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Pak choi growing

Photo: Unsplash

Half-hardy — needs some protection

When to plant
pak choi in the UK

Sow early spring or after midsummer — it'll bolt faster than you can blink in the heat. Worth it though. Fast-growing and very rewarding.

6wto harvest
25cmspacing
8°Cmin soil temp
half-hardyhardiness
Plan it for your plot

Work out your own dates

Starts from the recommended sow date for your area. Sowed on a different day, or planted out late? Adjust below and the harvest moves with it.

Using the UK-average last frost · 15 April · add your postcode to tune it

Sow18 March
Plant out15 Aprilpredicted
Harvest from29 April

Growing journey

Last frost
Sow indoors4w before frost
Plant outLast frost
Direct sow1w after frost
Harvest6w after frost

6 weeks from planting out to harvest · Start indoors 4 weeks before planting out

Get pak choi seeds

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What pak choi need

Partial shade. Moist soil. Slug protection is non-negotiable.

Spacing

25cm

25cm between plants

Give each plant room to spread. Overcrowding reduces yield.

the varieties

Varieties worth growing

Joi Choi

common

Big, white-stemmed, and one of the most reliable pak choi for UK conditions. Slower to bolt than most, which in pak choi terms is the difference between a crop and a disappointment.

in the kitchen

Stir-fried pak choi with oyster sauce

Halve the heads, sear cut-side down in a wok until charred, flip, add a splash of oyster sauce and a drizzle of sesame oil. Thirty seconds. The stems stay crisp while the leaves wilt.

Red Choi

uncommon

Purple-red leaves with green undersides that look dramatic in the garden and on the plate. Same crisp, mild flavour as green pak choi but with anthocyanin-rich colour that makes everything it's added to look more interesting.

in the kitchen

Red choi in miso broth

Dissolve white miso paste in hot dashi, slide in halved red choi, add silken tofu cubes and a few slices of spring onion. The purple leaves soften into the golden broth. Beautiful and nourishing.

Tiny, compact pak choi that's ready in about a month. Perfect for windowsills, containers, and impatient cooks. The whole plant fits in the palm of your hand and cooks in about thirty seconds.

in the kitchen

Baby pak choi in garlic and ginger

Leave whole, sear in a hot wok, add sliced garlic and grated ginger, a splash of soy sauce. The baby heads cook in under a minute. Quick, fragrant, and the whole thing looks like a miniature garden on your plate.

When to sow pak choi

Sow indoorsMarchApril
Direct sowAprilMay
Plant outAprilMay

Based on UK average frost date. Enter your postcode for exact dates, or find your city.

Seeds

Where to buy pak choi seeds

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Get your exact dates

Enter your postcode for personalised planting dates for pak choi.

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