How to Grow Pak Choi Microgreens in 5 Easy Steps

Pak choi is a microgreen known by many names. Perhaps more recognizable as Chinese cabbage, bok choy or pok choi, it’s an easy microgreen to grow both in terms of the technique and its speed.

You can get a fresh batch of pak choi microgreens every ten days if you want, making it a great microgreen for beginners.

What You’ll Need

Most of what you need to grow pak choi microgreens can be found around your house. But if you want to purchase supplies to grow in a more consistent and measured way, there are a few gadgets that can help.

Seeds

High-quality seeds are a good start when growing any microgreen. These are three of the best seeds to try:

• Baby Choi Bok Choy Seeds: Crunchy greens that are ideal for growing in containers.
• Toy Choy Bok Choy Seeds: Dark green, glossy leaves that are crisp and tender in this miniature variety.
• Bok Choy Choko Seeds: A baby bok choy with crisp, pale green, crunchy stems.

Containers

I use standard growing trays when sowing pak choi microgreens. If you already have seedling trays from your garden, these are ideal as they have drainage holes. Technically you can use any container, but it needs to drain well to avoid drowning your microgreens.

You will need one for tray planting with drainage holes and one for covering without holes to block out all light.

Growing Medium

My favorite mix is an equal ratio of organic potting soil and rehydrated coconut coir. This mix has good water-holding capacity, and it is light and fine enough for pak choi seed.

Grow Lights

Grow lights work best for consistent lighting. We recommend the Small Epic Seed Starting Grow Light or the Standard Epic Seed Starting Grow Light if you don’t have grow lights at home already.

You can also place trays on a sunny windowsill and rotate them every few days to ensure the germinating seed doesn’t lean toward the light.

Extras

You will need a spray bottle or mister and some cutting tools to harvest the seed. A good sharp knife, pair of scissors, or pruning shears will all work.

How to Grow Pak Choi Microgreens

Once you have all your supplies ready and thoroughly clean, it’s time to get started on the growing phase.

Step 1: Plant

Fill your container up to just below the brim with your soil mixture and pack it down lightly. Don’t be too forceful or the roots will have a tough time penetrating the soil.

Then, use a spice shaker or a glass to get as even a distribution of seed as possible. These two steps are important when it comes time to harvest. An even soil surface and even seed distribution make harvesting a much smoother process.

As for the amount of seed, I use around one ounce for a tray. If you’re growing in a smaller or larger container, try to match the distribution of seed for a standard-sized tray.

Step 2: Cover

Lightly mist your seeds after sowing and cover your container with another tray to prevent any light from hitting your seeds. This creates a more favorable environment for them to germinate.​Pak choi germinates in 24-48 hours, so keep an eye on your plants at this time and check on their progress.

​After germination, you should continue to keep them covered up until they start to shed their hulls and are at least one inch tall. By letting them stretch a bit, you give yourself some wiggle room when harvesting.

Step 3: Grow

Once the seeds are given more light, water well over the next week or so, making sure to inspect your crop for mold or fungus as well as dead patches.

If you’re growing in the sun, you’ll need to water more frequently. You’ll need to water less often if you have a deep container. The soil will retain more moisture, and your little plants’ roots don’t suck much up.

After about ten days, your pak choi microgreens are ready to be harvested. You can let them grow even longer to the true leaf stage, but that’s up to you. Your yield will increase, but the flavor profile starts to mellow out a bit.

Step 4: Harvest

When harvesting, use a sharp knife that slices straight through the stems. Aim for about half an inch above the soil line to avoid debris like soil or seed husks. Hold your container at an angle if you can so your greens fall straight into their final container.

You shouldn’t need to wash your pak choi microgreens if you harvest them correctly. By not washing, you save yourself some precious time and also extend the shelf life of the greens.

Step 5: Store

Make sure your pak choi microgreens are completely dry when storing. Place them in a sealed container in the fridge and they should last at least a week – but try to eat them while they’re fresh!​