Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Pak Choi 'Feng Qing' (Brassica rapa var. chinensis 'Feng Qing')— schedule & NPK
Also called Feng Qing bok choy, green pak choi.
More about pak choi 'feng qing'
About Pak Choi 'Feng Qing'
Brassica rapa var. chinensis 'Feng Qing' · also called Feng Qing bok choy, green pak choi · edible
'Feng Qing' is a green-stemmed pak choi prized for tender, uniform heads and reliable performance from baby-leaf size up to full maturity in about seven weeks. With pale green petioles and smooth green leaves, it suits successional sowing across the cool seasons and is well-loved for stir-fries, light braises, and salads when harvested young.
Growth habit: Compact, upright rosette of green leaves on pale green petioles; a biennial grown as an annual that bolts to a yellow flower stalk under heat or stress.
Watch for — Flea beetles: Tiny jumping beetles shothole the leaves and stunt seedlings. Use fine insect netting from sowing and keep plants well watered and vigorous.
What fertiliser pak choi 'feng qing' actually wants — and why
Pak Choi 'Feng Qing' is grown entirely for its leaves, so nitrogen is the priority — steady, nitrogen-leaning feeding keeps it growing fast, tender and unbolted.
A nitrogen-leaning feed (higher first number) or compost-rich soil — nitrogen drives the fast, tender leafy growth this crop is grown for. Phosphorus and potassium matter far less here than for fruiting crops.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for pak choi 'feng qing': match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed pak choi 'feng qing', and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For pak choi 'feng qing':
Feeds heavily for a leaf crop. Incorporate compost at sowing and apply a balanced or nitrogen-leaning liquid feed every 2-3 weeks for tender, fast growth. In practice: a balanced or compost-rich start, then a nitrogen side-dress or liquid feed every 3-4 weeks through the cropping period in the main season (spring through early autumn).
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when pak choi 'feng qing' is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for pak choi 'feng qing'
Use the vegetable-feed label rate for pak choi 'feng qing'. Steady availability matters more than a strong dose — a check in growth makes leaves tough and can trigger bolting.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water pak choi 'feng qing' first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the pak choi 'feng qing' watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding pak choi 'feng qing'
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for pak choi 'feng qing':
- Very soft, floppy, dark-green growth that attracts aphids.
- Excess leafy growth at the expense of hearts/heads in cabbage and the like.
- Salt crust and scorched leaf edges in containers; nitrate-heavy leaves.
Signs you are under-feeding pak choi 'feng qing'
- Pale, yellow-green leaves, oldest first, and slow growth.
- Small, tough, bitter leaves and premature bolting.
- Weak, stunted heads in cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full pak choi 'feng qing' care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
For container-grown pak choi 'feng qing', water until it drains freely each time and flush pots monthly with plain water to stop nitrogen salts accumulating; in the ground, good compost levels naturally buffer this.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for pak choi 'feng qing'
Organic options
Well-rotted manure or compost dug in, plus nitrogen-rich liquid feeds like diluted chicken-manure pellets or nettle feed. UK: pelleted chicken manure or Westland; US: Espoma Garden-tone or blood meal. Steady and soil-building.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A balanced feed at planting then a high-nitrogen liquid or granular side-dress — UK: Growmore then a nitrogen feed or Phostrogen; US: a 10-10-10 then a high-N (e.g. 21-0-0) side-dress or Miracle-Gro.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising pak choi 'feng qing' — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does pak choi 'feng qing' need?
A nitrogen-leaning feed (higher first number) or compost-rich soil — nitrogen drives the fast, tender leafy growth this crop is grown for. Phosphorus and potassium matter far less here than for fruiting crops. Pak Choi 'Feng Qing' is grown entirely for its leaves, so nitrogen is the priority — steady, nitrogen-leaning feeding keeps it growing fast, tender and unbolted.
How often should I feed pak choi 'feng qing'?
Feeds heavily for a leaf crop. Incorporate compost at sowing and apply a balanced or nitrogen-leaning liquid feed every 2-3 weeks for tender, fast growth. Feeds heavily for a leaf crop. Incorporate compost at sowing and apply a balanced or nitrogen-leaning liquid feed every 2-3 weeks for tender, fast growth. In practice: a balanced or compost-rich start, then a nitrogen side-dress or liquid feed every 3-4 weeks through the cropping period in the main season (spring through early autumn).
What strength of feed for pak choi 'feng qing'?
Use the vegetable-feed label rate for pak choi 'feng qing'. Steady availability matters more than a strong dose — a check in growth makes leaves tough and can trigger bolting.
What does over-feeding pak choi 'feng qing' look like?
Very soft, floppy, dark-green growth that attracts aphids. Excess leafy growth at the expense of hearts/heads in cabbage and the like. Salt crust and scorched leaf edges in containers; nitrate-heavy leaves. Letting pak choi 'feng qing' run short of nitrogen mid-crop is the main mistake — growth checks, leaves toughen and brassicas/leafy greens bolt or turn bitter. Keep nitrogen steadily available.
Should I flush the soil of pak choi 'feng qing'?
For container-grown pak choi 'feng qing', water until it drains freely each time and flush pots monthly with plain water to stop nitrogen salts accumulating; in the ground, good compost levels naturally buffer this.
Keep reading
- Pak Choi 'Feng Qing' care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water pak choi 'feng qing' — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise tomato
- How to fertilise pepper
- How to fertilise cucumber
- All 5561 fertilising guides in the Growli library