Growing pak choi in your own garden: We present suitable varieties and give tips and tricks from sowing, care and fertilization to harvesting.
Pak Choi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) looks a lot in common with Swiss chard (Beta vulgarissubsp. vulgaris), but belongs to the cabbage family (Brassicaceae). Like Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis), pak choi also comes from East Asia. This has given it the names "Chinese chard" or "Chinese mustard" in English. The largest growing areas in the world are also in Asia. In Europe, this he althy variety of cabbage is grown all year round in Dutch greenhouses on a larger scale. In the summer you can occasionally find this unusual vegetable plant outdoors in the fields of vegetable farmers. Differences between the different varieties can be seen above all in size, shape and colour. Check out our article on bok choy strains for an overview of the best varieties to grow at home. As the cabbage grows, the leaves gradually form a circular rosette. With most cabbages, the woody stalks and coarse foliage are discarded before cooking or used as rabbit food. The tender, juicy Pak Choi, on the other hand, is almost completely edible.
Pak Choi Cultivation: Planting and Site Conditions
The Pak Choi also thrives very well in our latitudes, it grows quickly and is ready to harvest after six to eight weeks. A distinction is made between direct sowing and planting young plants. In the following you will learn everything about the site conditions and the planting of pak choi.
The ideal location for pak choi
Just like Chinese cabbage, pak choi prefers sandy, loamy soil that is loose and easy to root through and stores moisture well. The Pak Choi needs a lot of water and a mild climate to grow well. Clubroot is a major problem with this Asian vegetable, so bok choy should never be grown directly after other cabbages. A varied crop rotation with many different types of vegetables is the best protection against diseases.
Pak Choi-Sowing and planting
From the beginning to the middle of July, Pak Choi is sown directly in the bed or in the window box. The round seeds are placed half a centimeter deep in the ground. Incidentally, our Plantura organic tomato & vegetable soil is ideal for Pak Choi, as its balanced nutrient content provides the Asian delicacies with good nutrition in the early stages. The compost content also stores moisture for the thirsty plants in the hot summer months. It should always be kept moist until germination. After about three weeks, separate the seedlings about 25 centimeters apart to give them enough space to grow.
Young plants that have been brought forward can also be planted in the ground until the end of July. For this, it must be sown as early as the end of April. The young plants should be grown either on the warm window sill or in a sheltered place in the greenhouse. A distance of 25 x 25 centimeters should be observed when planting the Pak Choi. It is a good idea to add some compost when planting and to mulch the pak choi. It is important that sufficient moisture is always available. Regular watering makes sense in midsummer.
Plant Pak Choi Summary:
In midsummer, it's time to sow or plant pak choi. We have summarized everything important for you.
- From early to mid-July sow direct into the ground, up to 1 centimeter deep.
- After three weeks, separate the seedlings 25 centimeters apart.
- Alternatively, plant young plants that have been sown at the end of April at a distance of 25 x 25 centimeters by the end of July.
Types of pak choi suitable for growing in the garden
The Mini Pak Choi varieties, for example 'Extra Dwarf' or the green-stemmed varieties 'Mei Qing Choi' and 'Hong Tae', which can be harvested very quickly, are particularly suitable for cultivation in the garden or in the balcony box and produce easily processable quantities. Those who like to harvest larger Pak Choi can use the bolt-resistant varieties such as 'Joi Choi F1' or 'Tai Sai'. Bolt-proof means that the plant does not form flowers and instead produces many leaves. With fluctuating temperatures and weather, the Pak Choi likes to start flowering and you hardly harvest juicy stems and leaves. Therefore, the bolt-resistant varieties are particularly worthwhile in the home garden. A special eye-catcher is the red-leaved Pak Choi 'Arax' with green stems.You can find more Pak Choi varieties in our special article.
Harvest pak choi
Pak Choi can basically be harvested at any size, depending on the variety the plants reach a weight of 500 to 1500 grams. The Pak Choi rewards the waiting with its fast growth. Mini Pak Choi is harvested around 50 to 60 days after sowing, the larger varieties around 70 days after sowing. A Pak Choi seeded in July can therefore be harvested at its maximum size in mid to late September. You can harvest the entire plant at once or cut off the leaves you need from the outside in, depending on your needs.
Our tip: Freshly harvested whole pak choi can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days when moist. If the plant is harvested complete with the root system, the Pak Choi can be stored in the cellar for a few weeks.
Asian cuisine is trendy and extremely he althy because it traditionally uses a lot of vegetables. You can find out which Asian delicacies thrive in our latitudes in the article "Asian vegetables: These 8 species also grow here".