Kitchen Garden Forum

... in Florence Fennel and Pak Choi !

Does anyone successfully grow these ? Mine always bolt. Is it just lack of water, or is there some other magic ?

I was reassured when on GW a while back Joe swift was proudly displaying his Florence fennel which was quite clearly just starting to bolt ! But the supermarkets have big, fat bulbs, and pretty pak choi, so it is obviously possible somehow ...

Any ideas much appreciated !

Tony, I think you sow/plant them too early. The bolting occurs when the plant receives a shock . I think, usually of being too cold. Early July is quite early enough to sow them in shelter or a sheltered place outside and then plant them. I usually grow about 20 of each Florence Fennel and Pak Choi and get one or two bolters every year but the majority stand ok until they are harvested.

Florence Fennel is said not to like being transplanted but I have always sown them in roottrainers and transplanted them without problem.

Tony, you're not alone in being unable to grow pak choi. I've tried for the last four years and have used every combination of planting time, soil fertility, direct sowing, modules and anything else I can think of. End result: pak choi which always bolts so my conclusion is that it's just one of those things that won't grow in my garden.

I think sometimes you just have to accept these things and move on.

I can grow fantastic cabbages and caulies so I'm not too downhearted.

The Pak choi is better planted when the temperature is coolish and will keep in good condition all winter in a cold greenhouse and finish growing in spring.

Like Monika says, they don't like any form of stress, so it is best to sow them in situe, or in modules. Don't let them dry out and be very gentle with them when transplanting from the modules.

All my florence fennel bolted this year so I think it was too dry. I got a good crop from the same seed last year, so don't give up yet.

With pak choi, day length response is a factor. Sowings made after mid-summer have much less tendency to bolt. But variety is another factor, and open-pollinated varieties tend to be prone to bolting. I find Joi Choi to be reliable — it is an F1. Copious moisture is absolutely essential, though, and at the first whiff of drought they start into flower. The quality 'choi you see in the supermarkets is all raised under glass or in tunnels where the environment can be more finely tuned and where watering is almost constant. Bolting tends not to be a problem for me so much as having the plants damaged in various ways by piercing and sucking insects, so the quality tends to be poor.

I have never had any trouble with fennel, not for any particular reason. It may be because I always sow it direct, but there is no compelling evidence for this. It is so hardy that it can be raised very early in the year unprotected, and autumn sowings overwinter successfully. I grow it in spring and autumn, but not through high summer.

I am surprised that your Florence fennel overwinters. In Glasgow, it is a goner after one night of frost.

realfood wrote:I am surprised that your Florence fennel overwinters. In Glasgow, it is a goner after one night of frost.

Here in Eastbourne, too.

I mostly sow my pak choi in modules at the end of August and grow on in the polytunnel over winter. I have had good results from late March sowings of Green Boy about two thirds of the way down this link. The other variety they suggest is Santoh (on the same page), though I have only grown this from an August sowing so far.

The flower shoots of "bolting" pak choi are, of course a great delicacy and I much prefer them to the leaves and stems - so all is not lost. For guaranteed "bolting" and a delicious quick crop of flower shoots, try Choy Sum

alan refail wrote:The flower shoots of "bolting" pak choi are, of course a great delicacy and I much prefer them to the leaves and stems - so all is not lost.

'Tis a pity I composted them all last weekend then ... Ahh well, I'll know for next time.
Thanks everyone. I'll keep trying !