Win-Win Choi
Brassica rapa var. chinensis
Wikimedia Commons
This white-stem, vase-shaped pac choi is bulky and uniform. 10-12" tall. Similar to Joi Choi, just a little smaller and more compact.
Harvest
52d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Zones
5–9
USDA hardiness
Height
3 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Win-Win Choi in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 lettuce →Zone Map
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Win-Win Choi · Zones 5–9
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | — | — | May – June | June – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | April – June | June – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | — | — | April – May | May – November |
| Zone 7 | — | — | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | — | — | March – April | April – December |
| Zone 9 | — | — | February – March | March – December |
| Zone 10 | — | — | January – March | March – December |
| Zone 1 | — | — | June – July | July – September |
| Zone 2 | — | — | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 11 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
Succession Planting
Win-Win Choi bolts quickly once daytime temps push past 80°F, so a single sowing rarely gives you more than a few weeks of harvest. In zone 7, direct sow every 14 days starting March 1 through mid-April for spring; anything sown after early May will mostly bolt before it sizes up. Pause through summer heat, then restart mid-August and sow every 14 days through late September — at 52 days to harvest, a sowing on September 1 should finish before a hard freeze arrives. That fall window is often the more reliable of the two.
Complete Growing Guide
This white-stem, vase-shaped pac choi is bulky and uniform. 10-12" tall. Similar to Joi Choi, just a little smaller and more compact. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Win-Win Choi is 52 days to maturity, annual, hybrid (f1). Notable features: Cold Tolerant, Hydroponic Performer.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 0 ft. 10 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed, Stem Cutting. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Win-Win Choi reaches harvest at 52 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. Expect 10-12" at peak. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.
The fruits dry and split when ripe.
Color: Brown/Copper, Green. Type: Siliqua. Length: > 3 inches.
Garden value: Edible
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Bloom time: Spring, Summer
Edibility: The foliage is edible raw or cooked but when cooked can emit an unpleasant odor.
Storage & Preservation
Win-Win Choi keeps best when harvested in the morning and refrigerated immediately at 32–40°F in a plastic bag with high humidity, ideally lasting 7–10 days. For longer storage, freezing works well: blanch whole or chopped leaves for 2–3 minutes, cool in ice water, then pack in freezer bags or containers for up to three months. Fermenting is also excellent; salt the chopped greens (about 2% by weight) and press them into a jar until brine covers the leaves, leaving them at room temperature for 1–2 weeks. Because this variety is tender and prone to wilting quickly, avoid washing until just before use. If you're saving seed, allow a few plants to bolt after 52 days; collect dried seed pods in late summer and store in cool, dry conditions.
History & Origin
Win-Win Choi is an F1 hybrid developed through controlled cross-pollination. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.
Brassica is a genus of plants in the cabbage and mustard family (Brassicaceae). The members of the genus are informally known as cruciferous vegetables, cabbages, mustard plants, or simply brassicas. Crops from this genus are sometimes called cole crops—derived from the Latin caulis, denoting the stem or stalk of a plant.
Advantages
- +Compact 10-12" size fits small gardens and containers well
- +Uniform vase shape ideal for consistent harvest and presentation
- +Quick 52-day maturity allows multiple plantings per season
- +Bulky white stems provide excellent texture and visual appeal
- +Easy cultivation makes it perfect for beginner gardeners
Considerations
- -Smaller size means lower total yield per plant compared to larger varieties
- -Compact growth may reduce leaf surface area for photosynthesis efficiency
- -Susceptible to bolting in hot weather despite relatively short season
Companion Plants
Chives and garlic are the most practical companions here — their sulfur compounds disrupt the host-finding behavior of aphids and cabbage moths (Pieris rapae), and both stay shallow-rooted enough to avoid competing for the consistent moisture Win-Win Choi needs. Marigolds (Tagetes patula) contribute at two levels: below ground they suppress root-knot nematodes, above ground their scent slows flea beetle (Phyllotreta spp.) pressure on nearby leaves. Tuck radishes in as a sacrificial trap crop — flea beetles prefer them and will cluster there instead of on your pak choi. Fennel stays 3 feet away minimum; its root exudates are allelopathic to most brassicas and will visibly stunt plants that share close quarters with it.
Plant Together
Chives
Repels aphids and other soft-bodied insects that commonly attack lettuce
Garlic
Natural pest deterrent that repels slugs, aphids, and root maggots
Marigolds
Repel nematodes and aphids while attracting beneficial predatory insects
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles, drawing pests away from lettuce
Radishes
Break up soil for lettuce roots and mature quickly without competing for space
Carrots
Deep roots don't compete with shallow lettuce roots, and carrots help loosen soil
Dill
Attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs and parasitic wasps that control aphids
Spinach
Similar growing requirements and helps maximize garden space efficiency
Keep Apart
Broccoli
Competes heavily for nitrogen and can overshadow lettuce, reducing light availability
Fennel
Inhibits growth of most garden plants including lettuce through allelopathic compounds
Sunflowers
Produce allelopathic chemicals that inhibit lettuce germination and growth
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #2346388)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Common Pests
Cabbage moths, flea beetles, aphids, cutworms
Diseases
Clubroot, downy mildew, powdery mildew
Troubleshooting Win-Win Choi
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Seedlings collapsing at soil level within the first 7–10 days after transplanting or germination
Likely Causes
- Damping off — a complex of soil-borne fungi (Pythium spp., Rhizoctonia solani) that rots the stem at the soil line
- Overwatering combined with poor drainage, which creates ideal conditions for fungal spread
What to Do
- 1.Don't reuse potting mix from a previous brassica or lettuce planting — start with fresh mix
- 2.Water in the morning so the soil surface dries out by evening; standing moisture at night accelerates damping off
- 3.If starting seeds indoors, use a sterile seed-starting mix and make sure trays drain freely — sitting water is the main culprit
Tiny round holes scattered across leaves, most visible on young transplants
Likely Causes
- Flea beetles (Phyllotreta spp.) — they're small, jump when disturbed, and hit brassicas hard in warm weather
- Transplant stress making plants slower to outgrow feeding damage
What to Do
- 1.Cover transplants immediately with row cover (Reemay or similar) and seal the edges — flea beetles locate plants fast
- 2.Direct sow or transplant during cooler parts of the season; flea beetle pressure drops significantly below 60°F
- 3.Kaolin clay (Surround) sprayed on leaves creates a physical barrier and reduces feeding without systemic chemicals
Yellowing leaves with a grayish-purple fuzzy coating on the undersides, spreading from older leaves inward
Likely Causes
- Downy mildew (Peronospora parasitica) — a water mold, not a true fungus, that thrives in cool, humid conditions with poor airflow
- Plants crowded past the 12–15 inch spacing recommendation, trapping moisture between heads as they fill out
What to Do
- 1.Strip and trash affected leaves at first sign; don't compost them
- 2.Space at the full 15 inches and switch to drip irrigation or base watering — wet foliage overnight is the main accelerant
- 3.Rotate that bed out of brassicas for at least one full season; Peronospora spores persist in soil debris
Plants wilting despite adequate water; roots show swollen, distorted knobs when pulled
Likely Causes
- Clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) — a soil-borne pathogen that deforms roots and blocks water uptake, most severe in acidic soils below pH 6.5
- Repeated brassica plantings (cabbage, kale, radishes) in the same bed without rotation
What to Do
- 1.Pull and bag affected plants immediately — do not compost; clubroot spores can survive in soil for 20 years
- 2.Lime the bed to raise pH to 7.0–7.2; NC State Extension identifies liming as one of the most effective cultural controls for clubroot
- 3.Keep that bed free of all brassicas for a minimum of 4 years
Frequently Asked Questions
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Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
- BreederJohnny's Selected Seeds
- USDAUSDA FoodData Central
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.