Pak Choi

How to sow

Sow 1 cm. Use peat-free coco. Keep the surface just moist.

Germination 3–7 days in the crop record.

Growing

1. Sowing — Day 0. Scatter seeds on moist compost. Cover lightly with 3mm. Pak choi prefers cool — avoid summer heat.
2. Germination — Days 3–7. Keep moist. Thin when crowded. No direct sun initially.
3. Baby leaf — Weeks 2–3. Can harvest as baby leaf from 5cm. Or leave to develop full rosette.
4. Rosette — Weeks 3–4. White stems and dark green leaves clearly differentiated. Ready to harvest.
5. Harvest — Week 4+. Cut-and-come-again for baby leaf, or harvest whole rosette at maturity.
6. Bolt — Weeks 6–8. Bolts fast in heat. Succession sow every 3 weeks. Flower shoots are edible.

Keep at or above 10°C where the crop record sets a floor.

Harvest

First cut around 4 weeks.

Cut-and-come-again for baby leaf, or harvest whole rosette at maturity.

Common mistakes

• Growing in summer heat — Pak choi bolts rapidly above 22°C — it's a cool-season crop. Grow in spring, autumn, or a cool room. Avoid south-facing windowsills in summer.
• Overcrowding — Dense sowing produces leggy, weak plants. Thin to 5cm spacing for baby leaf, 15cm for full heads.
• Overwatering — While pak choi likes moisture, waterlogged roots cause rot. Keep soil consistently moist but not sodden. Good drainage essential.

In the kitchen

• Stir-fry — Halve lengthways, sear in hot wok with garlic and ginger. 2 minutes maximum. Stems first, leaves last.
• Steamed with oyster sauce — Steam whole baby pak choi for 3 minutes. Drizzle with oyster sauce and sesame oil.
• Noodle soup — Drop halved pak choi into hot broth in the last minute. Wilt slightly — do not overcook.
• Baby leaf salad — Harvest at baby stage (5–8cm) and use raw in salads. Tender and mild.
• Grilled — Halve, brush with sesame oil, grill cut-side down until charred. Season with soy and chilli flakes.

Questions

Sources

1. Pak Choi Seed Pack
2. Coco Soil treatise
3. HubWīk contents
4. Grower knowledge + RHS Growing Guides