Bok Choy
Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis 'Pak Choi'
vegetableBok choy, or pak choi, is a non-heading Asian cabbage with crisp, succulent white stalks and tender deep-green leaves, prized for stir-fries, soups, and braises. A quick cool-season brassica, it matures in around 50 days, with baby heads ready even sooner, and it bolts under summer heat and long days.
☀️
Sun
partial shade
💧
Water
Every 2 days
🌾
Harvest
~50 days
📊
Difficulty
easy
🌱
Lifecycle
biennial
Leaves year 1, flowers year 2
↔️
Spacing
6-12 in. apart
⬇️
Planting Depth
1/4-1/2 in.
🧪
Soil pH
6.0-7.5
Growing Details
Soil Type
Rich, moist
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3 – 10
Grown as an annual — this range is its winter hardiness, but you can grow it for a single season in any zone.
When to Fertilize
Every 3-4 weeks
Fertilizer
Nitrogen-rich
🌱 Growing Guide
Direct sow or transplant in the cool weather of spring or fall, giving full sun to part shade, fertile soil, and even moisture, since drought or heat stress triggers premature bolting. Fall is the most reliable season; for spring crops, harvest young before summer heat arrives.
Planting Calendar
Sign in to personalize →spring planting
🌱
Start seeds indoors
Mar 18
🌿
Transplant outdoors
Apr 1
🌾
Projected first harvest
May 21
fall planting
🌿
Direct sow
Aug 18
🌾
Projected first harvest
Oct 7
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
J
✅ Plant alongside
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
- Dill — Attracts parasitic wasps against cabbage worms
- Onions — Scent helps deter pests
- Sweet Alyssum — Draws hoverflies that eat aphids
- Nasturtium — Trap crop for aphids
❌ Keep away from
StrawberryTomato
🛡️ Pest & disease prevention
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Row cover young plants to stop leaf shot-holing
Handpick, use row cover, and apply Bt if needed
Water in the morning, trap, and hand-pick after dark
🌾 Harvest & storage
Cut the whole plant at the base once the stalks are crisp and full, or pick outer stalks as needed for a longer harvest. Baby heads are ready in about 30 days and resist bolting better than mature ones; bok choy tolerates a light frost.
🥗 Nutrition & benefits
Bok choy is low in calories and an especially good source of vitamins C and K, with about a third of the daily vitamin K in one cup, plus vitamin A as beta-carotene, folate, calcium, and potassium.
For educational and informational purposes only — HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.