Pak choi (also known as bok choy) is a versatile and nutritious leafy vegetable from the cabbage family. It’s a simple vegetable that’s found in many different Asian dishes and highly recommended for a healthy diet due to the large amounts of vitamins and nutrients that it contains.
Since pak choi is a fast maturing plant and requires little attention, it’s among the top choices for beginner gardeners. To grow your own crop of pak choi, remember the following:
Planting
Pak choi requires humus rich soil that can hold a good amount of moisture for the best results. Plant it in full sun and make sure to keep the seeds approximately 1 to 2 inches deep and spaced at least 15 inches apart.
Since the pak choi is planted shallow in the ground, it doesn’t require a lot of water, though it should be frequent to avoid dry soil.
Best Time to Plant
The best and most common time to sow pak choi seeds is anywhere from late June to early September. Since pak choi is able to withstand light frost, it’s also possible to plant an early crop from late April to early May.
Best Time to Harvest
The early crops will be ready around August and the later crops will be ready between September and December. Pak choi is a wonderfully versatile plant that can be picked and cooked when young (around 5cm high) or more mature (around 14cm high), so the choice is yours.
To harvest pak choi, you can pull out the entire plant or simply cut the leaves approximately 3cm above ground to allow it to produce new sprouts for the season.
Growing your own organic pak choi is a fun experience that even beginner gardeners can succeed in. The best part about pak choi is the fact that you can grow a large crop and gain many vital nutrients and vitamins that are beneficial for a healthy diet.
Consider the following facts about pack choi and see why so many gardeners choose to have them in their gardens.
Low in Calories
Pak choi is a great vegetable that’s very low in calories, which is why you can eat to your heart’s content and not worry about packing in too many calories.
High in Vitamins
Pak choi is a great leafy vegetable that’s filled with a high concentration of vitamins, including a very high percentage of vitamin A, C, K and a number of those important B vitamins.
High in Minerals
Another wonderful benefit from having your own pak choi available from the garden is the number of vital minerals that it contains. Include this vegetable in a regular diet for its high iron and calcium concentration, not to mention other benefits from potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and selenium.
The next time you’re looking for fruits and vegetables to fill in your garden, remember the hearty pak choi plant and all of its benefits for a healthy diet.
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Pic by Nick Saltmarsh.
This very easy to grow and can be transplanted easily if you accidentally plant the seeds too close. I stir fry mine with garlic, oil, oyster sauce, chicken ‘Better than bouillon” paste and a little sesame oil. Easy and delicious.
YUMMO! You are speaking my language, Gay!