Growing Pak Choy, also Pak choi

Brassica campestris var. pekinensis : Brassicaceae / the mustard or cabbage family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    P P P              

(Best months for growing Pak Choy in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 70°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 12 - 16 inches apart
  • Harvest in 6-11 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Dwarf (bush) beans, beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, chamomile, coriander), lettuce, potatoes
  • Avoid growing close to: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chili, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard

Your comments and tips

04 Jun 10, Chris@Gardenate (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi Prasadi, it means that you have let them grow a bit too long, and they might be a bit tough or strong flavoured. Usually you would pick pak choy before any flowers open. You can still try eating it - it might be ok.
22 Oct 09, rob smith (Australia - temperate climate)
i have planted pak choy from a punnett two weeks ago and they growing very well however they have yellow flowers on them . is this natural or have i done something wrong?
19 Aug 09, garden_mon (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi all! I am growing some pak/bok choy in my little organic vegie patch and just as they are getting to a decent size yellow spots are appearing on the leaves... I think they might be borers? Does anyone have any suggestions as to what it could be? Or any tips to fight off/distract these little nasties (organically)???
14 Aug 09, cliff (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi all, I experimented growing pak choy with hydroponics using 100mm plastic down pipes with caps on the ends, and holes cut with a hole saw to take 12 foam cups which were filled with perlite, I cut slots in the side of the foam cups with a gass powered hot knife placed all this on tressels. Had great success, I just picked stems as I needed them, later I used square or oblong down pipe as you just lay them on the tressel no need to tie down, and the round pipe I hung on the fence with rope, worked a treat.
04 May 09, Merl (Australia - temperate climate)
In Tatura (central Victoria) planted pak choy as seedlings from Bunnings not the best soil water every few days Thrive liquid fert. every 2 weeks shadecloth cover over when temp over 40. Don,t pick the whole plant anymore just cut off the leaves needed that day (treat it like silverbeet). Planted these before Xmas and just starting to slow down now,no sign of flowers.
14 Mar 09, Jeff (Australia - temperate climate)
I have bought them from a website: newgipps.com.au. There is a 'minimum order', so you would need to order other seeds at the same time, which was what I did. I have also found them under the Mr. Fothergill's brand in the "seeds" section in my local Bunnings or Kmart garden section. also in response to PEEN on Pak Choy, there are various documents on the net, Just do a Google search, eg, 'how to grow pak choy'.
03 Mar 09, Shanti (Australia - temperate climate)
Does anybody know where I can get Choy Sum seeds in Melbourne?
05 Feb 09, PEEN (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
anybody have documents that dedails about pak chio?
16 Dec 08, Mary (Australia - temperate climate)
I have been growing Pak Choy/Choy Sum in Sydney, Australia for the last 25 years as I am Chinese in origin. The short fat variety Pak Choy is easier to grow. The long green stem Choy Sum is terribly hard to grow. Don't try in summer months unless you protect them under shadecloth. Need to water them at least twice a day or else you will get flowers within days. Use plenty of mulch and organic fertilzer. They grow very rapidly - 30 days before you pick. So you really need to feed them well. If you can get seeds that are 80 days variety (slow growing) you have a better chance.
22 Aug 21, Zamilah (Australia - temperate climate)
I'm in Sydney and just bought a punnet of pak choi, for the first time. Where should I plant them, in shade or full sun?
Showing 81 - 90 of 92 comments

Hi Prasadi, it means that you have let them grow a bit too long, and they might be a bit tough or strong flavoured. Usually you would pick pak choy before any flowers open. You can still try eating it - it might be ok.

- Chris@Gardenate

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