Chit Chat Bok Choi

Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis

Story: This Bok Choi came into the gardens here through a seed swap in 2024 but we do not know its original variety name or history outside of the fact that it is heirloom. The name chit chat comes from a volunteer seed processing session where we asked the group what it should be called and they wanted it to reference the amazing conversations they had while packing it! Bok Choi grows well in the cool British shoulder seasons and can bolt quickly in heat - it enjoys damp soil and can be harvested leaf by leaf or as a whole vegetable to be cooked with.

When to sow: Can be sown indoors from February to March and direct from April onwards or in late summer for a fall harvest.

Requirements: Well dug soil with added compost and a sunny spot that doesn't dry out 

Harvesting for eating: All year, depending on time of sowing outlined above. Harvest when about the size of a tennis ball or at any age for eating raw or fried.

Harvesting for Seed Saving: Bok Choi are a short season crop flower readily in their first year. Seeds usually ripen in late summer but it does depend  on when they  were sown so keep a close eye out for ripe (dry, brown) seed heads forming - that is an indicator of when they are ready.

How to save seed: Allow the Bok Choi to fully mature and go to flower, supported if necessary, making sure no closely related species are flowering nearby. Once the flowers are pollinated maintain airflow around the Bok Choi to allow it to ripen and dry, you can reduce or even totally stop watering during this time. Once fully dry and you can hear the small dark seeds rattle in the seed pods you can cut them to hang upside down or thresh manually - placing the dried seed heads in a bag and using a rolling pin or stamping on them is the easiest way to separate the mature seed from the dried seed pods.

Number of plants to save seeds from: 10 minimum, 20 or more is ideal

Pollination: Insect pollinated

How to send back seed: Please label all seed with variety, type, date and your name and contact. If you didn't get a chance to fill out our online data collection form, you can also send us a few lines about how it grew for you/flavour etc. Please aim to send back 1/2 cup of dried seed or more so that we can continue to share with network members. Send to: The Seed Saving Network, Omved Gardens, 1 Townsend Yard, N6 5JF.

Please remember, if you’re an individual grower you can order up to 4 packets of seeds. If you order more than this, you will receive just four packs to begin with. This is to ensure we get plenty of data in return and to keep our stocks sustainable for years to come.* 

*Community groups, Seed Saving Network Guardians and experienced growers can order larger quantities, please email us at info@seedsaving.network if this is the case.

If an item is out of stock we will send a close alternative.