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Pak Choi (Bok Choy) Growing Guide🥬: Sweet and Crisp Greens in your Wicking Bed

Pak Choi (Bok Choy) Growing Guide🥬: Sweet and Crisp Greens in your Wicking Bed

Introduction

Pak choi, also known as bok choy, is a cool-season Asian green perfect for SIPs and wicking beds. It matures quickly, resists bolting, and thrives when bottom-up watering keeps roots evenly hydrated without oversaturation.

When to Plant Pak Choi

  • Spring: Direct-seed or transplant seedlings March through April. Visit the March Gardening Guide.

  • Summer: Choose bolt-resistant varieties for June plantings.

  • Fall: Sow a late crop in August for sweet, tender autumn greens.

Square Foot Gardening Spacing

  • Spacing: 4 plants per sq ft (~6” apart)

  • Depth: Sow seeds ½” deep

  • Companions: Excellent partners include radishes, carrots, and lettuce.

How to Plant Pak Choi

Direct Seeding (Preferred)

  • Sow 2 seeds per hole, thin to the healthiest seedling.

  • Keep soil surface moist until seedlings establish strong roots.

Transplanting

  • Start seeds indoors 4 weeks before last frost for earlier harvests.

  • Harden seedlings for 5–7 days before moving them to SIPs or wicking beds.

Watering Your Pak Choi

Consistent hydration = tender, crisp greens:

  • Use your WaterStem: when the Hummingbird rises, refill levels as needed.

  • Before establishment: Top-water gently until roots connect with SIP moisture zones.

  • After establishment: Refill reservoirs every 1–2 weeks depending on season.

  • Mulch heavily to maintain cool soil temps and moisture.

Harvesting Pak Choi

  • Baby Greens: Harvest small heads 30 days after planting.

  • Mature Heads: Ready in 45–55 days depending on variety.

  • Cut heads at the base or harvest outer leaves for continual regrowth.

Common Issues & Fixes

Issue Likely Cause Solution
Bolting Warm temps + stress Use bolt-resistant types, succession sow
Flea Beetles Early-season pest Cover plants with mesh or interplant nasturtiums
Yellowing Leaves Overwatering Use SIPs or wicking beds to regulate hydration

Companion Plants for Pak Choi

Best companions (with cross-links):

  • Radishes → Quick crops to harvest alongside bok choy.

  • Carrots → Complementary root systems, excellent SIP pairing.

  • Lettuce → Shades soil and improves SIP microclimates.

  • Peas → Nitrogen-fixers that boost pak choi leaf production.

Avoid planting with:

  • Heavy feeders like corn.

  • Strawberries → Compete for shallow SIP moisture.

Product Tips

 

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