Takes a light frost. Start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost; plant out 2 to 3 weeks before your last frost; sow in fall 9 to 12 weeks before your first fall frost. First harvest 60 to 65 days from sowing.
Photo: “Bok Choy” by JS and new VpuipV, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped). The cropped version is shared under the same licence.
Full sun to part shadeSome afternoon shade is fine
6–18 in apart
60–65 daysFrom sowing
pH 5.8–7.5Soil pH
1 in a weekEven watering
Half-hardyTakes a light frost
Your dates
Put in your ZIP code to see when to start, plant and harvest bok choy where you live, from your own frost dates.
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From seed to harvest
SowSeed goes inWeek 0
SproutFirst shoots showWeek 1
Plant outSet out transplantsWeek 4–5
Leaf growthLeaves fill outWeek 5–6
Head formsHeads start to formWeek 6–8
HarvestReady to pickWeek 8–10
How to plant and grow
Start in small pots
For spring, sow seed 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep in separate small pots 6 to 8 weeks before last frost. Seedlings dislike root disturbance.
Plant out young
Set plants out 2 to 3 weeks before last frost, while they are only 4 to 5 weeks old. Older transplants are more likely to bolt.
Space by size
Allow about 6 inches for dwarf types and 12 to 18 inches for full-size heads. Sun or light shade both work.
Keep it growing
Give about an inch of water a week and keep the soil evenly moist. Any check in growth, frost or a run of cold nights can trigger bolting.
Sow for fall
Sow seed directly in midsummer, 9 to 12 weeks before first fall frost. Fall is the easiest season for this crop.
Cut before it bolts
Cut whole plants at the base while the leaves are tender. Harvest right away if a flower stalk appears.
What you'll see: Velvety green caterpillars chew holes in leaves and bore into heads, leaving dark green droppings. White butterflies flutter over the bed.
Prevent
Cover plants with row cover from planting.
Check leaves each week and pick off caterpillars.
Organic options
Hand-pick caterpillars.
Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki) or spinosad on young caterpillars. Look for OMRI Listed products.
Conventional options
Same as organic: Bt and spinosad are the usual choices.
Bee caution: Don't spray open flowers. Spray in the late evening, when bees aren't flying.
What you'll see: Pale green caterpillars that arch their backs as they crawl chew ragged holes in leaves.
Prevent
Cover young plants with row cover.
Check leaf undersides each week and pick off caterpillars.
Organic options
Hand-pick caterpillars.
Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki) or spinosad on young caterpillars. Look for OMRI Listed products.
Conventional options
Same as organic: Bt and spinosad are the usual choices.
Bee caution: Don't spray open flowers. Spray in the late evening, when bees aren't flying.
Photo: “Aphids on Kale leaf” by Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped). The cropped version is shared under the same licence.
AphidsPest
What you'll see: Clusters of small, soft-bodied green, black or gray insects on new shoots and under leaves. Leaves curl, and a sticky film may coat them.
Prevent
Check leaf undersides each week; a few aphids do little harm.
Pull nearby weeds, such as wild mustards, that feed aphids.
Grow flowers for lady beetles, lacewings and hover flies, and avoid broad sprays that kill them.
Organic options
Knock aphids off with a strong spray of water.
Insecticidal soap or horticultural oil on leaf undersides, repeated as the label allows.
Neem oil, or OMRI Listed pyrethrins (without piperonyl butoxide).
Conventional options
Malathion or permethrin, if the crop is on the label. These also kill the insects that eat aphids.
Bee caution: Don't spray open flowers. Spray in the late evening, when bees aren't flying.
BoltingGrowing problemNo spray helps
What you'll see: The plant sends up a flower stalk early, and the leaves turn small and bitter. Long days and heat set it off, and in bok choy and other cabbage-family greens so can a late frost or a week of nights below 50 °F.
Prevent
Sow in the cool, shorter days of spring and fall.
Sow small amounts every few weeks rather than all at once.
Choose varieties sold as slow to bolt.
Give afternoon shade in hot spells.
Organic options
Harvest as soon as a stalk starts. Let a few cilantro or dill plants flower for seed and for helpful insects.
Conventional options
None. No spray stops bolting.
Photo: “Deroceras reticulatum” by Bruce Marlin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped). The cropped version is shared under the same licence.
SlugsPest
What you'll see: Ragged holes in leaves and fruit, and shiny slime trails, mostly after damp nights.
Prevent
Clear mulch and leaf litter close to plants so the ground can dry.
Start early; do not wait for a heavy infestation.
Organic options
Sink shallow containers of beer to the rim; empty and refill them often.
Iron phosphate bait scattered on the soil around plants. Look for OMRI Listed products.
Conventional options
Same as organic: iron phosphate bait is the pick for food gardens, being far less harmful to pets and wildlife.
Read and follow the product label: it is the law. It sets the rate, the crops it is for, and the days between spraying and picking. Products registered vary by state; for organic growing, look for products allowed under the USDA National Organic Program (OMRI Listed). We name active ingredients, not brands or rates.
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Sow
Sprout
Plant out
Leaf growth
Head forms
Harvest
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