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| Pak choi |
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Pak choi is grown for its edible pale green stalks and leaves.
It should be grown quickly and the roots kept moist at all times, any check in growth, brought on by overcrowding or drought, will cause plants to bolt.
The plants will need protection from slugs and snails, particularly after the seedlings have just emerged.
Growing them in raised pots or growbags can alleviate the slug problem.
They should be treated similar to lettuce, i.e. sow a little often to get a succession of young tender leaves/stalks.
Week 18; Fill a modular cell tray with seed compost and sow a tiny pinch of seed in each cell.
Once germinated (approx 5 days) allow the seedlings to grow to approx 25-50mm (1”-2”) high, then thin them out to leave the strongest seedling in each cell.
Week 22; Plant outdoors when all fear of frost has past, plant them 200-300mm (8”-12”) apart in a prepared bed.
Alternatively sow seed very thinly in a well prepared seedbed and thin out as necessary to avoid overcrowding.
n.b. Growing a few in 125-150mm (5”-6”) pots and growing on in a cool greenhouse will produce an earlier crop of leaves, these can be cut whole for eating when they are relatively small and more succulent.
Keep moist at all times and provide a weak liquid feed once a week.
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