Bok Choy / Pak Choi
What's special about Bok Choy / Pak Choi
Loose leaves, thick white ribs. Fast crop, harvest whole.
Growing this variety
Bok Choy / Pak Choi follows the same growing basics as Cabbage. Variety-specific maturity above; everything else below applies to the whole Cabbage family.
Germination
Spacing & depth
How to plant
Start indoors, transplant into rich soil. Row-cover for cabbage moths. Steady moisture — irregular watering splits heads.
Grower's tip
A head cut cleanly at the base often sends up 4 mini-heads from the stump. Free second crop.
Soil preferences
Rich, moisture-retentive loam.
6.0–7.0
Compost + a light nitrogen source (blood meal, aged manure) — greens are all leaf, so they want nitrogen.
Watering
Consistent — 1 in per week minimum, more in heat. Uneven water triggers bolt.
Overhead is fine in the morning; drip is best in humid climates.
Overwatered: soft rot at the crown, yellow lower leaves. Underwatered: bitter flavor, tough leaves, premature bolting.
Either works — Top-water is fine — greens enjoy a gentle morning overhead rinse to cool the crown. Bottom-water indoor seedlings and microgreen trays to prevent damping-off. Skip evening overhead water.
Temperature tolerance
55–75°F (13–24°C) — most greens bolt above 80°F (27°C)
45–60°F (7–16°C)
Light frost tolerated by most; kale, spinach, mâche, and collards are cold-hardy and often sweeter after frost.
Container growing
Yes — great in containers
6–8 in deep, any width; a window box works
Perfect for pots and hydroponics; cut-and-come-again mixes give weeks of harvest per sowing.
Succession planting
Every 2 weeks spring and fall. Skip the hottest weeks or use shade cloth.
Detailed harvesting
Cut outer leaves and let the crown keep producing (cut-and-come-again), or cut the whole rosette 1 in above the crown for a fresh flush.
Post-harvest storage & preservation
Rinse, spin dry, and store in a sealed bag with a paper towel in the crisper 5–7 days. Blanch and freeze for cooking greens.
Culinary, medicinal & other uses
Salads, sautés, smoothies, soups. Bitter or overgrown leaves are best cooked, not raw.
Medicinal or traditional uses are shared for interest only — this is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before using any plant medicinally.
Seed saving
Lettuce is self-pollinating; spinach is wind-pollinated; brassica greens (kale, arugula, mustard) are insect-pollinated and cross freely.
Lettuce 20 ft; spinach 1/2 mile; brassicas 1/4 mile or cage.
Let a robust plant bolt; harvest dry seed stalks; rub clean; store dry.
Your zone's planting calendar
Pick your USDA hardiness zone and we'll estimate the key dates for cabbage in your area. These are regional averages — always check your own last-frost forecast before sowing.
My Bok Choy / Pak Choi Cabbage notes
Bok Choy / Pak Choi Cabbage seeds on hand
Track packets and loose seeds you already have. Private to your account.
Par level — leave at 0 for no alert. Anything below par shows on Seed Starting and your shopping list.
From your kitchen — grow cabbage from what you already have
Let one plant bolt (send up its flower stalk) and it will make hundreds to thousands of seeds. Bolted greens are bitter to eat but perfect for saving.
- 1Pick your best, slowest-to-bolt plant as the seed parent.
- 2Let the flower stalk rise, bloom, and dry brown on the plant.
- 3Cut the whole stalk into a paper bag before it shatters.
- 4Rub between your hands to release seed; sieve out chaff; store dry.
Storage: 3–5 years dry.
Order more seeds
Running low? Reorder from one of these seed stores.
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Other Cabbage varieties
Green (Copenhagen, Early Jersey Wakefield)
65 daysThe all-purpose grocery-store cabbage.
Red / Purple
75 daysDenser, tangier. Beautiful in slaw. Same growing needs.
Savoy
85 daysCrinkled tender leaves. Best for cooking; more cold-hardy.
Napa / Chinese
70 daysUpright loose head. Sweet, mild. The kimchi and stir-fry cabbage.
Red Acre
75 daysCompact 3 lb purple-red heirloom head — early, uniform, and great for slaw. Best fall red cabbage for small gardens.
Late Flat Dutch
100 daysLarge flat heirloom head, late-maturing and excellent for storage. A classic winter keeper.