Bok Choy

Sow direct in the cooler months. Summer heat sends bok choy straight to flower before it fills out.

Sow 5mm deep and thin to 20cm apart.

Keep the water up. Dry spells make the stems tough and stringy.

Sow a short row every two weeks rather than one long row, and you will have a steady supply instead of a glut.

Watch for snails on the young plants. They will take a seedling overnight.

Cut the whole plant off at the base once the stems are plump, usually six to eight weeks from sowing.

Or pick a few outer leaves at a time and leave the centre to keep growing.

Harvest before any flower stalk appears. Once it bolts the stems turn bitter.

Baby plants at three weeks are good eating too.

Split the heads lengthways and stir-fry hard and fast with garlic and a splash of soy.

Drop them into soup in the last minute so the stems stay crisp.

Steam whole baby heads and dress with sesame oil.

The stems take longer than the leaves. Put them in the pan first.

Let two or three strong plants flower and form thin seed pods.

Wait until the pods dry to pale brown on the stem.

Cut the stalks into a paper bag and leave them somewhere airy for a week.

Rub the pods between your hands to release the small round seeds, then winnow away the chaff.