When to plant Bok Choy
A quick-growing Asian brassica with crisp white stems and tender leaves. It's prone to bolting if started too warm or checked by cold snaps, so the steady cool of spring and fall suits it best. Baby types are ready in a month.
Companions: Beets, onion, herbs
How to grow Bok Choy
Bok Choy is best direct-sown straight into the garden, as it dislikes being transplanted. Give it full sun to part shade and space plants about 8 inches apart. It takes roughly 45 days from planting to its first harvest, so count that against your frost dates to be sure it can finish. It also supports a fall sowing for a second harvest. Classic companions include beets, onion, herbs.
Grower's tip: A cool-season Asian green prone to bolting — sow in spring and fall and harvest the whole head young.
When to plant Bok Choy by USDA zone
Timing shifts with your climate — the same bok choy goes in weeks earlier in a mild zone than a cold one. Find your zone below for its planting window, or open that zone's full calendar.
| Zone | When to plant |
|---|---|
| Zone 1a | Direct sow outdoors May 25–Jun 15 Direct sow outdoors Jun 20–Jul 11 |
| Zone 1b | Direct sow outdoors May 20–Jun 10 Direct sow outdoors Jun 25–Jul 16 |
| Zone 2a | Direct sow outdoors May 15–Jun 5 Direct sow outdoors Jun 30–Jul 21 |
| Zone 2b | Direct sow outdoors May 9–May 30 Direct sow outdoors Jul 7–Jul 28 |
| Zone 3a | Direct sow outdoors May 4–May 25 Direct sow outdoors Jul 14–Aug 4 |
| Zone 3b | Direct sow outdoors Apr 29–May 20 Direct sow outdoors Jul 18–Aug 8 |
| Zone 4a | Direct sow outdoors Apr 24–May 15 Direct sow outdoors Jul 24–Aug 14 |
| Zone 4b | Direct sow outdoors Apr 19–May 10 Direct sow outdoors Jul 28–Aug 18 |
| Zone 5a | Direct sow outdoors Apr 14–May 5 Direct sow outdoors Aug 6–Aug 27 |
| Zone 5b | Direct sow outdoors Apr 9–Apr 30 Direct sow outdoors Aug 10–Aug 31 |
| Zone 6a | Direct sow outdoors Mar 31–Apr 21 Direct sow outdoors Aug 22–Sep 12 |
| Zone 6b | Direct sow outdoors Mar 25–Apr 15 Direct sow outdoors Aug 30–Sep 20 |
| Zone 7a | Direct sow outdoors Mar 17–Apr 7 Direct sow outdoors Sep 7–Sep 28 |
| Zone 7b | Direct sow outdoors Mar 11–Apr 1 Direct sow outdoors Sep 15–Oct 6 |
| Zone 8a | Direct sow outdoors Mar 1–Mar 22 Direct sow outdoors Sep 23–Oct 14 |
| Zone 8b | Direct sow outdoors Feb 22–Mar 15 Direct sow outdoors Sep 30–Oct 21 |
| Zone 9a | Direct sow outdoors Feb 7–Feb 28 Direct sow outdoors Oct 10–Oct 31 |
| Zone 9b | Direct sow outdoors Jan 25–Feb 15 Direct sow outdoors Oct 20–Nov 10 |
| Zone 10a | Direct sow outdoors Jan 10–Jan 31 Direct sow outdoors Nov 2–Nov 23 |
| Zone 10b | Direct sow outdoors Dec 25–Jan 15 Direct sow outdoors Nov 5–Nov 26 |
| Zone 11a | Direct sow outdoors Dec 11–Jan 1 Direct sow outdoors Nov 5–Nov 26 |
| Zone 11b | Direct sow outdoors Dec 11–Jan 1 Direct sow outdoors Nov 5–Nov 26 |
| Zone 12a | Direct sow outdoors Dec 11–Jan 1 Direct sow outdoors Nov 5–Nov 26 |
| Zone 12b | Direct sow outdoors Dec 11–Jan 1 Direct sow outdoors Nov 5–Nov 26 |
| Zone 13a | Direct sow outdoors Dec 11–Jan 1 Direct sow outdoors Nov 5–Nov 26 |
| Zone 13b | Direct sow outdoors Dec 11–Jan 1 Direct sow outdoors Nov 5–Nov 26 |