Name: Wong bok, wong buck, wong nga bak, Chinese cabbage
Appearance: An elongated,barrel-shaped cabbage, with long outer green leaves; the paler leaves inside are more crinkly, and the inner stems are white.
Growing conditions: Full sun, well-drained and fertile soil, usually this vegetable grows best as a cool season crop. Size/spacing: Grows to around 30cm tall; space plants about 30-40cm apart.
Getting started: Grows easily and best from seed sown in the cooler months; sow seed into a
garden bed prepared in advance by digging in plenty of compost and well-rotted manure (eg, Dynamic Lifter or cow manure.)
Fertilising: Liquid feed plants fortnightly after the seedlings reach around 15cm tall.
Watering: Regular watering is required to keep plants growing rapidly, for best flavour.
Maintenance: Watch out for snails and slugs.
Storage: Keep in the vegie crisper for a few days, but use as soon as possible.
goes with…
- Garlic, ginger,galangal, turmeric
- Coconut
- Carrots, beans and other vegies
- Salads (makes the best coleslaw)
- Vinegar (pickled)
quick ideas…
- Discard the first few tough outer leaves and the thick white inner stems. Shred the cabbage finely and add it to stir-fries or salads.
Don’s Tips…
Much milder in flavour than common cabbage, Wong bok is best grown fast with plenty of food and water. It’s easy to grow from seed, but make sure the soil is enriched with plenty of compost and well-rotted manure (such as Dynamic Lifter or milled cow manure) dug into the soil prior to planting. As with all vegetables, you’ll get the best results by growing these plants quickly, in full sun. Before using in the kitchen, check the plants to make sure no snails, etc have hitched a ride with it!