Pak choi grows faster than almost anything else in the vegetable patch, which is exactly why it's so quick to bolt the moment something checks its growth.
Pak choi can be ready in as little as five to seven weeks from sowing, making it one of the fastest crops available for a quick gap in the bed. Like rocket and turnips, it does best sown directly into an undisturbed, mulched bed rather than started elsewhere and moved.
Sowing & growing calendar
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | Sow in March | Sow in April | Sow in May | Sow in June | Sow in July | Sow in August | ||||||
| Harvest | Harvest in April | Harvest in May | Harvest in June | Harvest in July | Harvest in August | Harvest in September | Harvest in October |
Care details
- Sow March – August
Sow thinly and direct every couple of weeks, skipping the hottest weeks of summer.
- Harvest April – October
Cut whole heads, or pick outer leaves individually for a longer cut-and-come-again harvest.
Growing tips & common problems
- Sow direct where possible rather than transplanting — root disturbance is one of the fastest ways to trigger bolting in this crop.
- Avoid sowing through the longest, hottest weeks of summer; long daylight and heat together send it to seed almost immediately.
- Never let it dry out — drought stress is the other main bolting trigger, alongside root disturbance and summer heat.
Grows well with
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