Bok Choy
Bok Choy
A Chinese vegetable with large green leaves on a thick white stem and grown for various purposes. It can be used to add to soups, salads, meats, and more. The leaves have a mild and aromatic taste and ripen for about 50-70 days. They can be stored for up to three months after harvest.Chinese cabbage appeared in China in the 15th century; pharmacologists considered it useful for nutrition. It later became the main ingredient in Kim Chi, Korea's national dish. Japanese soldiers also found Chinese cabbage and took it with them after the war. As a result, Americans got acquainted with this vegetable at the end of the 19th century.
How to grow Bok Choy from seeds:
- Sowing: The soil should be fertile and fertilized with compost or organic matter. Chinese cabbage grows best in full sun or partial shade at temperatures between 45 and 75 F (7-24 C). For direct sowing, sow 4-6 weeks before the last spring frost, 1/4″ deep, about 12″ apart. The seeds germinate after about ten days. For autumn sowing, direct sow in July.
- Plant Spacing: 12-16″.
- Growing of Bok Choy: Provide evenly moist soil for healthy growth. If the sun gets too hot, the cabbage tends to clump or seed. With prolonged heat, it is necessary to provide partial shade. Keep snails away from the plant.
- Bok Choy Soil Requirements for: Keep the soil evenly moist, keep the soil at least 70°F (21°C) until germination, and 60°F (16°C) after that.
- Bok Choy Seeds Days to Germination: 10-14 days.
- Light Preference of Bok Choy: Full Sun, Partial Shade.
- Life Cycle of Bok Choy: Annual.
- How and When to Harvest Bok Choy: The most delicate leaves are at the embryonic stage on the 28th day for, by the 50th day, the head of cabbage is fully ripe. Consume within five days.
- Bok Choy Days to Maturity: 50-70 Days.
- Bok Choy's Seed Saving: Cauliflower should be dug up before the first heavy frost in regions with cold soil. Store the plants in sand or sawdust and plant them again in the spring. Collecting seeds from about six plants allows for the best genetic diversity. In warm climates, mulch the Cauliflower thickly for the winter. In the spring, the plant will bloom and pod. Wait until they turn brown and dry, cut them off, and let them dry completely. Remove seeds from pods, store them in a cool, dry place for up to five years.
- Common Names: Bok Choy
- Latin Name: Brassica rapa
- Species Origin: Asia
- Type: Open Pollinated, Heirloom, Cool Season
- Life Cycle: Annual
- USDA Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
- Seeds per Ounce: 9,000
- Sunlight: Full Sun
- Height: 16 Inches
- Color: Green
- Uses: Culinary
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