How to Grow Bok Choy
Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis
Bok Choy is a fast-growing brassica prized for its tender leaves and crisp stems. Gardeners cultivate it to add fresh flavor to salads or stir-fries while enjoying high yields in short growing seasons.
📷 Wikipedia: Bok choyStarting Bok Choy: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Bok Choy is not usually started indoors.
Bok Choy is best started directly in the garden rather than indoors, as seedlings transplant poorly; simply sow seeds where they will grow after accounting for frost dates.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5. As a cool-season crop, sow seeds directly outdoors two to six weeks before your last spring frost date. Press seeds lightly into the soil at a depth of about half an inch. Germination typically occurs within four to seven days under these conditions.
Space plants six to ten inches apart to ensure proper air circulation and head formation. Bok Choy does not require trellising or support structures. Maintain consistent moisture by watering regularly, aiming for even soil dampness without waterlogging. Apply a light layer of mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds, feeding lightly if growth slows.
Watch for aphids and flea beetles; use row covers early in the season to prevent infestations before they cause damage. Harvest heads when they reach maturity, usually forty-five to sixty days after sowing. Cut the entire plant at soil level or snip outer leaves while leaving the center intact for continued production.
When to Plant Bok Choy
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | April – May | June – July | July – September |
| Zone 2 | April – May | May – July | June – September |
| Zone 3 | March – April | May – June | June – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | April – June | May – October |
| Zone 5 | February – March | April – May | May – November |
| Zone 6 | February – March | April – May | May – November |
| Zone 7 | February – March | March – May | April – November |
| Zone 8 | January – February | March – April | April – December |
| Zone 9 | January | February – March | March – December |
| Zone 10 | January | January – March | February – December |
| Zone 11 | January | January – February | January – December |
| Zone 12 | January | January – February | January – December |
| Zone 13 | January | January – February | January – December |
