Asian greens; sow & plant chart

Asian greens are easy to grow, and provide a continuous supply of goodness when repeat planted, writes PHIL DUDMAN

There’s a lot to love about pak choy, bok choy and other asian greens. They are quick and easy to grow in cool to mild conditions, providing a super quick return, and if you’re organised with planting, you’ll enjoy a steady supply for Asian-inspired soups and stir-fries.

The simplest way to start is to sow directly into prepared soil. I just spread a 3–5cm layer of compost over the surface of an existing bed, sprinkle on some blood and bone and rake it in, then use a long stick to make a drill 5–10mm deep and dribble in seed about 15cm apart. Don’t worry if you sow them a little heavy; you can thin and transplant soon after germination, or harvest extras later as baby vegies.

Cover the seed, keep moist and they’ll be up in a few days. Sow 1–2 rows now and another in 3–4 weeks.

If you prefer to be more precise with your planting, start the seed in punnets. Fill a single-cell punnet with seed-raising mix, dribble on your seed, cover with more mix and keep moist. Once the seedlings are up, prick them out with a flat stick and plant into your bed or pots. Alternatively, transfer into multicell punnets – one seedling per cell – to grow them on a bit. Water transplants in with liquid seaweed and protect for a few days with a cover of shadecloth.

Here’s a fun idea. I saved seeds from a previous crop and sprinkled them randomly in a pot. Hundreds of seedlings came up, providing an early harvest of microgreens. The seedlings I didn’t harvest (pictured, left) grew on and gave me sweet little morsels for stir-fries. I kept on thinning, leaving behind eight or so plants to grow to full size. It was a great way to enjoy multiple feeds from one little container.