Pak Choi

Overview

Pak Choi                                                                                                                         Rotation group – Brassicas

Pak Choi is probably the best known and most popular member of the Oriental group of vegetables. It is hardy enough to grow into the winter if it is given some protection against the really bad weather. It can also add a splash of colour because it comes in red, green and white stemmed cultivars.

How to grow

Sow

Pak Choi is grown from seed that can either be sown in modules or directly into the soil. Seed sown in modules must be thinned down to one and planted out as soon as the roots touch the sides and appear at the bottom of the individual cells. It is important to avoid any check to the plants growth to prevent it from bolting at a later date. Seed sown in the open soil always stands a better chance of growing well. Sow the seed thinly along the 12.5 mm / ½ “deep drill or space sow it along the drill

Grow on

Water regularly at all stages to keep the plants in growth, thinning down to one plant per station. The space between the plants depends upon what size of plant you want to achieve. The minimum space is 10cms / 4 inches and the maximum 30cms / 12 inches.

Aftercare

Feed weekly with liquid seaweed and hoe between the plants and rows to control weeds.

How to Harvest

Harvesting

The plants grow very quickly producing leaves that are ready to cut in around 35 days from sowing the seed. The leaves can be selectively harvested when they are around the size of a dessert spoon or the plants allowed to grow on and the entire plants is cut when 30cms / 12 inches tall.

Issues

Pest and disease

Because the plants grow so quickly they don’t suffer from too many problems but because Pak Choi is a member of the brassica family club root will always be a consideration. Fit the cultivation of the plants into the rotation system.