimes, the best discoveries come when we simply open our eyes and minds.

I first stumbled upon TATSOI by chance. It was part of a seed donation at a SEED event hosted by our local community garden. From the moment I grew it, I was hooked, and I knew that it would have a permanent place in my garden.

Tatsoi with sample ways of preparing it.

That first year, I started the seeds indoors. But I soon realized they didn’t need that big of a a head start. The following year, I direct-seeded them in the garden. TATSOI germinates quickly, grows fast, and isn’t fussy about growing conditions either — it’s just eager to grow and eager to please you. What’s not to love about that?

Many Asian greens are well-suited to cool climates like the Edmonton area in Alberta, which falls into Zone 3 and higher. It’s no surprise they’re growing in popularity. “Asian greens” refers to a variety of leafy vegetables commonly used in Asian cuisines—such as bok choy, Chinese broccoli, napa cabbage, pea shoots, and TATSOI. These versatile greens can be stir-fried, steamed, added to soups, or tossed into salads. They bring bold flavour to the table and deliver a powerful punch of nutrition.

Until now, I’ve grown my TATSOI in a sunny part of the garden, but this year I’m experimenting with a spot that gets less sun. I’m optimistic and expecting good results, so stay tuned! I’ll post an update later in the season once I see how things go.

How to Grow Tatsoi

Tatsoi is a cold-hardy, fast-growing Asian green that’s easy to grow and well-suited to a wide range of gardens, especially in cool climates.

🌱 When to Plant in Zone 3

Early spring – as early as the soil can be worked – mid April is perfect timing

🌞 Light Requirements

Full sun to part shade. It grows best in full sun but tolerates some shade. If you get hot summers, a less sunny spot may prevent it from bolting.

🪴 Soil

Prefers moist, well draining soil rich in organic matter (compost).

🌾 Sowing Seeds

Direct sow seeds 1/4 inch deep and spaced about 1 inch apart.
Thin to 6 inches apart for full heads by harvesting baby greens earlier.
You can also grow TATSOI in containers or raised beds.

💧 Watering

Keep soil evenly moist, especially during germination and early growth.
Mulching with straw will help keep moisture in the soil between waterings.

🍃 Growth and Harvest

You can expect germination in 5-10 days, depending on soil temperature.
Ready to harvest in 20-45 days, depending on whether you’re picking baby leaves or full rosettes.
Harvest outer leaves as needed, or cut the whole plant at the base.

❄️ Cold Tolerance

Light frost won’t harm them, and may even sweeten the flavour.
Very cold-hardy—can survive light frost and even snow. Now THAT’S what I like to hear.

RADISH GREENS

I don’t like radishes. There—I said it. I’ve tried many times, but they’ve never won me over. That said, we’re not enemies. Radishes are welcome at my table—as long as someone else invited them to the party. What I do like, however, are young radish greens. They’re tender, flavourful, and a great addition to the garden. That’s reason enough for me to plant radishes. It’s a bit of a trade-off, you can’t have your radishes and your radish greens too. Once the roots mature, the greens are tough and prickly. So, you have to decide: do you want the root or the greens? For me its no contest. I’m in it for the greens. They’re quick to germinate and easy to grow. You can pull them out when you’re ready for them, or try snipping them off at the ground for another lighter batch to follow. Throw them into a salad or put them into a fresh pesto.¹

Radish leaves when eaten when their small and tender are delicious put into a sandwich, into a salad, or made into a pesto.

* Fun fact: Radishes and Chives are native to China and other parts of Asia.

How to Grow Radishes

Radishes are among the easiest and fastest vegetables to grow—perfect for beginners and rewarding for seasoned gardeners alike. If you like the spicey flavour of radishes, then go for it, but even if you don’t, you might like the milder tender greens from the young plant. Grow some for their roots if you like, and some for their greens.

🌱 When to Plant

Early spring and later summer.
For continuous harvests, succession sow every 2 weeks.
Avoid the hot midsummer – they bolt and turn woody in heat.

🌞 Light Requirements

Full sun (6+ hours a day is best)
They tolerate partial sun to light shade.

🪴 Soil

Loose, well drained soil with good fertility.

🌾 Sowing Seeds

Direct sow outdoors, they do not transplant well.
Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep spaced 1 inch apart.
Thin seedlings to 2 inches apart to allow for root growth. EAT the greens you thin out.

💧 Watering

Keep soil consistently moist but not soggy.
Uneven watering can cause roots to split or grow tough.

⏱️ Growth and Harvest

Fast growers! Young leaves can be ready in 2-3 weeks.
Roots will be ready in 3-4 weeks.

❄️ Cold Tolerance

Radishes can tolerate light frost. Not suited for the heat of mid summer.

Chives, Garlic Chives, Welsh Onion and Sorrel

clockwise from top right: Garlic Chives with identifiable flat leaves, Welsh onion with large hollow leave, Sorrel with big bright lemony leaves, Chives with tender green delicately onion flavoured leaves.

* Every garden should have a chive plant—and, in my opinion, it should also have garlic chives, a Welsh onion, and a sorrel plant. These are the kind of hardy, perennial favourites that quietly earn their keep year after year.² And while we’re on the subject, I firmly believe every garden needs at least one rhubarb plant… but that’s a sermon for another post.

If you’re fairly new to growing Asian greens, don’t overlook trusty favorites like chives, kale, sorrel, and even radish greens. While they may not all be traditionally associated with “Asian” cooking, they work beautifully in the same types of dishes. They’re also easy to grow, cold-hardy, and incredibly productive.

I hope you’ll give TATSOI and Radish Greens, a full chance to impress you. And also these other wonderful perineal greens. I’d love to hear your experiences. In the meantime, Happy Growing!
Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle
May 2, 2025

Footnotes:

recipe for Radish Green Pesto https://backyardcityhomestead.com/2020/06/19/common-herbs-and-spices-in-your-house-and-yard-part-5-mullein-to-plantain/ ↩︎
Chives, Garlic Chives, Welsh Onion and Sorrel are all perennial vegetables – meaning they’ll come back every year if planted in the ground. They are easy to grow, easy to use, and very dependable. You can start harvesting in April.
* Chives and Garlic Chives are good companions in the garden. Chives have fine round hollow green leaves, used like a mild green onion. Garlic Chives have flat leaves and is every bit as valuable as the normal chives, having a slightly more ‘garlic’ flavour. Easy to grow, and will get bigger every year. Easy to cut a piece of the plant with roots off for sharing. They both flower and the flowers have thousands of seeds in them, anxious to become a plant. Best not to allow the flowers to go to seed.
Can be used in cooking, or to top sandwiches, salads or just about anything else that lends itself to a mild onion flavour.
* A Welsh onion is very hardy, one of the first to come up in the spring, and growing bigger every year. Also known as Japanese bunching onions or spring onions, they are non bulbing onions that produce clumps of hollow green leaves that are stronger in taste than chives or garlic chives.
Growing: They prefer full sun to part shade, well-drained soil, and regular watering.
Division: Welsh onions divide at the base, creating clumps that can be divided and replanted to increase production.
Flowering: They produce white, globe-shaped flowers in late spring, which can be cut off to encourage more leaf and bulb production.
Don’t trust the name. “Welsh onion” originated in northern China or Siberia, definitely not Wales.
* Sorrel is often called “Lemon Sorrel” because of the gentle lemony flavour in its leaves, and is highly prized in European and Asian cooking. To grow, choose a sunny location with well drained soil but ample moisture. choose.
Once you’ve got these plants established in your garden, you can benefit from them all season long, snipping as you need them.
The best thing is that you likely have friends who have them. Just ask if you can have a portion of their plant, and replant into your own permanent garden area. Perennials are always looking for a friend. ↩︎

Welcome to our Home. No matter what your reasons are for visiting, we're so happy to have you. If you think you'd like to live a homesteading life, I'm here to tell you - you can DO IT. Anywhere! You might have to fine tune a few things to suit your circumstances of course. But that's part of being you! If you're not much interested in living it, kinda want to be an armchair homesteader - hey that's fine too. If you're somewhere in between, just wanna take a look and maybe use a few ideas, then great! No matter where you are in your journey, its simply a series of steps. You just gotta keep one foot in front of the other. Lets take this journey together.

In the beginning, pre-internet days, when I wanted to learn a new skill, I did it the old fashioned way. I asked. Problem was, it was kinda hard sometimes to find people who knew how to do what I wanted to learn. Sometimes I had to figure it out on my own using trial and error. That always took a long time, and was sometimes painful. Sure would have been simpler if I could have just ‘seen it done’, and what it was supposed to look like. You know, like some live youtube video or something. Wouldn’t that have blown or minds way back in the day? Wow. It’s so much easier to learn how to do things now. You can bet that whenever I found someone willing to share, I took advantage of their offer. And if there were classes offered in my area, I took them.
We read a lot and experimented a lot, and made a lotta mistakes, and learned a lot, and we’re still learning. We sure don’t regard ourselves as experts at anything we do. Just like you – we’re still trying to do the best we know how. In some areas, we just might be a little further along the road in is all.

I have a motto that I live by. It is a quote from Maya Angelou and it is stenciled in big black letters in my kitchen. “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, DO better.” So simple. So straightforward. And so absolutely profound. Just DO better. Don’t beat yourself up over what you didn’t know before. Don’t live in a life of regrets. You did the best you knew how, but now you know better, and you can move forward. I love the principle taught in the quote.

My purpose with this blog site, is to make your journey a little easier than mine was by offering some short cuts, some hands on instruction, and maybe even some suggestions. Everyone who wants to, can achieve a new level of self sufficiency, and everything I teach can be (and should be) tailored to your own home and situation. There is no complete right way, and no complete wrong way. Just all sorts of ideas that might work for you and are worth trying out.

Whether you live in an apartment, a townhouse with a small yard, a home with a big yard, or a farm on the prairie – you can make it better than it is, and become more self sufficient in it. Here, we will touch on a little of this and that – from the kitchen to the laundry room to the garden out back, to the feelings that are intertwined with this kind of lifestyle, and probably several places in between. Kinda where the wind blows us I guess. We’ll see. This is a new experience for me too. Looking forward to it.

I’d love if you’d take the time to comment when you read a post. Let me know what you think about the thoughts shared therein, let me know your own personal tips and hints for doing better. We can learn from eacy other.

– Cindy