Growing Bok Choy: How to Grow Healthy Plants at Home

Growing Bok Choy: How I Get Tender, Crunchy Heads Every Time

I grow bok choy like I’m tuning a jazz set, tight rhythm and small improvisations that keep plants stress free. It rewards that focus with glossy leaves, crisp midribs, and speed that embarrasses slow salad greens.

Fast facts for Growing Bok Choy

• Season: Cool weather crop for spring and fall, ideal at 60 to 70 F (15 to 21 C).
• Days to harvest: 30 to 35 for baby, 45 to 60 for full heads.
• Spacing: Baby 4 to 6 in (10 to 15 cm), full size 8 to 12 in (20 to 30 cm).
• Soil pH: 6.2 to 7.2, with steady moisture and high organic matter.
• Water: 1 to 1.5 in per week (25 to 38 mm), never let it swing from drought to flood.
• Light: 6 hours minimum sun, partial shade during heat helps hold quality.
• Bolt triggers: Cold snap followed by heat, daylength over 13 hours, and water stress.

"Many bok choy varieties reach baby size in 30 to 35 days and full size in 45 to 55." — Johnny’s Selected Seeds variety notes

Soil prep that sets the table

I aim for a crumbly, well drained bed that holds water like a sponge. I mix in 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of compost and a light dose of a balanced organic fertilizer, then firm the surface since brassicas root better in settled soil.

The RHS reminds growers that brassicas prefer fertile, firm ground with a near neutral pH. A quick soil test pays for itself with cleaner, steadier growth and fewer nutrition hiccups.

Seed vs transplant: my rule of thumb

Direct seed if nights are above 50 F (10 C) and flea beetles are under control. Transplant if spring is fickle or you want a head start.

For transplants, I use 1.5 to 2 inch cells and grow for 3 to 4 weeks under bright light. Harden off for 4 to 7 days so they shrug off wind and sun.

Timing to outrun bolting

Spring sowings go in 2 to 4 weeks before last frost, but I avoid long vernalizing chills that prime the plant to bolt. Fall crops are easy, sow 6 to 10 weeks before first frost and enjoy slower, sweeter growth.

Bolt resistant picks buy you margin, yet steady moisture and light shade during heat do more. A 30 percent shade cloth can drop canopy temps a few degrees and protect texture.

Sowing and spacing that breathes

I seed 3 to 5 per inch, thin with scissors at the two leaf stage, and eat the thinnings. For heads, final spacing at 8 to 10 in (20 to 25 cm) gives me dense, upright plants with wide petioles.

Rows at 12 to 18 in (30 to 45 cm) keep air moving. Mulch with clean straw or leaf mold to steady moisture and block grit splash.

Watering and feeding without making hollow stems

I give a deep soak twice a week in dry spells and avoid shallow spritzing. Uneven water toughens leaves and encourages bolts.

Side dress at 2 to 3 weeks with a light nitrogen feed, something mild like fish hydrolysate or a 5-5-5, then stop once heads size up. Too much late nitrogen can cause soft growth and split crowns.

Weather hacks: heat, cold, wind

Above 75 F (24 C) I use shade cloth and morning irrigation to cool the canopy. In spring snaps, a lightweight row cover protects down to about 28 F (-2 C) and speeds growth.

Wind makes leaves leathery, so I plant near low windbreaks or use hoops to keep covers off the foliage. Good airflow still matters for disease suppression.

Pests and diseases you will actually see

Flea beetles pockmark leaves early, mostly cosmetic, yet seedlings can stall. I use preemptive row cover on day one and sticky-edge trap boards as an early warning.

Cabbage loopers and imported cabbageworms chew big holes and leave green frass. Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Bt) knocks them back, and I scout undersides of leaves twice a week.

Aphids cluster in curls near the crown. A hard water blast, followed by insecticidal soap, clears most colonies.

Slugs love the cool mulch. I hand pick at dusk and run iron phosphate baits where pressure is high.

Clubroot and black rot ride in with soil and debris. Rotate out of brassicas for 3 to 4 years and clean tools between beds.

UC IPM notes that floating row covers prevent flea beetle damage by excluding adults, which matters most at seedling stage.

Organic IPM toolkit I actually use

• Lightweight row cover, 0.5 oz fabric on hoops to avoid abrasion.
• Btk for caterpillars applied in late afternoon so UV does less damage.
• Yellow cards for aphids and thrips, mostly for scouting, not control.
• Beer traps or boards for slugs, plus tidy edges to reduce hiding spots.
• Clean harvest knives and rinse tubs to prevent black rot spread.

Harvest, postharvest, and storage

For baby bok choy, I cut whole plants at 4 to 6 inches tall. For full size, I slice just above the soil line once the heads feel firm and petioles are white and wide.

Hydrocool in cold water right away to 34 to 40 F (1 to 4 C). Store high humidity in a perforated bag, and it holds 1 to 2 weeks with excellent snap.

Top varieties I trust

• Mei Qing Choi: Compact, juicy, lovely for tight spacing, holds better in spring heat.
• Joi Choi: Large hybrid with thick petioles and clean white stems, a market workhorse.
• Toy Choi: True baby type, fast and tender, great for containers.
• Win-Win: Broad, glossy leaves, mild flavor, forgiving in variable weather.
• Purple Choi: Anthocyanin rich leaves that keep color in the pan, slightly peppery.

Containers and small spaces

Bok choy thrives in containers 8 to 10 inches deep with about 2 to 3 gallons per plant. I use a peat or coir based mix with compost plus slow release organic nutrients and keep EC low so flavor stays sweet.

Water daily in heat since pots swing fast. A black fabric pot warms quickly in spring, then I switch to light colored pots in summer to reduce root stress.

Hydroponic notes for speed growers

In NFT or raft systems, I run pH 5.8 to 6.3 and EC 1.2 to 1.8 mS/cm. For lights, 200 to 350 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PPFD over 14 to 16 hours grows crisp leaves without tipburn.

Space 6 to 8 inches on center for heads and keep airflow steady. A gentle fan makes thicker petioles and reduces water film on leaves.

Companions and rotation

I interplant with scallions or garlic to confuse flea beetles and keep beds tidy. Skip planting after kale, mustard, cabbage, or radish to reduce clubroot risk.

A three year rotation out of the brassica family pays off. I follow bok choy with fast legumes or a mulch crop to reset the bed.

Troubleshooting quick fixes

• Plants bolt early: tighten spacing shade in heat, water evenly, switch to bolt resistant varieties, time fall plantings later.
• Leaves bitter: speed harvest in heat, water deeper, and cool quickly postharvest.
• Holes overnight: set slug traps and check at dusk, apply iron phosphate baits.
• Stalled seedlings: warm the soil to 60 F (16 C), feed a mild tea, and protect with row cover.
• Soft, puffy stems: ease off late nitrogen and water on a schedule.

Buying guide: seeds, gear, amendments

Seeds: pick bolt resistant F1s for spring and open pollinated types for fall seed saving. Look for days to maturity under 50 for quick turns.

Row cover: lightweight for spring speed and insect exclusion, heavier fabric for frost. Hoops keep fabric off leaves and reduce abrasion.

Fertilizer: balanced organic preplant, then mild side dress only once. Calcium rich soils keep midribs crisp and less prone to tipburn.

Irrigation: 1 gph emitters or a fine rose watering can for seedlings, with a simple timer to keep rhythm tight. Moisture consistency beats any miracle input.

Yields and small market math

With 8 inch spacing, I average 2 heads per square foot and about 1 to 1.5 lb per square foot per cycle. Baby types turn even faster, 3 to 4 cuts in under two months with succession planting.

Farmers market prices often sit at 2 to 4 dollars per head depending on region and size. Quick cycles and low space needs make bok choy a reliable cash and flavor crop.

Nutrition and flavor

USDA FoodData Central lists bok choy as low calorie and high in vitamins A, C, and K, with a clean mineral finish. That mineral snap shows when plants grow fast and stay evenly watered.

I cook the thick stems first, leaves last, and hit the pan hard and fast. It eats like a cool morning in the garden, bright and bracing.

Why Growing Bok Choy fits almost any garden

It sprints from seed to plate, answers to simple management, and plays nicely in containers, beds, or hydro. Growing Bok Choy taught me that precision beats force, and that timing tastes like tenderness.

Growing Bok Choy at home rewards you with crisp greens and a sense of control over what’s on your plate. Give your plants rich soil, steady moisture, and a bit of shade as temperatures climb. Watch out for pests and harvest before it bolts—you’ll taste the difference. Rotate with cool-season crops like lettuce or arugula to keep your soil and palate fresh. For me, bok choy belongs in the garden because it delivers—fast, reliable, and versatile in the kitchen. Nurture these plants, and they’ll return the favor.