In my experience asian brassicas like Pak Choy, Wong Bok etc have a strong tendancy to bolt if sown when daylength is increasing (ie. Spring). I always wait until after the Summer solstice to start mine, and then I grow them in successional sowings through the autumn and winter. The hot weather you experienced has probably tipped yours over into flowering. You may get them to hang on a bit longer by pinching off the flowers, but I think you'd be better off using the space to plant something else.

As for the beans, I'm not sure, might depend a lot on how well your soil drains. If sandy and raised bed, you might be OK to sow, if it's clay perhaps wait? I do know the recommendation is not to water bean seeds once planted, until they have started to come up, because they can be prone to rot in the ground if it's too wet.

If you must sow now, sow some indoors. I've started beans in pots inside occasionally, and it works quite well. Something long, like a toilet roll middle works well but I've used long thing tube pots too with good success.

Once they've started bolting, it's only downhill from there. Use what you can as soon as you can. I've found Bok Choi and Chinese Cabbage difficult to mature here, cuz when May rolls around, they bolt, period. And there's not enough growing time in the garden for them to have matured.

Concerning bush beans. Yes, it has been too wet for bush beans without special helps. I planted sweet corn on April 23rd and covered it with clear plastic. it came up very quickly and I had to take the plastic off even though it was rainy weather. The corn was up and I had planted it on raised ridges and it is fine.

My first planting of beans on the 25th I failed to cover with plastic and it rained and rained and sure enough the stand is questionable. If I had covered them the first day, they would have been beautiful.

So for early plantings that are not in well raised beds of sandy soil,.....ridge the rows up 3 or 4 inches at least.

Thanks! I will try again with pak choi after the summer solstice then, and wait until it dries up for bush beans.

I just realized I have some brocolli seeds (waltham?). Is it worth trying to sow them now outside, covered with empty plastic water bottles? or is it too late - should I buy seedlings instead?

I'm surprised tcstoehr would have problems maturing bok choy and chinese cabbage in Portland unless they have only tried spring sowings. As others mentioned they often bolt when spring sown, although they're fine to eat, just pull them right away and eat 'em flowers and all. If the flower stem is too mature it may be tough though. Test with your knife/teeth.

Pac Choi and Chinese Cabbage are pretty easy to grow if planted mid-summer in the Pacific NW. I had beautiful Chinese Cabbages last fall. They didn't bolt at all and stood in the garden until at least November. The Pac Choi was very nice also, although several bolted. They were plenty big for eating though so I just picked them. It helps if the plants are spaced widely and watered/fertilized heavily. Cuts down on the bolting some.