Pak Choi

[Loubear]

I sowed pal choi (can't remember what variety) back in March, it germinated and I transplanted seedlings to their own pots. They gave been on a sunny windowsill with a variety of other seedlings which have largely been fine. The pak choi have all shrivelled up (some psb and calbrese have started looking a bit ill too), any suggestions why? It doesn't look like the usual damping off, they've been watered regularly and I used fresh compost. One or two of them never developed true leaves, the seed leaves have just grown huge. Help!


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[Vince G]

Not sure, could be damping off disease maybe? Only ever grew brassicas in modules once and they weren't entirely succesful, so always sow in the ground now and transplant when big enough

[kathyd]

I nearly always sow my brassicas in pots first, and they normally seem fine.. I wonder if they've just got too hot on a sunny windowsill? My big plants which have been in the tunnel all winter wilt when the sun comes out, although they recover later when it cools down again. Or maybe you've overwatered as Vince suggests? What compost did you use - something you know is OK? I've had poor results with some of the rubbish compost we get over here. Do you have anything worth salvaging? If so, why not start hardening off now, and get them planted out asap? Maybe a photo would help identify possible problems too...

[chefgage]

I seem to remember that pak choi needs cooler conditions. Although i asumed as its an oriental type veg it would thrive in hot conditions. I sowed in april/may but as it got hot in summer they all died.

I then read a bit that they should be sown later in the year so they grow during the cooler conditions. I have not tried growing them since

[iGrow]

I always find that it bolts when sown early in the year and have more success with an autumn sowing.

[BertieFox]

Pak Choi like lots of water so if you allow small pots to dry out, then they will rush to seed or wither as you have seen. The best plan in modules is to place them in a water retaining tray so the modules are kept moist from below. I try to plant them out as soon as possible for the same reason, but I find the spring ones always go up to seed fairly early rather than growing into large plants. This is fine for spring greens, and you can eat the flowering shoot as well of course. But you get far better crops from late summer and autumn sown ones, as they don't go up to seed, will stand longer, and like the cooling conditions at that time of year.

[Bill HH]

I have all sorts of problems with all sorts of plants except Pakk Choi it grows like a weed here. I simply sow it in a 6 inch deep container.Funny old world is it not.

[Loubear]

I've not had a problem with it before. I wondered whether it was because I used old seed. Thanks for the advice everyone - will try again with fresh seed and sow direct.


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[Penellype]

I had a similar problem with PSB last summer - I think brassicas don't greatly like being too hot, and a sunny windowsill is probably not the best place for them. I grow mine in pots to avoid the slugs that eat them all if I sow directly into soil, but I put them outside or in a cold frame as soon as they have germinated.

[KevinM67]

Growing Pak Choi for the first time this year - so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Usual question really:

Do I need to keep them covered - are the susceptible to the same pests as others, ie birds, caterpillars, etc.?

[Richard Eldritch]

I sow in modules early and then plant in a sunny spot and water twice a day with a good soak and plenty of nitrogen feed. That being said this years are the best I've had. I've tried pots, they just bolted.

[KevinM67]

Cheers Richard E

I've started some at the weekend in modules currently on the kitchen window sill.

The intention is to transplant them later to my allotment plot (and sow some directly).

Just wondering about the usual challenges we encounter - rabbits, birds, caterpillars, etc.

[Richard Eldritch]

Cheers Richard E

I've started some at the weekend in modules currently on the kitchen window sill.

The intention is to transplant them later to my allotment plot (and sow some directly).

Just wondering about the usual challenges we encounter - rabbits, birds, caterpillars, etc.

Everything eats PakChoy.lol. Slugs are my main competition. Also I've found that the quicker they can grow the better, don't keep them to long in modules and give a tiny dose of miracle grow to keep them going untill they have decent roots. When transplanting don't water the modules for a day as then the root ball comes out with less disturbance ( which they will bolt at)

[Bill HH]

I grew Pakchoy in a large container and have about 14 plants in it, they look so healthy and have made very good growth, but half of them were a different colour, a paler green the other half are a deeper green, today I noticed all the paler ones have gone to seed! do they mix varieties in one packet? or are they paler because they have gone to seed? and isn't it just too early for this to happen?

[Richard Eldritch]

I grew Pakchoy in a large container and have about 14 plants in it, they look so healthy and have made very good growth, but half of them were a different colour, a paler green the other half are a deeper green, today I noticed all the paler ones have gone to seed! do they mix varieties in one packet? or are they paler because they have gone to seed? and isn't it just too early for this to happen?

Mine are mixed Bill, I've got white and lime green, pale green, and some purples... Purples are weedy.