Pak Choi is a brassica that comes in different coloured varieties such as green, white and purple. It grows quite quickly and the leaves can be eaten raw or cooked.
Pak Choi, also known as Bok Choy or Chinese Cabbage, is a popular ingredient of Asian cuisine and can be eaten in salads or as stir-fries. Although native to China, Pak Choi is fairly easy to grow in the UK. This is a low-maintenance crop and it is not just flavourful but also highly nutritious, as it’s a rich source of vitamins, fibre, calcium and antioxidants. While easily available in the UK supermarkets, nothing beats the flavour of freshly harvested produce.
If you want to learn how to grow Pak Choi in your kitchen garden, this guide is for you. We provide useful advice for both new and experienced growers, helping you find answers to common questions, such as when to plant and when to pick Pak Choi.
Pak Choi is easy to grow, with repeated harvests due to its cut-and-come-again nature. The young leaves are ready to harvest within 4 weeks of sowing and for the more mature leaves, you might need to wait 8-10 weeks. When selecting the seeds or plug plants, look for varieties that are bolt-resistant and have good heat tolerance. If you want to grow Pak Choi in a container, choosing a compact variety is best.
The popular variants of Pak Choi to grow in the UK include:
You can sow Pak Choi from April to July, depending on the variety. It can be easily sown indoors or outdoors and grown directly in the soil or in large containers. However, you must ensure the ground is warm and there is no risk of a late frost.
As a cool-season crop, we recommend growing Pak Choi in late Spring or early Summer, or in late Autumn/early winter. Very harsh weather can impact its growth. Those with access to a greenhouse can sow Pak Choi in late summer as well and, under protection, it can grow well into winter.
You will be able to harvest leaves between April and October, depending on the variety and sowing time. Once autumn arrives and the growth slows, cut the plant down to a stump and you might have more leaves re-grow.
The baby salad leaves are a cut-and-come-again variety and you can only pick a few leaves each time you need them and you’ll continue to get a fresh supply. To harvest mature Pak Choi (when the plant is about 12-18 inches tall), cut the stem directly at the base.
It is best eaten fresh and lightly cooking the leaves helps preserve the crunch and flavour.
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Are you looking for tips on growing cabbage, broccoli or celeriac? Head to our Grow Your Own page to find more plant-specific growing advice.