Asian Stir-Fry: Baby Bok Choy (Top) and Shanghai Bok Choy (Bottom)
Bok Choy and Shanghai Bok Choy are cool-season vegetables that are delicious, tender and easy to grow.
These leafy greens have long been staples in Asian cooking, whether Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, etc. Bok Choy is one of the oldest cultivated vegetables, dating back almost 6 000 years.
Bok Choy (Cantonese pronunciation) or bái cài (白菜) literally means “white vegetable”. Baby Bok Choy (Pac Choi) has thick white stems and dark green leaves with a wrinkled texture. Shanghai Bok Choy (上海白菜) or Green Bok Choy produce compact vase-shaped plants and have pale green stems with smoother spoon-shaped leaves. They are suitable for early spring or fall plantings and as baby or full-size production.
Bok Choy is nutritious – one cup contains about half of your daily Vitamins K, A, and C and is only 10 calories. It is also rich in calcium and dietary fiber. Both Bok Choy and Shanghai Bok Choy have a delicate sweet flavour and are excellent in stir-fries, hot pots, and salads.
Harvest: The outer leaves of the plants can be harvested repeatedly just like leaf lettuce or harvest the whole plant by cutting it just above the soil level. It is best to pick the plant in the morning due to cooler weather to reduce wilting of the leaves.
| Maturity | 30 to 50 days |
|---|---|
| Height | 8 - 12" (20 - 30 cm) |
| Spacing | 12 - 18" (30 - 46cm) |
| Light | Full sun in cooler climates to partial shade in warmer climates. |
| Soil | Fertile, organic and well draining. |
| pH Range | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| Watering | Frequent light watering prevents the crop from getting bitter; consistent even moisture is best. |
| Fertilizing | High nitrogen fertilizer at time of planting. |
| Nutrients Required | Nitrogen = high, Phosphorus = high, Potassium = high |
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