Bok Choy

A fast-growing Chinese cabbage with crisp white stems and dark green leaves, perfect for stir-fries and soups. Bok choy prefers cool weather and bolts quickly in heat, so plant in early spring or late summer for best results. Baby bok choy varieties are ready in as few as thirty days and make excellent container plants. Provide consistent moisture and light afternoon shade in warmer climates to extend the harvest period.

Direct sow bok choy seeds half an inch deep in rows 12 to 18 inches apart as soon as soil can be worked in spring. For transplants, start seeds indoors four weeks before the planned outdoor planting date at 65 to 75°F. Seeds germinate quickly in 4 to 8 days. Thin seedlings or transplant to final spacing when two true leaves develop. Bok choy transplants poorly once the taproot is established, so use biodegradable pots to minimize root disturbance. For fall crops, direct sow 8 to 10 weeks before the first expected frost.

The Season Plate

Your Bok Choy Year

Composed for Zone 7 · typical seasons · frost passes Apr 2, returns Nov 1

Sow Bok Choy Mar – Apr, Aug – Sep, pick May – Jun, Oct – Nov. Set your climate below and every date on this plate re-times itself.

Sowing window

Mar – Apr, Aug – Sep

re-timed to your frost dates

Plant out

after Apr 2

once frost risk has passed

First picking

around Apr 29

≈ 45 days from sowing · 200-400g per plant

Composed for —ColdTemperateMildWarmUse my locationUsed once to set your season · only the zone is kept

Week-by-week Bok Choy reminders watering, feeding and pruning, timed to your dates

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Frost alerts for your garden a warning before a cold night costs you the crop

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Succession sowing dates so the picking never gaps mid-season

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Get my Bok Choy datesSaved to your free garden plan · no card needed

Bok choy is a cool-season crop that performs best when temperatures remain between 50 and 70°F. Direct sow seeds half an inch deep in early spring as soon as soil can be worked, or start indoors four weeks before transplanting. For a fall crop, sow in late summer when decreasing day length discourages bolting. Space plants 6 to 12 inches apart depending on variety size.

Provide consistent moisture throughout the growing period, as bok choy has shallow roots that dry out quickly. Mulch with straw or shredded leaves to retain moisture and keep soil cool. In warmer climates, provide afternoon shade using taller crops or shade cloth to delay bolting. Water at the base to keep leaves dry and prevent fungal issues.

Bok choy matures rapidly, with baby varieties ready in 30 days and full-size heads in 45 to 60 days. Succession plant every two to three weeks for a continuous harvest. Watch for bolting when temperatures rise above 75°F and harvest promptly if flower stalks begin to form. The entire plant is edible including flowers.

Bok choy benefits from aromatic alliums like onions and garlic planted nearby, which help mask its scent from cabbage moths. Celery and chamomile are traditional companion plants that may improve flavor. Dill and cilantro attract beneficial parasitic wasps. Avoid planting near strawberries or other brassica crops that share the same pests. Nasturtiums serve as trap crops for aphids. Mint planted in pots nearby may deter flea beetles with its strong scent.

The Society Table

Onion belongs beside it. Tomato doesn't.

Old growers' knowledge, checked against Bok Choy's real companion table below — test any plant you're growing.

Grows well in the company of · 3

OnionGarlicCelery

Keep apart · 2

TomatoStrawberry

Plant Bok Choy with good neighboursThe planner flags conflicts before they're in the ground

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View growing guide

Bok choy thrives in rich, moisture-retentive soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5. Work three inches of compost into the top six inches of soil before planting. Apply a balanced granular fertilizer at planting and liquid fish emulsion every two weeks during active growth. Bok choy is a moderate feeder but responds well to nitrogen for leaf development. Avoid fresh manure which can harbor pathogens. In containers, use a premium potting mix amended with slow-release fertilizer.

Ideal Temperature

Hardiness Zone Compatibility

Harvest baby bok choy whole when plants reach 6 to 8 inches tall, cutting at the base with a sharp knife. Full-size varieties are ready when heads are 10 to 15 inches tall with plump white stems and dark green leaves. For cut-and-come-again harvesting, remove outer leaves individually, leaving the center to continue growing. Harvest in the morning when stems are most crisp and turgid. If bolting begins, harvest immediately as the stems become tough and bitter once flower stalks develop.

Storage & Preservation

Wrap unwashed bok choy loosely in damp paper towels and place in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer where it keeps for 5 to 7 days. Do not wash before storing as excess moisture promotes rot. For freezing, blanch chopped bok choy for two minutes, plunge into ice water, drain thoroughly, and freeze in portions. Pickled bok choy stems make an excellent condiment. Baby bok choy can be halved and fermented in a kimchi-style preparation for long-term storage.

Cabbage Worms

Pest

Ragged holes chewed through leaves by velvety green caterpillars. Dark frass pellets visible on leaves.

Prevention Cover plants with floating row covers immediately after planting. Inspect undersides of leaves for tiny yellow eggs.

Fix: Apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray weekly during active feeding. Handpick visible caterpillars.

Flea Beetles

Pest

Tiny round holes peppered across leaves, especially damaging to young seedlings that may be stunted or killed.

Prevention Use row covers from transplanting until plants are established. Apply diatomaceous earth around the base.

Fix: Spray neem oil or pyrethrin for severe infestations. Yellow sticky traps help monitor and reduce adult populations.

Clubroot

Disease

Wilting during warm days despite adequate moisture. Roots develop swollen, distorted galls when pulled up.

Prevention Maintain soil pH above 7.0 by liming. Rotate brassica crops on a seven-year cycle in affected areas.

Fix: No cure exists for infected plants. Remove and destroy affected plants. Apply agricultural lime heavily before replanting brassicas.

Downy Mildew

Disease

Yellow patches on upper leaf surfaces with grayish-purple fuzzy growth underneath, spreading in cool wet conditions.

Prevention Ensure adequate spacing for air circulation. Avoid overhead watering and water in the morning.

Fix: Apply copper-based fungicide at first signs. Remove severely affected lower leaves and improve air flow around plants.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Premature bolting is the primary challenge, triggered by temperatures above 75°F, transplant shock, or sudden temperature fluctuations. Choose bolt-resistant varieties for spring planting. Slugs and snails are attracted to the moist conditions bok choy prefers and can devastate young plants overnight. Split stems indicate inconsistent watering or too-rapid growth from excessive nitrogen. Inner rot can develop in overly mature plants or those experiencing prolonged wet conditions around the base.

Growing Tips

1. Timing is everything with bok choy. Plant too late in spring and rising temperatures cause immediate bolting. The safest strategy is to start seeds indoors 4 weeks before last frost and transplant at the first opportunity — bok choy handles light frost, so early planting is far less risky than late planting.
2. For the most reliable harvests, focus on fall planting rather than spring. Decreasing day length and cooling temperatures virtually eliminate bolting and produce sweeter, more tender plants. Sow 8-10 weeks before first frost for full-size heads.
3. Consistent moisture is the single most important cultural factor. Bok choy has shallow roots concentrated in the top 4-6 inches of soil, so even brief dry spells cause stress, bitterness, and bolting. Drip irrigation with 2-3 inches of organic mulch is the ideal setup.
4. Succession planting every 2-3 weeks extends your harvest from a single concentrated picking to months of continuous supply. Plant small batches of 6-12 plants rather than one large planting that all matures simultaneously.
5. Baby bok choy varieties like Mei Qing Choi are superior for beginners and small spaces. They mature in just 30-35 days, are more bolt-resistant than full-size types, and are perfectly suited to containers as small as 6 inches deep.
6. Use floating row covers from the moment of transplanting through harvest. Row covers block cabbage moths, flea beetles, and aphids while creating a slightly warmer, more humid microclimate that bok choy loves. Remove only for weeding and harvesting.
7. Afternoon shade is essential in zones 7 and warmer during spring planting. Position bok choy on the north side of taller crops like peas or tomato cages, or use 30-40% shade cloth to keep soil and air temperatures within the ideal range.
8. Cut-and-come-again harvesting dramatically extends the productive life of each plant. Instead of cutting the whole head, pick outer leaves as needed, allowing the center to continue producing new growth for several additional weeks.