[Yorkshire Lass]

This is my first year growing vegetables and I decided to plant some Pak Choi. My plants have been growing slowly on the window sill for a few weeks now and have approx 4-5 true leaves. I really want to transfer them to my plot now. But are they still too weak? I understand I will have to harden them off for a couple of weeks but when is the right time to put them in the plot.

[Markw]

It might be a bit early but you could try a few under cover to protect them from frost and see how they go. I would always cover mine with fleece to stop the dreaded Flea Beetle. I will be starting mine off  this week

[Yorkshire Lass]

Thank you for your help. What is the Flea Beetle??

[Yorkie]

It's a tiny pest that causes tiny holes in leaves but doesn't kill the plant.

By the way, I wouldn't plant them straight out onto the plot.  If a plant has been molly coddled indoors, you should 'harden it off' before planting out.  By this I mean gradually acclimatising it to outdoor conditions.  So put it outdoors during the day for a while, but bring it in overnight to start with.  And then leave it outdoors overnight under shelter / cover, and eventually you can plant it out properly.

Otherwise the shock will really set them back.

[Mattgregory27]

I planted some of my seedlings out just over a week ago under plastic  pop bottles and they seem to be doing fine.

[Potty Plotty Lotty]

You also need to protect them from slugs if you want to enjoy the harvest for yourself.

If they "bolt" (produce flowers) just pick the whole plant including the flower stem which are edible

[sunshineband]

Pak choi are a good value crop -- expensive to buy yet quick to grow.

I usually use the earlier sowings as saladings, and those sown mid summer onwards to grow into big juicy plants to griddle sliced in half on the barbecue 

But it is a bit early for them to be out unprotected, as others have said, so while you are hardening them off, make sure you keep them growing or they may well run straight to flower when they are finally planted out.

[AnneB]

I agree with Sunshine about using as salad leaves early on.   Pak choi is a plant that is sensitive to daylight length.  Many varieties will bolt (run to seed) if you try and grow them to full size before midsummer.    There are some varieties that don't bolt so readily though.

[adri123]

What would be the first signs of bolting then?  I've just started some off and I want them to get as big as poss before they go bananas

TIA

Adri

[AnneB]

What would be the first signs of bolting then?  I've just started some off and I want them to get as big as poss before they go bananas

TIA

Adri

You don't get a great deal of warning with pak choi I am afraid.   It will send up a thickened central stem which will have a flower on top of it usually.

[Yorkshire Lass]

I am currently hardening off half of the plants that I have grown,  I have also put the other half in the plot under cloches  both seem to bee doing great so far...but it is early days.  Watch this space... I will let you know how I get on.

[Headgardener22]

What would be the first signs of bolting then?  I've just started some off and I want them to get as big as poss before they go bananas

TIA

Adri

You don't get a great deal of warning with pak choi I am afraid.   It will send up a thickened central stem which will have a flower on top of it usually.

They usually bolt when you decide not to go the the plot for a day.

[compostqueen]

I sowed Joi Choi and it came through the winter. The fleece blew off it and the pigeons had a field day with it, but I re-covered it and it's growing away again 

[Yorkshire Lass]

Pak choi are a good value crop -- expensive to buy yet quick to grow.

I usually use the earlier sowings as saladings, and those sown mid summer onwards to grow into big juicy plants to griddle sliced in half on the barbecue 

Thanks for the advice, I am now enjoying early salad sowings... bring on the big juicy plants 

[banf77]

What is the best defence for flea beetle? I've definately got a load on my Pak Choi!!
Thanks
Steve