The vegetables and herbs that we usually consume in our meals are part of our traditional Subcontinental cuisines. No wonder then that when it comes to growing staple crops, fruits and vegetables, farmers usually focus on such entities that are running commodities. Even with globalisation and the growing tendency to try out different cuisines, many vegetables, herbs and fruits are still not cultivated on a mass scale in Pakistan.

One such green, leafy vegetable is bok choy, which is a commonly used vegetable in East Asian and South-East Asian cuisine. Leaves of bok choy are stir-fried, used in soups, sautéed, broiled, steamed and even consumed raw as baby bok choy in salads. Many dishes from Chinese, Japanese and Korean cuisines use bok choy leaves as one of the key ingredients. The stalk or stem part of the bok choy plant is also edible.

Scientifically known as Brassica rapa chinensis, bok choy is also known as pak choy and pok choy. It is a type of Chinese cabbage that usually comes in a number of varieties. However, based on the colour of its stalk, which can be either green or white, bok choy is broadly classified into two main types.

It is a very healthy, leafy vegetable that is very low in calories and filled with vital vitamins and minerals, including selenium. It also provides a multitude of health benefits. Being part of Cruciferous vegetables, bok choy also contains a natural component, glucosinate, which is believed to possess anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, chemo-protective and cancer-fighting properties.

This leafy vegetable contains a natural component believed to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, chemo-protective and cancer-fighting properties

Bok choy can be easily grown at home, even in apartments that have a few hours of sunlight access. The seeds of bok choy are small, rounded and black in colour. One needs to plant the seeds when the temperature is around 10 to 25 degrees Celsius. It means that seeds can be sown during the last weeks of October in those areas which do not experience any snow or frost.

The soil should be well-drained and finely filtered because the presence of any stone or pebbles can severely impact seed germination. The seeds can be sown at a temporary location to be transplanted later, or at a permanent location, as per choice. The seeds usually germinate within one to two weeks.

The bok choy seed is very small, and it is not hard-shelled. Therefore, seeds should be spread on the soil surface, unlike hard-shelled seeds that need to be sown in depth. Afterwards, the sprinkled seeds should be lightly covered with a fine layer of compost or soil. It is recommended to opt for a bottom-up watering technique if planting the seeds in pots or seedling trays, instead of direct watering.

If the plant is being grown directly in the ground, the soil should be well-watered before sowing the seeds. This will ensure that the small seeds of the bok choy do not get dispersed from their sowing spots.

When growing in containers, the containers should be at least 8 inches in length and depth. If the plant is being grown directly in the ground, the ideal spacing between each plant should be at least 8 inches on either side.

As four to five true leaves start to grow on the plant, it is an ideal time to transplant it to a permanent position which has direct sunlight access for at least three to five hours a day. The bok choy plant grows well both in full direct sunlight and in partial sunlight exposure as well. The plant will continue to thrive even if the sunlight exposure is from morning to noon or even beyond.

As the plant starts to mature, and once six to seven true leaves begin to grow on it, it can be boosted with additional nitrogen-based fertiliser every fortnight. There is no need for potassium- or phosphorus-based fertilisers throughout the plant’s lifecycle, since bok choy is entirely a leafy plant.

The plant needs regular and consistent watering throughout its lifecycle, since it loves and grows well in moist soil. Within four to six weeks, the leaves of the plant mature. The leaves are ideally harvested when they reach the size of the palm.

There are two main methods for harvesting the bok choy leaves. One is to simply harvest the entire plant from the base as a bunch. Another method is to cut out the outer leaves while retaining the inner leaves. If the leaves are to be used in salad, even younger and smaller leaves can be harvested, which are sweeter than the palm-sized ones. The harvested leaves are stored using different traditional methods to ensure that their signature crunch and crispiness are retained for longer periods of time.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, July 16th, 2023