PAK CHOI ‘VIBRANT JOY’

What is it? A purple pak choi with spectacular violet, magenta and rose pink tints to its leaves and leaf veins. How should I grow it? September sowings suit this plant perfectly with cooler weather helping to ramp up the purple/violet hues. Make later sowings under cover in a greenhouse or polytunnel to enjoy crops into winter. What ongoing care do they need? Watch out for slug damage to young seedlings; you can always sow into modules and plant out more robust seedlings instead. Keep cloches or fleece handy to cover plants should the weather turn unpleasant. When are they ready? Harvest plants from seedling size onwards. Use babies in salads while larger plants suit stir fries and noodle broths. Where can I buy them? The Real Seed Catalogue (www.realseeds.co.uk), £1.64 for 300 seeds.