How to Grow Pak choi

Pak choi is a fast-growing oriental brassica that can be used as baby leaves in salads or as a larger rosette for cooking – lightly steam, sauté or stir-fry so the stems retain their succulent crunch.

Pak choi (or bok choy) is a member of the cabbage family – mature plants form tight upright rosettes

Rosettes are the circular arrangement of flower petals; or a cluster of leaves radiating from approximately the same point usually around a stem. Examples include aeonium and most succulent plants, African violets, primula, sempervivums. with broad white or pale green stems and large lush leaves, either green or dark purple, depending on the variety. Pak choi is quick and easy to grow as a cut-and-come-again salad in as little as four weeks, for repeated harvests of baby leaves. Purple varieties are particularly attractive. Growing semi-mature or full-sized heads takes eight to ten weeks, but plants do have a tendency to bolt (flower prematurely) in summer. Early and late sowings can help to avoid this.

Seeds germinate readily and grow quickly, so it’s worth sowing small batches regularly for continuous harvests. Pak choi likes cool, damp conditions, so grows best in spring and late summer/autumn, rather than in hot, dry midsummer conditions. Other oriental brassicas that are grown in a similar way, and make ideal neighbours on the veg plot, include Chinese cabbage, Chinese broccoli, choy sum, komatsuna, mizuna and mibuna.

There are several varieties of pak choi available as seeds, with either bright white or pale green stems and dark green, lime-green or rich purple leaves. Some varieties are better harvested as baby salad leaves, others as full-sized rosettes

Rosettes are the circular arrangement of flower petals; or a cluster of leaves radiating from approximately the same point usually around a stem. Examples include aeonium and most succulent plants, African violets, primula, sempervivums. , but most are dual purpose. Some make larger plants, others are more compact and ideal for small spaces and containers.

Choose bolt-resistant varieties for growing full-sized plants, especially in summer. For reliable cropping, look for varieties with an RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), which shows they performed well in our trials – see our list of AGM fruit and veg (135kB pdf) and our Recommended Varieties below. For more veg-growing inspiration, visit the RHS gardens, which all grow a wide range of vegetables and salads, including oriental greens and other brassicas.

What and where to buy 

Pak choi seeds are readily available from many gardening retailers. You can buy single varieties or mixed packets of several colourful types. Pak choi is also often included in seed mixes of oriental greens or salad leaves, for harvesting when young.

Plug plants

Seedlings or young plants grown singly in small modules, with the advantage that they can be transplanted with minimal root disturbance. Bedding plants and young veg plants are often sold as plug plants of various sizes, with smaller ones requiring more aftercare. They usually need to be potted up and grown on indoors until large enough to plant outside. may be available in spring and early summer from garden centres and online retailers, making them a convenient option if you don’t have the time or space to grow your own from seed. The choice of varieties may be quite limited though.

Recommended Varieties

'Summer Breeze' AGM

Bolt-resistant and heat tolerant, so suitable for summer cropping as young heads. Also great as salad leaves.

Read more

'Choko F1' AGM

An F1 hybrid with mild-flavoured leaves and crisp stems. Tolerates warmer weather, so good for summer growing.

Read more

'Glacier' AGM

An F1 hybrid, bred in Britain to cope with British weather. Resistant to bolting in hot weather, and cold tolerant.

Read more

'Ivory'

Crisp, tasty white stems and dark green, fleshy leaves. Use baby leaves in salads and mature heads in stir-fries.

Read more

'Red Choi' AGM

Eye-catching purple-red leaves with green undersides and bright green stems. Decorative as well as tasty.

Read more

Showing 3 out of 5 recommended

Show more

Pak choi likes fertile soil that doesn’t dry out, so dig in two bucketfuls of garden compost or well-rotted manure per square metre/yard, to help retain moisture. Weed the site thoroughly, then rake the soil surface to a fine texture, removing any large stones. Alternatively, if you're practising no-dig, mulch

Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. the soil ahead of sowing or planting directly into the mulch.

Pak choi is easy to sow indoors or outside, in the ground and in large containers. Seeds germinate in about a week and the seedlings

A seedling is a young plant grown from seed. should grow quickly. Sow small batches of seeds every few weeks for continuous harvests.

Pak choi is a cool-season crop, growing best in mild, damp weather in spring/early summer and late summer/autumn. Overly hot or cold temperatures and dry conditions can trigger premature flowering (bolting), especially when growing plants to full size. Use cloches or biodegradable fleece to protect seedlings in spring if temperatures drop. When growing for young salad leaves or in cooler locations, seeds can be sown in summer too.

Sowing indoors

You can sow pak choi indoors from spring onwards. You can also sow in late summer for cropping in a greenhouse through autumn. Ideally use a modular tray to avoid root disturbance when transplanting. Fill the modules

Small individual cells, usually in a tray, used for sowing seeds. The resulting seedlings can be transplanted with minimal root disturbance. with moist, peat-free seed compost

Seed compost is a free-draining compost formulated for germinating seed. It often contains a mix of fine materials including sterilised loam, coir, coarse sand or grit. It contains low levels of nutrients, as high levels could damage seedlings. . Sow one or two seeds per module, then thin out to the strongest seedling if necessary.

Young pak choi plants can be moved outside once temperatures have warmed up, from late spring onwards – see Planting, below. They can also be planted in a greenhouse in early autumn to provide autumn salad leaves.

Sowing outdoors

Sow outdoors from late spring onwards, once there is no risk of frost. Choose a warm, sheltered, sunny position for early and late sowings, or a cool, lightly shaded location if growing summer crops.

Sow pak choi seeds thinly, 2cm (¾in) deep, in rows at least 30cm (1ft) apart. Protect seedlings

A seedling is a young plant grown from seed. from slugs and snails, especially in damp weather, and protect early and late sowings from cold temperatures with cloches or biodegradable fleece. For more sowing tips, see our guides below.

Thinning out seedlings

To prevent overcrowding and keep plants growing strongly, gradually thin out the seedlings, using the thinnings in salads. The final spacings depend on what stage you’re going to harvest them: 8–10cm (3–4in) apart for baby leaves, 20cm (8in) apart for semi-mature plants, and 25–30cm (10–12in) apart for mature plants.

Sowing in containers

Pak choi grows well in containers and growing bags for harvesting as baby leaves. Pots should be at least 30cm (1ft) wide, as smaller containers dry out too rapidly. Use peat-free multi-purpose compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. , and position in a warm, sheltered spot in full sun, or in light shade in warm weather. See our guides below for more sowing tips.

Young pak choi plants, either grown from seed indoors or bought as plug plants, can be planted outside from late spring, once they’re at least 10cm (4in) tall. Harden them off carefully first, to acclimatise them to outdoor conditions and prevent any checks to their growth.

Choose a location in sun for early and late sowings, and in light shade if growing a summer crop. Plant your pak choi into prepared soil (see above), about 8cm (3in) apart for baby leaves and up to 30cm (12in) for full-sized plants, then water in well.

If growing pak choi as baby leaves or small rosettes

Rosettes are the circular arrangement of flower petals; or a cluster of leaves radiating from approximately the same point usually around a stem. Examples include aeonium and most succulent plants, African violets, primula, sempervivums. , you can also plant in a large (30cm/12in) pot of peat-free multi-purpose compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. , or in a growing bag.

Pak choi is easy to look after, especially during the cool damp weather of spring and early autumn.

Watering 

Pak choi grows best in moist soil, so you may need to water in dry weather, especially when plants are young. When growing in containers, pak choi requires regular watering, as potting compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. dries out quickly. To reduce the need for watering, grow this crop in spring/early summer or late summer/autumn when the weather is cooler and damper.

If you do need to water, the best time to do so is in the morning, so the plants can grow steadily through the day. Avoid watering in the middle of the day in hot weather, as the moisture will evaporate quickly. Watering in the evening may not be ideal either, as damp soil overnight can attract slugs and snails. For more water-wise tips, see our guides below.

Mulching

If you plan to grow your pak choi to maturity, spread mulch

Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. over the soil around the plants to help hold in moisture and deter weeds. Use a thick layer of organic matter, such as garden compost, and apply to damp ground. Mulching

Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. is not usually necessary nor practical for cut-and-come-again crops.

Weeding

Weed regularly, so young plants don’t get overwhelmed by vigorous weeds or have to compete for moisture or light, which can slow their growth. Weeds can also provide hiding places for slugs and snails, which may damage the crop.

Flowering

Pak choi is susceptible to bolting (flowering prematurely), especially in hot, dry weather. So, if you’ll be growing the crop in summer, choose a bolt

When a vegetable plant starts flowering and forming seeds, often prematurely, making the crop unusable – salad leaves may turn bitter and root crops fail to swell. Adverse weather or changes in day length can cause bolting in a wide range of vegetables, including lettuces, onions , carrots and otheer root crops. -resistant variety and harvest as salad leaves or semi-mature heads. Also keep the soil moist and grow in a cool, lightly shaded spot.

If the plants do start to send up flower stems, remove these and add to salads or stir-fries before the buds

A bud is a small, undeveloped shoot that contains the potential for new growth. Buds are typically found on stems, where they can be apical (found at the tip) or axillary (found between leaf axils) and may develop into leaves, shoots or flowers. open. Harvest the rest of the plant straight away too, as it will only deteriorate. Any other plants sown at the same time are likely to start flowering soon, so harvest them promptly.

Pak choi can be picked from early summer to autumn (and possibly later under cloches or in a greenhouse), depending on sowing times and the stage of maturity:

• Baby salad leaves are ready to pick in as little as 30 days – snip off individual leaves, only taking a few from each plant along the row, as a cut-and-come-again crop. Plants will continue to produce fresh leaves for repeated pickings until they start to flower
• Semi-mature or full-sized pak choi should be ready to harvest in 45–75 days, when still compact and firm. Cut through the base of the stem with a sharp knife. Cook the rosettes
  Rosettes are the circular arrangement of flower petals; or a cluster of leaves radiating from approximately the same point usually around a stem. Examples include aeonium and most succulent plants, African violets, primula, sempervivums. lightly to retain some crunchiness in the stems and the flavour in the leaves – sauté, steam or add them to stir-fries and oriental dishes

Pak choi is liable to bolt

When a vegetable plant starts flowering and forming seeds, often prematurely, making the crop unusable – salad leaves may turn bitter and root crops fail to swell. Adverse weather or changes in day length can cause bolting in a wide range of vegetables, including lettuces, onions , carrots and otheer root crops. (flower prematurely) in hot, dry weather, so spring and late-summer/autumn crops are usually more successful – although cold snaps can also trigger flowering. Slugs and snails like to eat pak choi’s juicy leaves, so protect plants where possible. Being a member of the cabbage family, pak choi can be damaged by various brassica-loving insects, such as cabbage root fly, but these shouldn’t be a problem when growing speedy young salad leaves. Tiny holes in the leaves are caused by flea beetles, but the damage is only cosmetic – if you want pristine leaves, cover the crop with insect proof mesh. For more tips on tackling these and other issues, see Common problems, below.

Common Problems

Bolting in vegetables

Bolting is the term applied to vegetable crops when they prematurely run to seed, usually making them unusable. A cold spell or changes in day length...

Read more

Cabbage caterpillars

Cabbages and other brassicas are a food source for the caterpillars of several species of moth and butterfly.

Read more

Flea beetles on brassicas and allied plants

Some species of flea beetle feed on the leaves of all brassicas and related plants, including rocket, radish, swede, turnip and wallflowers. The resul...

Read more

Pigeons

Pigeons can peck at leaves, tearing them, often just leaving the stalks and larger leaf veins behind. Pigeons will feed on many plants, lilac, brassic...

Read more

Slugs and snails

Slugs and snails are common garden animals, and they are well suited to the damp, mild climate of the UK. A few species feed on garden plants, but mos...

Read more

Showing 3 out of 5 recommended

Show more