Bok Choy Planting Guide
Growing bok choy in May
Everything below applies to bok choy broadly. For a plan that's dialled into your county's frost dates and soil, tap your location.
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How to water bok choy
Keep the root zone damp for bok choy. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses pay for themselves with this plant.
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Where to put bok choy
South-facing beds are ideal for bok choy. Shade from nearby trees or fences costs real production.
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Check your local forecast before planting
Your zone determines the exact week to plant bok choy. Pick your county below and we'll line everything up against your frost dates.
Bok choy is a Chinese cabbage variety with crisp white stalks and dark green leaves. It is a fast-growing cool-season crop ideal for stir-fries and soups.
Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis · Vegetable · Brassicaceae family · 40–60 days to maturity
Get Your Personalized Bok Choy Planting Dates
Enter your ZIP code to see exact planting dates, soil compatibility, and growing tips specific to your county.
Where Can You Grow Bok Choy?
Bok Choy Growing Regions
Click any state to see the Bok Choy planting schedule for that location.
Planting Dates by Zone
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2a | Apr 18 | May 23 | May 30 | Jul 11 – Aug 15 |
| Zone 2b | Apr 10 | May 15 | May 22 | Jul 3 – Aug 7 |
| Zone 3a | Apr 3 | May 8 | May 15 | Jun 26 – Jul 31 |
| Zone 3b | Mar 29 | May 3 | May 10 | Jun 21 – Jul 26 |
| Zone 4a | Mar 25 | Apr 29 | May 6 | Jun 17 – Jul 22 |
| Zone 4b | Mar 20 | Apr 24 | May 1 | Jun 12 – Jul 17 |
| Zone 5a | Mar 21 | Apr 11 | Apr 25 | Jun 6 – Jul 11 |
| Zone 5b | Mar 14 | Apr 4 | Apr 18 | May 30 – Jul 4 |
| Zone 6a | Mar 6 | Mar 27 | Apr 10 | May 22 – Jun 26 |
| Zone 6b | Feb 27 | Mar 20 | Apr 3 | May 15 – Jun 19 |
| Zone 7a | Feb 18 | Mar 11 | Mar 25 | May 6 – Jun 10 |
| Zone 7b | Feb 11 | Mar 4 | Mar 18 | Apr 29 – Jun 3 |
| Zone 8a | Feb 1 | Feb 22 | Mar 8 | Apr 19 – May 24 |
| Zone 8b | Jan 21 | Feb 11 | Feb 25 | Apr 8 – May 13 |
| Zone 9a | Jan 13 | Jan 20 | Feb 10 | Mar 24 – Apr 28 |
| Zone 9b | Dec 28 | Jan 4 | Jan 25 | Mar 8 – Apr 12 |
| Zone 10a | Dec 4 | Dec 11 | Jan 1 | Feb 12 – Mar 19 |
| Zone 10b | Dec 4 | Dec 11 | Jan 1 | Feb 12 – Mar 19 |
| Zone 11a | Dec 4 | Dec 11 | Jan 1 | Feb 12 – Mar 19 |
| Zone 11b | Dec 4 | Dec 11 | Jan 1 | Feb 12 – Mar 19 |
Why are some columns showing "—"?
Transplant shows "—" because Bok Choy is best direct sown where it will grow. Transplanting can disturb the roots and slow growth.
How to Plant Bok Choy
🍂 Fall planting: Sow 10 weeks before your first frost date for a fall harvest.
Growing Conditions
☀️ Sun
Partial Shade (3-6 hours)
💧 Water
High — keep soil consistently moist
Keep soil consistently moist. Mulch heavily to retain moisture.
🧪 Soil pH
6 – 7.5
Prefers neutral to slightly acidic soil — ideal for most garden beds.
🗺️ Hardiness Zones
Zone 2a – 11b
📅 Days to Maturity
40–60 days
Quick-growing crop. Multiple plantings per season are possible.
👪 Plant Family
Brassicaceae
Rotate with other families yearly to prevent soil-borne diseases. Don't plant in the same spot where Brassicaceae family crops grew last year.
Succession Planting Bok Choy
Bok Choy matures in just 40–60 days, making it ideal for succession planting. In a typical 180-day growing season, you can get up to 5 successive plantings by sowing every 4.6 weeks.
Your actual succession count depends on your local frost dates. Enter your ZIP code to get personalized succession planting dates for your area.
Companion Planting for Bok Choy
✅ Good Companions
❌ Keep Away From
Check more combinations with our Companion Planting Checker →
Growing Tips for Bok Choy
Direct sow in spring or fall for best results. Keep soil consistently moist. Harvest whole heads or cut outer leaves for a cut-and-come-again approach.
Saving Bok Choy Seeds
Recommended for Your Garden
Start seeds indoors with reusable cell trays and humidity domes.
Test your soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels before planting.
Keep your garden organized with durable, weather-resistant plant labels.
Seed Saving & Storage Guide
Most saved seeds go bad before next season. This shows exactly when to pick, how to dry, and where to store seeds from 200 plants so yours don't.
- 200 plants, step-by-step: life cycle, pollination type, isolation
- Exact temperature + humidity ranges that keep seeds viable
- Bonus: searchable Google Sheets tracker + custom GPT assistant
Bok Choy by State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to grow Bok Choy?
Bok Choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) takes 40 to 60 days from planting to harvest. Exact timing depends on your variety, growing conditions, and USDA zone.
What zones can Bok Choy grow in?
Bok Choy can be grown in USDA zones 2a through 11b. Use the planting calendar above to find the exact dates for your zone.
How much sun does Bok Choy need?
Growing Bok Choy requires Partial Shade (3-6 hours), High — keep soil consistently moist, and soil pH of 6 to 7.5.