Bok Choy
Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis
Bok choy is a fast cool-season brassica with succulent stems and mild leaves. It can be direct-sown or transplanted, demands steady moisture in the 35–50 mm weekly range, and performs best in short spring or autumn windows before heat and lengthening days trigger bolting. Light frost tolerance allows earlier outdoor planting than tender summer crops.
Plant family Brassicaceae · Also called pak choi, pak choy
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Favor cool windows over summer heat.
Either sow outdoors from about four weeks before the last frost through the frost date, or start indoors 4–6 weeks before that frost. Seed depth is about 0.6 cm with germination in 4–8 days.
Light frost tolerance allows slightly earlier outdoor sets than tender summer crops, but hardening remains important for indoor starts. Resow about every 14 days in suitable weather to maintain young, tender heads.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Give rosettes room to size up.
Allow 15–25 cm between plants and 30 cm between rows. Rosette plants widen quickly; wider spacing suits full-size heads while closer spacing favors smaller bunching harvests.
Minimum container depth is 20 cm with about 7 litres of volume. High water need makes pots workable only when irrigation is attentive during hot spells.
Core measurements
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Allow for the mature form of the selected variety.
Install support early when it is required or useful.
Maintain high moisture in warm spells.
Four hours of direct sun satisfies the part-sun label, though bright cool weather produces the crispest texture. Sudden heat waves often cause flower stalks regardless of watering.
High water need corresponds to 35–50 mm weekly. Soil pH 6.0–7.5 is listed. Keep soil consistently moist but not saturated, especially as stems swell.
Sunlight
Part sun tolerant (4+ direct-sun hours/day)
Soil pH
A suitable acidity range for general growth.
Weekly water
High water need.
Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, especially during establishment and harvest development.
Harvest before bolting takes over.
Maturity is 30–55 days from sowing even when transplants are used for timing flexibility. Whole heads can be cut at once, or outer leaves can be stripped from slower plants.
Bolting ends quality quickly. Plan harvest before plants elongate, and use the succession interval to replace spent plants with a fresh sowing when temperatures cooperate.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Use quick spring or autumn plantings; heat and long days can trigger bolting.
Bok Choy growing questions
What causes bok choy to bolt early?
Heat and long days are common triggers. The key tip recommends quick spring or autumn plantings rather than mid-summer sowings.
Can bok choy be started indoors?
Yes. Indoor start is listed 4–6 weeks before the last frost, then moved outside within the outdoor frost window.
How much water does bok choy need?
The profile classifies water need as high with 35–50 mm weekly as a planning range, emphasizing even moisture.
Is bok choy frost tolerant?
It tolerates light frost, which is milder than hardy brassicas but allows earlier spring plantings than tender summer crops.
Profile values are crop-level planning ranges compiled from sources S2,S3,S4. Local climate and variety can change actual results.
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