This is an excellent choice if you have limited outdoor space due to its compact size and low light requirements. This is probably why in 1999, Tat Soi was one of the first vegetables grown in space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery.
These little guys have been cultivated across China for over 1,500 years and are well-adapted to cooler temperatures. They do brilliantly in the UK when planted in autumn and reach full maturity in just 30-50 days. If allowed to grow past their usual harvest stage, produce beautiful edible flowers.
Getting started
Make four holes in the soil as deep as your fingernail. Add a couple of seeds to each hole and cover with soil. Place somewhere warm and bright like a windowsill and keep the soil damp, not drenched.
Cut a plastic bottle in half and place over where you planted the seeds. This will keep them warm and moist.
Thin out any extra seedlings after about three weeks when 5cm tall. Aim for four plants in your planters to prevent them from competing for nutrients.
Growing on
These are prone to bolting (going to seed prematurely) if subjected to extended periods of heat so make sure they’re somewhere cool that gets some good shade.
Once your plants are well established (a few inches tall) you can remove your makeshift propagator and watch them grow!
Munch time
Pak Choi is an Asian staple very similar to the leafy greens we get in the UK.
They go great in stir-fries, soups, salads, and steamed dishes. Scan the QR code to see more about what you can do with Pak Choi
Recipes
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How-to-videos
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