Pac Choi Planting Guide

May

pac choi this month

Month-by-month pac choi fundamentals. Your frost dates change the timing, so pick your county for a tailored plan.

Sun partial shade

Water high

Days to harvest 40–55

Plant depth 1″

Spacing 15″

How to water pac choi
pac choi wants steady moisture. Check the top inch of soil every morning — if it's dry, water before the sun is high.
Where to put pac choi
pac choi wants at least 6 hours of direct sun. Less than that and you'll get leggy plants with weak yields.
Check your local forecast before planting
Your zone determines the exact week to plant pac choi. Pick your county below and we'll line everything up against your frost dates.

Find your zone's pac choi schedule →

Pac choi (baby bok choy) is a compact variety of Chinese cabbage with tender leaves and crisp stems. It grows quickly and is ideal for containers and small spaces.

Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis · Vegetable · Brassicaceae family · 40–55 days to maturity

Get Your Personalized Pac Choi Planting Dates

Enter your ZIP code to see exact planting dates, soil compatibility, and growing tips specific to your county.

Where Can You Grow Pac Choi?

Zone Compatibility for Pac Choi Zones 2a – 11b

1a 1b 2a 2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b 11a 11b 12a 12b 13a 13b

Ideal (data available) Suitable Marginal Not recommended

Planting Dates by Zone

Zone	Start Indoors	Direct Sow	Transplant	Harvest
Zone 2a	Apr 18	May 23	May 30	Jul 11 – Aug 8
Zone 2b	Apr 10	May 15	May 22	Jul 3 – Jul 31
Zone 3a	Apr 3	May 8	May 15	Jun 26 – Jul 24
Zone 3b	Mar 29	May 3	May 10	Jun 21 – Jul 19
Zone 4a	Mar 25	Apr 29	May 6	Jun 17 – Jul 15
Zone 4b	Mar 20	Apr 24	May 1	Jun 12 – Jul 10
Zone 5a	Mar 21	Apr 11	Apr 25	Jun 6 – Jul 4
Zone 5b	Mar 14	Apr 4	Apr 18	May 30 – Jun 27
Zone 6a	Mar 6	Mar 27	Apr 10	May 22 – Jun 19
Zone 6b	Feb 27	Mar 20	Apr 3	May 15 – Jun 12
Zone 7a	Feb 18	Mar 11	Mar 25	May 6 – Jun 3
Zone 7b	Feb 11	Mar 4	Mar 18	Apr 29 – May 27
Zone 8a	Feb 1	Feb 22	Mar 8	Apr 19 – May 17
Zone 8b	Jan 21	Feb 11	Feb 25	Apr 8 – May 6
Zone 9a	Jan 13	Jan 20	Feb 10	Mar 24 – Apr 21
Zone 9b	Dec 28	Jan 4	Jan 25	Mar 8 – Apr 5
Zone 10a	Dec 4	Dec 11	Jan 1	Feb 12 – Mar 12
Zone 10b	Dec 4	Dec 11	Jan 1	Feb 12 – Mar 12
Zone 11a	Dec 4	Dec 11	Jan 1	Feb 12 – Mar 12
Zone 11b	Dec 4	Dec 11	Jan 1	Feb 12 – Mar 12

Why are some columns showing "—"?

Transplant shows "—" because Pac Choi is best direct sown where it will grow. Transplanting can disturb the roots and slow growth.

How to Plant Pac Choi

Planting Depth

15"

Between Plants

24"

Between Rows

🍂 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

40–55 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 Pac Choi

Pac Choi matures in just 40–55 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 Pac Choi

✅ Good Companions

Celery Lettuce Onion

❌ Keep Away From

Strawberries

Check more combinations with our Companion Planting Checker →

Growing Tips for Pac Choi

Direct sow in spring or fall. Grows best in cool weather. Space 6 inches apart for baby pac choi. Harvest whole plants or cut outer leaves as needed.

Saving Pac Choi Seeds

Recommended for Your Garden

🌱

Seed Starting Trays $8-20

Start seeds indoors with reusable cell trays and humidity domes.

🧪

Soil Test Kit $12-25

Test your soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels before planting.

🏷️

Garden Plant Markers $6-12

Keep your garden organized with durable, weather-resistant plant labels.

Reader favourite

Seed Saving & Storage Guide

$27 $157 value

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

Save a lifetime of seed money →

Pac Choi by State

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to grow Pac Choi?

Pac Choi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) takes 40 to 55 days from planting to harvest. Exact timing depends on your variety, growing conditions, and USDA zone.

What zones can Pac Choi grow in?

Pac Choi 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 Pac Choi need?

Growing Pac Choi requires Partial Shade (3-6 hours), High — keep soil consistently moist, and soil pH of 6 to 7.5.