Pak Choi

[sdgtiger]

I have decided to grow Pak choi this year and am interested to know the experience others have in growing it. Is it difficult to grow? Best times to sow ,pull etc , basically any info will help.
Many thanks
Simon

[Rocketron]

Slugs love it more than we do.

[Jeanied]

I had a really good crop which I sowed in the summer - planted where I had lifted my first early spuds, which had not been manured- had enough to hand out to my fellow lottie mates and it looked just like the packet!

[Jardiniere]

i found it really easy to grow last year - i didnt have separate seeds - it came in a mixed leaf seed selection - possibly "saladini" - like most salad leaves - slugs do love it -this year i am growing it again - found it very useful - served along with the rocket and mustard which are hot - just put it in a row after frosts have finished and thinned out by eating the very young ones.

[binley100]

I'm sowing it for the first ime too. I've read that it can run to seed really easily and not to sow before summer.

[Garvey]

I sowed it during the Autumn to provide colour and food over the Winter. Even after facing the worse winter in 30 years the plant produced throughout the season. Its a real winner and so easy all you need is seed, soil, water and air - simple!

[ginger ninger]

I grow it every year, sow it any time from May to August in row's, use the thinning's for salad leaves, as long as you water it well, keep it weed free and keep an eye out for slugs/snails, you should be fine, I'm growing "Choko" this year.

[Bren In Pots]

I grew it last summer and it bolted so I set some in the greenhouse October-ish and have been picking a few leaves when ever we had a stir fry.

[gojiberry]

One other thing to remember is that it is related to cabbage so if you have clubroot on your plot you may not have much sucess.

Ian

[jacob marley]

As gojiberry says if you have club root forget it it gets walloped worse than cabbage..jacob

[Paulottie]

Rarely had any success myself...combination of bolting, slugs and pigeons...I keep trying though as it gives me something to compost.

Growing one called Ivory at the mo...best grown in cool season like spinach.

[Janek]

A lovely Asian green which is great for salads and stir fries is Tatsoi. It grows like mad and just needs water, see Tatsoi, Tatsoi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Tatsoi Salad With Sesame Dressing Recipe - Taste.com.au, Tatsoi and Tatsoi | Garden Guides

I have a semi-trailer load of my own saved seeds so if any of you want to grow it out drop me a line.

The other Asian mustard green I love is Osaka Purple. The mustard taste is only present when using the leaves fresh, such as in salads. You can cook it as much as you like (steamed, microwaved, boiled, stir-fried) without the mustard taste being overpowering.

[Pumpkin Becki]

Like Paulottie, my attempts at Pak Choi have been thwarted by bolting, slugs (and lack of attention in my case!). I have managed to grow little bits in mixed salad collections successfully though.

I think this year I may try growing them at home rather than the lottie (so I can do midnight slug-slaying sessions), and possibly try plastic bottle cloches over the plants to give them some protection. I really enjoy eating Pak Choi, so I'm prepared to persist!

[Paulottie]

Oh yes and I forgot to mention the blinkin little flea beetles....have to start in modules always.(and use my valuable stocks of contraband derris dust)

I'm right with you Becki...we shall overcome!

[cupcake]

Mine always bolt too!