Cabbage, Bok Choi Seed

Grow tender bok choy for leafy harvests in a cool-season garden.

A quick leafy cabbage crop

Bok choy is a leafy Asian cabbage grown for its tender leaves and crisp stalks. Harvest it young for cooking while the leaves are still delicate, or let the plant reach fuller size for a larger bunch. It fits well in a home vegetable bed where you want a productive crop before or after summer heat.

Time sowing for cool weather

Bok choy handles cool-season growing better than heat. In regions with hot summers, sow it for a fall harvest as days begin to shorten. Direct sow the seed shallowly in loose, fertile soil that drains well but holds moisture. Keep the seedbed damp as seedlings emerge. When plants are large enough to thin, leave room for them to develop without crowding. Even spacing and steady growth help keep leaves tender and reduce the stress that can make a crop bolt.

Keep moisture even

Chinese cabbage crops need consistent access to water. Dry spells can leave leaves with poor texture and more bitterness, while uneven moisture can cause leaf problems. Water the bed during dry weather and check the soil below the surface rather than relying on a quick sprinkle. A light row cover can shield young plants from wind and insect pressure, but secure it well and watch heat under the cover. Hoe shallowly around the seedlings so weed control does not disturb their roots.

Harvest before flowering

Pick the oldest outer leaves for a smaller harvest while the center continues growing. For a full plant, cut it while the leaves remain tender. Bok choy does not hold quality well when left too long in the garden. If it begins sending up a flowering stalk, harvest the plant before the flowers open; the leaves will stop growing once it bolts. Use the crop soon after picking. Fresh bok choy is better for quick meals than long storage, so sow a modest row and plant again if you want a later harvest.