How to Grow Pak Choi - Chinese Cabbage

Brassica Rapa

When it come to Chinese cabbage, Pak Choi is top quality. Quick growing Pak Choi leaves have a crisp texture and sweet flavor. Native to Hong Kong and southern China, Pak Choi is closely related to Bok Choy, another Chinese cabbage.

Pak Choi is a cool weather crop, that is easy to grow. The plant is compact, with uniform growth. It produces a loose leaf bulbous plant, with white midribs .

Pak Choi is a "must have" ingredient in just about any Asian stir-fry recipe. It is also excellent in soups and salads.

Days to Maturity: 30-45

Other Names: Pak Choy

Plant Propagation:

Pak Choi is grown from seeds. Directly sow seeds into your garden, early in the spring. You can make successive plantings for spring and fall crops.

Sow Pak Choi seeds, and cover with no more than 1/4"of fine garden soil.

Seeds germinate in 7- 10 days.

How to Grow Pak Choi Plants:

Pak Choi plants thrive in cool weather. Spring and fall crops are best, leaving the summer months to the hot weather crops.

Succession planting, spring and fall, will produce continuous harvests during cool weather seasons.

Plants prefer full sun, and a rich, loose garden soil.

Fuel fast growth with an early application of fertilizer. Apply a liquid fertilizer mid way through the growing cycle.

Keep the soil moist, not wet.

Weed plants on a regular basis, especially when young.

Thin plants to avoid overcrowding. Thin plants to 12" - 18" apart. .

Plants will bolt quickly, going to seed in hot, weather, or if under stress.

Also See:

Soil Temperatures - Ideal germination temperature by vegetable

Ideal Soil pH - by vegetable

Insects and Pests:

Insects can be a problem when growing Pak Choi. Because this is a leaf crop, avoid using chemical insecticides. Use garlic sprays or organic repellents, only if problems arise.

Disease:

Pak Choi is susceptible to rotting during hot and humid weather.

To minimize plant disease, do not plant Bok Choy, in an area where other members of the cabbage family have been grown in the past two years.

Plant Problems - Diagnosis, causes and cures for many common plant problems.

Hardiness:

Members of the cabbage family, including Pak Choi, prefer cool, and even cold weather. They are among the last garden plants in the fall. Pak Choi plants can survive freezes, below thirty degrees.

Harvesting Bok Choy:

As a loose leaf cabbage, Pak Choi can be harvested as soon as the leaves reach a size large enough to use. Pick outer leaves, as needed. Or, harvest the entire plant at maturity.

Garden Tip: HArvest the center stalk. This will force growth to the outer leaves.

More Information:

How to Grow Bok Choy- it's closely related to Pak Choi

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