How to grow pak choy in Australia
Also known as: Pak Choi
Pak choy (sometimes spelled pak choi) is closely related to bok choy — in many Australian seed catalogues the two names are used interchangeably for the same plant. Strictly speaking, "pak choy" tends to refer to varieties with spoon-shaped leaves and white or green stems, while "bok choy" can refer to a slightly broader category, but the distinction is loose. Whatever you call it, the growing requirements are identical: fast, tolerant, productive, and ideal for stir-fries. Treat the growing advice for both as essentially the same.
When to plant
Pak choy has the same growing windows as bok choy — see the bok choy entry for full detail. Key points:
Dry season only — April to August.
March to September, succession plant every 3–4 weeks.
February to October, succession plant.
September to March main season; cool weather production possible with protection.
October to April main season.
March to September.
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Same as bok choy. Direct sow or transplant seedlings. Spacing 20–30cm for full-sized heads, 10–15cm for baby harvest. Sow 1cm deep. Reasonable garden soil with some compost. Succession plant every 3–4 weeks for continuous supply.
Pots, raised beds, or in-ground?
Same as bok choy. Excellent in pots, raised beds, or in-ground. A wide shallow pot (30cm+ across, 20cm deep) holds 4–6 plants comfortably.
Sunlight & water
Full sun in cool months; part shade in warm months to slow bolting. Consistent watering — pak choy bolts quickly under stress.
When and how to harvest
Harvest whole heads when plants reach full size (6–8 weeks from sowing), or harvest baby pak choy at 15–20cm tall. Cut at the base. Plant doesn't regrow significantly — use the whole head. Best eaten fresh within a few days of harvest.
Common problems
Same as bok choy. Bolting in heat or under water stress (succession plant in the right windows). Cabbage white butterfly caterpillars — net or pick by hand. Slugs and snails are attracted to the tender leaves.
Companion planting
Plant near: Carrots, beans, lettuce, onions, herbs.
Keep away from: Strawberries, tomatoes. Rotate with other brassicas.
Australian varieties
Pak Choi / Pak Choy — Standard white-stemmed variety with spoon-shaped dark green leaves. Mature 25–35cm tall.
Joi Choi / White Stem Pak Choy — Heat-tolerant variety with thick white stems. Slower to bolt than standard types — useful in warm temperate climates.
Baby Pak Choy — Smaller variety harvested young for tender single-serve heads.
Tatsoi (related) — Flat rosette of small dark green leaves. Closely related, more cold-tolerant than pak choy.
Choy Sum / Yu Choy (related) — Asian green grown for its flowering shoots rather than leaves. Different harvest method (pick young flower stems with leaves attached).
Standard pak choy from a seedling punnet at any garden centre is fine for most home gardeners. Asian seed specialists carry wider variety ranges online.