How To Grow Bok Choy

If you’re looking for a fast and rewarding vegetable to grow, learning how to grow bok choy is a perfect choice. This crisp, leafy green is a staple in Asian cuisine and thrives in both garden beds and containers with just a little know-how.

Bok choy, also known as pak choi, is a type of Chinese cabbage. It doesn’t form a tight head like its relatives. Instead, it grows with dark green leaves clustered around a group of crisp, white stalks. It’s packed with vitamins and can be harvested in under two months. Best of all, it’s surprisingly simple to grow, even for beginners.

This simple step-by-step guide will walk you through the entire process, from seed to harvest. We’ll cover timing, planting, care, and how to deal with common problems. Let’s get your bok choy patch started.

When and Where to Plant Bok Choy

Timing is crucial for bok choy success. It’s a cool-season crop, which means it prefers the milder temperatures of spring and fall.

Spring Planting: Sow seeds 2 to 4 weeks before your last average frost date. You can also start seeds indoors a few weeks earlier to get a jumpstart.
Fall Planting: This is often the best time. Plant seeds in late summer, about 6 to 8 weeks before your first fall frost. The cooling temperatures make bok choy sweet and tender.
Climate Note: In warmer regions, bok choy is best grown as a winter crop. It bolts (goes to seed) quickly in hot summer weather, becoming bitter.

For location, choose a spot that gets at least 4-6 hours of sunlight daily. It can tolerate partial afternoon shade, especially in warmer weather. The soil should be rich, well-draining, and slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.0-7.5).

Step 1: Preparing Your Soil

Good soil is the foundation of healthy plants. Bok choy is a heavy feeder, so it needs nutrient-rich ground.

Loosen the soil to a depth of about 12 inches using a garden fork or tiller.
Mix in a generous 2- to 4-inch layer of compost or well-rotted manure. This improves drainage, adds nutrients, and helps the soil retain moisture.
You can also mix in a balanced organic fertilizer according to package directions to give seedlings a strong start.
Rake the bed smooth, removing any large clumps or stones.

Step 2: Planting the Seeds

You can sow bok choy seeds directly in the garden or start them in trays. Direct sowing is usually easiest.

Create shallow furrows in your prepared soil, about ½ inch deep.
Space rows 18 to 24 inches apart to give plants room to mature.
Sow the tiny seeds thinly along the furrow, aiming for one seed every inch or so.
Lightly cover the seeds with fine soil and pat down gently.
Water the area thoroughly using a gentle spray to avoid washing the seeds away. Keep the soil consistently moist until seeds sprout, which takes 4 to 10 days.

If starting indoors, sow seeds in cell trays 3-4 weeks before transplanting. Harden off seedlings for a week before moving them outside.

Step 3: Thinning and Spacing

Once seedlings are a few inches tall and have a couple of true leaves, it’s time to thin them. This gives the remaining plants space to grow into full-sized heads.

For smaller “baby” bok choy varieties, thin plants to stand 6 inches apart.
For full-sized standard varieties, thin them to 10 to 12 inches apart.

Don’t just pull the extra seedlings and discard them. You can carefully transplant them to another row or add the tender thinnings to a salad—they’re delicious!

Step 4: Watering and Feeding

Consistent care is key to preventing stress, which can cause bolting.

Watering: Bok choy has shallow roots and needs regular water. Aim for about 1 inch of water per week, from rainfall or your hose. Water at the base of the plants to keep leaves dry and prevent disease. Drip irrigation or a soaker hose works great. Inconsistent watering can lead to tough stalks.

Feeding: Because it grows so fast, a mid-season nutrient boost is helpful. Side-dress your plants with compost or apply a balanced liquid fertilizer (like fish emulsion) about 3 weeks after planting. This supports strong leaf and stalk development.

Step 5: Pest and Disease Management

Bok choy can attract a few common garden pests. The good news is they’re manageable with simple methods.

Flea Beetles: These tiny jumping insects make small holes in leaves. Use floating row covers immediately after planting as a physical barrier. Diatomaceous earth can also help.
Cabbage Worms and Loopers: The green caterpillars that munch large holes. Check the undersides of leaves regularly and pick them off by hand. For larger infestations, use an organic Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray, which is safe and effective.
Slugs and Snails: They love tender bok choy leaves, especially in damp weather. Set out beer traps or use an organic slug bait around your plants.

For diseases, good practices are your best defense. Ensure proper spacing for air flow, rotate your crops each year (don’t plant bok choy where other cabbage family plants grew recently), and avoid overhead watering to prevent fungal issues like downy mildew.

Step 6: Harvesting Your Bok Choy

Harvest time is the best part! Most varieties are ready in 45 to 60 days, but you can harvest earlier for “baby” bok choy.

For the whole head, use a sharp knife to cut the plant at the base, about an inch above the soil line. This method often allows for a smaller second harvest of tender leaves to regrow from the stump.
For a cut-and-come-again approach, you can harvest individual outer leaves as needed, starting when they are about 6 inches long. The plant will continue producing new leaves from the center.

Harvest in the morning when leaves are crisp and full of moisture. If you see a central flower stalk starting to form (bolting), harvest the entire plant immediately, as the flavor will start to turn bitter.

Growing Bok Choy in Containers

No garden? No problem. Bok choy grows very well in pots.

Choose a container that is at least 12 inches deep and wide. Ensure it has good drainage holes.
Fill with a high-quality potting mix, not garden soil.
You can plant seeds or transplants closer together than in the ground, but for full heads, give each plant its own 8- to 10-inch pot.
Container plants dry out faster, so check moisture daily and water when the top inch of soil feels dry.
Feed every two weeks with a diluted liquid fertilizer since nutrients wash out of pots more quickly.

Tips for Success

A few extra pointers can make a big difference in your harvest.

Use floating row covers from day one to exclude pests without chemicals.
Mulch around plants with straw or shredded leaves to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and keep soil cool.
For a continuous harvest, practice succession planting. Sow a new batch of seeds every two weeks in the spring or fall.
If a sudden heatwave is forcasted, provide temporary shade with a shade cloth to prevent bolting.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long does bok choy take to grow?
From seed, bok choy is typically ready for harvest in 45 to 60 days. Baby bok choy can be picked in as little as 30 days.

Can you grow bok choy from scraps?
Yes! Place the root end (about 1-2 inches tall) in a shallow dish of water. Change the water daily. New green shoots will emerge from the center in a few days. You can then plant it in soil to grow a new, but smaller, plant.

Does bok choy need full sun?
It grows best in full sun but appreciates partial afternoon shade in hot climates to prevent bolting. At least 4-6 hours of direct sun is recommended.

Why is my bok choy flowering?
Flowering, or bolting, is triggered by stress, usually from temperatures that are too hot or long days. Once it starts, the plant focuses on making seeds and the leaves become bitter. Harvest immediately and try planting earlier in spring or later in fall for cooler growing conditions.

What are good companion plants for bok choy?
Plant it with herbs like dill and mint to deter pests. Bush beans, onions, and potatoes are also good companions. Avoid planting it near other brassicas (like broccoli or kale) to help break pest and disease cycles.

Growing your own bok choy is a simple and satisfying project. With it’s quick turnaround, you’ll be adding homegrown, crunchy greens to your stir-fries, soups, and salads in no time. Just remember the golden rules: cool weather, consistent water, rich soil, and pest vigilance. Give it a try this season—you might be surprised by how easy it is.