Time to Pick Bok Choy in the Garden!

*Squeals* *Dances* *Smiles* *Does a cartwheel*. Just kidding, I could never do a cartwheel. In the playground all the pretty little girls were always flipping around while I was playing basketball or trying to talk people into playing BINGO with me. But I am squealing, dancing and smiling…. it’s time to start picking vegetables in the garden! This makes me one happy girl!

Right now we’re getting hammered with Lettuce and Bok Choy picking in the garden. For a girl who used to dislike lettuce, I am sure eating it by the handful now.. but that’s another post! This one is all about one of my favorite greens, Bok Choy! Last year we grew some over the Winter in the green house and it worked pretty well but this Spring was the first time we grew them normal like our other plants. The results are astounding… we already have a contestant in the happiest plant of 2014 category!

For stats, the seeds were planted January 29 and transplanted outside on April 1st. These plants are growing MASSIVE! I really can’t say enough great things about their growth. They are wide, bushy and they just keep growing. So let’s pick some of the first harvest of the season… are you excited?

Remember when the bok choy were just baby seedlings? Oh those were the days…

Then they started growing…

Then suddenly they were full force ahead adult bok choy mode!

You guys just grew up so quick! It feels like just yesterday I was planting your little seeds.

You used to be small and weak and scared of the wind… and now you’re so strong you can live through tough storms!

From seed to these massive beauties.  A bok choy selfie is needed!

But now it’s time to pick the bok choy for dinner!   I’m totally making this noodle dish!   Did you know that if you don’t pick the entire plant but instead just cut off the outside leaves the plant will keep growing?  I know, it’s amazing. That means that you can grow a plant, cut, then keep on growing!  I would highly suggest this method as you’re going to get double the yield.  To do this just cut about 2 inches from the base on the outside leaves.  This is a great video that shows you how to cut it too.

And go all the way around the plant to cut all the leaves..

We tend to leave a few leaves inside so the plant won’t freak out but instead will keep  growing.  This is how we left the plant after cutting.

In just 1 week the plant already looks like this again. Do you see all the new growth around the base and the outside leaves?

And then once all your bok choy is cut, start thinking about recipes!

And continue to be in love with how green and beautiful it is!  Goodness I am in love with you bok choy.

Good job baby bok choy. Mama and Papa love you.

Thanks for harvesting with me!

Have you grown bok choy before?  Do you treat your plants like babies too?