🥕 Bok Choy (Pak Choi)

Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis

vegetables brassica (Asian green, leafy vegetable)

☀️ Sun

Full sun (6 hours) in cool weather; partial shade (3–5 hours) in warm weather to delay bolting; afternoon shade is beneficial

💧 Water

Medium–high; 1–1.5 inches per week; MUST have consistent moisture — any drought stress triggers bolting; mulch heavily around plants

🗺️ Zones

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

🪴 Soil Type

Rich, moisture-retentive, well-drained loam with high organic matter; bok choy is a fast-growing heavy feeder — needs generous compost

🧪 Soil pH

6.0–7.5 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline)

💧 Drainage

Well-drained but consistently moist; bok choy has shallow roots and needs steady moisture access

📏 Spacing

Standard: 8–12 inches apart; baby bok choy: 4–6 inches apart; rows 12–18 inches; baby varieties spaced closer

📅 Days to Maturity

30-45 days (from seed) for baby; 45-60 days for full size

🍴 Edible Parts

🍽️ ["Leaves (petioles and blades \u2014 entire plant eaten)"🍽️ "Stems/stalks (crisp🍽️ juicy \u2014 the main edible portion)"🍽️ "Flower stalks (bolting stems are edible and sweet \u2014 like broccoli raab)"🍽️ "Baby bok choy (harvest whole at 4\u20136 inches)"]

🤝 Companions (7)

🤝 Carrot

Different root depths — bok choy is shallow-rooted, carrots are deep; carrots loosen soil; bok choy provides living mulch

🤝 Lettuce

Similar shallow roots and moisture needs; both cool-season crops; bok choy harvested before lettuce matures

🤝 Onion/Garlic/Chives

Repels aphids and cabbage worms from bok choy; allium's sulfur compounds mask brassica scent

🤝 Dill

Attracts predatory wasps that parasitize cabbage worms; repels aphids

🤝 Nasturtium

Trap crop for aphids; repels cabbage loopers; ground cover retains moisture

🤝 Spinach

Similar growing conditions; spinach harvested before bok choy needs full space; complementary root zones

🤝 Mint (contained)

Repels flea beetles and cabbage moths; must be container-grown to prevent spreading

⚠️ Keep Apart (4)

⚠️ Strawberry

Mutual growth inhibition between brassicas and strawberries

⚠️ Pole bean / Runner bean

Beans may be stunted by brassica root exudates; nitrogen fixed by beans may cause bok choy to bolt faster

⚠️ Tomato

Brassicas can stunt tomato growth through allelopathic root exudates

⚠️ Fennel

Allelopathic — severely inhibits bok choy growth

💊 Medicinal Uses

["Excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin A", "Contains glucosinolates with anti-cancer properties (particularly sulforaphane)", "Rich in calcium (crunchy white stems), potassium, and folate", "Contains quercetin \u2014 anti-inflammatory flavonoid", "Traditional Chinese medicine: considered 'cooling' food \u2014 used to reduce inflammation and fever"]

📝 Notes

Bok choy (also pak choi, Chinese cabbage — though distinct from Napa cabbage) is one of the fastest brassicas — harvest in 30–45 days. Two main types: standard (large, white-stemmed) and baby/shanghai (smaller, green-stemmed, more tender). Bolting is the #1 problem — triggered by heat (>75°F), drought, or transplant shock. Direct seed for best results; if transplanting, start in biodegradable pots. Flea beetles love bok choy — floating row covers essential in many areas. Great for succession planting (every 2 weeks in spring/fall). 'Tatsoi' is a closely related flat rosette form.