Any tips on growing Bok Choy?

I just ordered some dwarf bok choy seeds from Baker Creek to grow along with my mizuna and stir-fry mix. I have never grown this before and it is not in the SFG book; any tips, anyone? Like, does it need extra water, shade from the sun, are there any pests I should be watching for that attack it, does it inter-plant well with any other veggies?

Planted Baker Seeds Asian Stir-Fry mix last year and it was spectacular, lovely delicious greens with beautiful shapes and colors. Didn't plant nearly enough the first round! I will plant at least four squares of this in a few weeks and hope to add the bok choy to my stir-fryable garden!

Love to hear from anyone who grows bok choy or pak choy, thanks.

Last year I planted starts at 5 to a square in 2 squares and seeded at the same spaceing at the same time. Pulled the middle plant first. I found that successive planting is essential as bok choy tends to bolt here in the south. My DIL is Philippina and uses bok choy a lot.

Kay

This will also be my first year of growing Chinese Pak Choy so thanks for the info. I was stumped. I'm increasing my greens now that I have both an A-frame and a cold frame.

If you are growing the baby bok choy you might want to try 9 per square as these develop fairly quickly and are small. I found that when I tried 4/square there was definitely wiggle room to fit more plants. Experiment with 9 and see how it goes for you.

walshevak wrote:Last year I planted starts at 5 to a square in 2 squares and seeded at the same spaceing at the same time. Pulled the middle plant first. I found that successive planting is essential as bok choy tends to bolt here in the south. My DIL is Philippina and uses bok choy a lot.

Kay

Thanks I will use this spacing. Just wondering, when did you plant your first crop and how often did you replant over the season? I am hoping to get bok choy at least through July before it bolts. Thanks!

First crop went in in late March starts in one square and seeds in another. The starts bolted quickly, but the seeded ones lasted a bit longer. Seeded another square in May. It got very hot around here very quickly last year. I think the last of the bok choy bolted in June. I picked the last just before June 15 and did not reseed. Zone 8a.

This year I'm seeding next week and maybe buying some starts. My average last frost date is Mar 30. Think I will change the spacing to 6 per square and harvest 2 as soon as I can. Then 3 weeks later more seed. I'm putting 1 set of seeds in a 1x2 portable bed so I can set it under the tree hoping the light shade will extend the season. It seems to grow fast and bolt fast, with a 45 days to bloom (bolt) timing listed, but if you allow 4 squares and keep planting again as soon as you pull the last one from the 1st square, you might get some through the early summer. Then start again in late Aug.

Kay

My notes on bok choy:

Brassica family. Cool weather crop. Plant 4/square.

Can start seeds indoors as early as 6 weeks before last frost date; transplant 1 week after last frost date.

Can start seeds as late as 13 weeks before first frost date; transplant 6 weeks before first frost date.

Expect harvest 4-8 weeks after transplanting.

I keep a notebook on all the crops I grow with starting dates, transplanting dates, etc, so was happy to get this info on the Bok Choy. I'll be trying it this spring and then for a fall crop this year. Thanks again everyone.

walshevak wrote:First crop went in in late March starts in one square and seeds in another. The starts bolted quickly, but the seeded ones lasted a bit longer. Seeded another square in May. It got very hot around here very quickly last year. I think the last of the bok choy bolted in June. I picked the last just before June 15 and did not reseed. Zone 8a.


Kay

Yes it got really hot here in Southern Maryland last summer as well, my tomatoes cracked, my arugula bolted, etc. I will try the suggestion of nine per square and plant seeds directly in the boxes after St. Patrick's day. That should have my baby boks coming up in early May, unless the critters get 'em or we get a hard frost.

Glad to see other folks are trying this one out too so we can compare planting times and results.