Vegetable / Cool season
Bok Choy
Quick stir fry green that hates cold nights and hot days
Plant out byMay 4zone 6
- Family
- Cabbage (Brassicaceae)
- Sun
- Part sun (4+ h)
- Difficulty
- Some care
- Days to harvest
- 30-70 days
- Spacing
- 8 in apart, rows 18 in
- Pot size
- 5 gal pot (fine in pots)
- Frost
- Half-hardy
- Start
- Either
- Water
When to plant
Showing .
Averages for a typical garden in the region. Your local frost dates may differ by 2-3 weeks, check a local source.Too late this year (try fall)
In zone 6, start seeds indoors Mar 9 to Mar 23; plant out Apr 6 to May 4; sow again for fall Aug 18 to Sep 8. Average last frost Apr 20, first fall frost Oct 20.
Units
Bok choy is touchy about temperature from both ends. Frost, or a stretch of nights below about 50 degrees F, can trigger it to flower early. So can a hot spell or dry soil. The plants stretch, open yellow flowers and the stems go stringy. Most first-year failures come from planting too early in spring.
Fall is the easier season. Count back about 50 days from your first frost and sow seed right in the bed. The plants grow into cooling weather instead of warming weather, which suits them. In spring, start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last frost. Set them out once the soil reaches 50 degrees F and the nights settle down. Some seed companies say to wait until just after the last frost for that reason.
Baby types can be ready in about 30 days, and full heads take roughly 40 to 70 depending on the variety. Space baby plants about 6 inches apart and full size ones closer to 9 or 12. It takes some shade, and morning sun with afternoon shade helps in hot places. Flea beetles and cabbage worms find it fast, since it is a cabbage cousin, so row cover pays for itself. We cut whole heads at the base, halve them, and put them on the grill for a few minutes. It is one of the few greens my younger son eats without a fight.
Things to consider
- If your spring swings between cold and warm, look for a variety sold as bolt resistant. Many dwarf and Shanghai types are, and they also stay compact enough for pots and small beds.
- Keep the soil evenly moist from sowing to harvest. A bed that dries out is one of the common triggers for early flowering, and drip line or a soaker hose makes it easier.
- Mulch fall plantings with straw or shredded leaves. It keeps the soil temperature steadier as the nights cool, which helps prevent the early flowering that cold snaps can cause.
Good neighbours
Pests to watch for
Flea beetlesCabbage wormsAphidsSlugs
Questions about growing bok choy
What is the difference between baby and regular bok choy?
Mostly size and timing. Baby types are compact varieties or plants picked young, around 5 to 6 inches tall. Full size types grow larger heads with thicker white or green stems and take a few more weeks. Baby heads cook whole in minutes, while big ones are usually sliced.
Can I harvest bok choy more than once?
You can take a few outer leaves at a time and let the center keep growing. If you cut the whole head, leave an inch or so of stump, and in cool weather it may push out a smaller second flush. Once a flower stalk appears, harvest everything that is left. The leaves are still fine to cook for a day or two, they just get tougher fast.
Does bok choy grow in containers?
Yes, if the pot is deep, ideally a foot or more. Baby varieties suit pots best, and a wide pot can hold several plants about 6 inches apart. Containers dry out quickly, so check the soil every day during warm weeks. Move the pot into afternoon shade if a hot spell is coming.
Save this crop
Pin it to a garden board so it is there when planting time comes round.
Similar crops
Sources
General guidance for home gardens. Frost dates are averages for a zone or region; check a local source (in the US your county extension office) for local timing.