Canton Pak Choi

Seed Count: Approx. 300 seeds

Days to Maturity: 30 for baby leaves, 50 for mature leaves 

Description:  Pak Choi is a great variety of Asian cabbage to add to your garden.  It is nice and compact, which is great for container growing, and can be used at many different stages in its growth cycle to be added to soups, salads, and meats, etc. The heads have thick, white ribs, and dark green leaves.  Pak Choi is often seen written as "Bok Choy" as well. The succulent white stems and dark green leaves are excellent for stir-fries, but can also be eaten raw in salads.

Mint2Grow Tip:  This Pak Choi variety has huge leaves.  I had a hard time growing them outside due to bugs, and my intense heat, but they grew beautifully in my indoor tower garden.  These super tasty leaves do wonderfully in my favorite dish of fried Pak Choi served with ponzu sauce. Yum.

How To Grow

Sowing:  Chinese cabbage does best when it can grow quickly in cool weather with fertile soil.  Direct sow seeds, about 4-6 weeks before the last average spring frost date. Plant seeds 1/4" deep about 12" apart in rows that are around 12" apart; germination should take place in about 10 days. For a fall crop, direct sow in July.  Chinese cabbage prefers full sun or partial shade, and grows best in temperatures from 45-75 F. Companion plant with beets, bush beans, carrots, chamomile, chard, cucumbers, dill, kale, lettuce, mint, nasturtiums, potatoes, sage and spinach.  Pak Choi can also be successfully grown in containers.

Growing:  Keep the soil evenly moist for the healthiest plant growth. If the sun gets too hot, the plant will bolt; in long periods of heat, some kind of shade from the hot sun will be needed.  However, the flowers are great for attracting pollinators. Watch out for snails and other pests, as they will harm the plants.

Harvesting:  Harvest single leaves or the entire plant when needed.  Harvest tender baby leaves at 28 days, or the fully mature head at 50 days. For the freshest taste, use within five days.  To harvest seeds, allow the plant to flower and go to seed in the Spring. When the long green pods turn brown, pick them individually.  Remove the seeds from the pods, and store the seeds in a cool, dry place.