GrowSabzHow to grow bok choy in pots
Also called Pak Choi, Chinese Cabbage, Spoon Cabbage, pak choi · Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis
باک چوی
- ☀️ Sunlight
- 3–6hours daily
- 💧 Water
- 0.4 Levery 2 days, 5 L pot
- 🌡️ Ideal temp
- 13–24°C
- 🪴 Min pot
- 5 L15 cm deep
- 🧺 Harvest
- 30–60days from sowing
- ⚖️ Yield
- 1 kgper 20 L pot
Bok Choy keeps producing once it starts. First picking comes around day 30, and the plant then crops for roughly 45 more days — but only if you keep picking. Letting it run to flower is what ends the supply.
Short answer
Grow bok choy in a 5 litre container at least 15 cm deep, watering about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil every 2 days, and keep temperatures between 13 and 24 °C. First harvest comes 30–60 days after sowing.
Where to plant it
What size pot does bok choy need?
5 litres and 15 cm deep is the realistic minimum for a single plant. Pick a container below to see what changes.
| Container | Minimum size | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot | 5 L | 15 cm | Good for individual plants or small clusters. |
| Grow bag | 5 L | 15 cm | Provides good aeration and drainage. |
| Open ground | — | 20 cm | Ensure consistent moisture and protection from intense sun. |
| Raised bed | 10 L | 20 cm | Allows for better soil control and drainage. |
Watering
How often should you water bok choy?
Every 2 days through the growing season, at about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil — daily in hot weather, every 3 days when it turns cool. Water in the early morning. Drip irrigation or base watering works best.
Too little water
- wilting
- stunted growth
- bolting
- bitter taste
Too much water
- yellowing leaves
- stunted growth
- root rot
Avoid: overhead watering (can promote disease); letting soil dry out completely.
Climate
Can you grow bok choy where you live?
No hardiness zone needed — compare your actual temperatures against the plant's own limits.
| Ideal range | 13 – 24 °C |
|---|---|
| Survives | -4 – 29 °C |
| Germinates above | 7 °C — best at 18 °C, about 7 days |
| Flowers drop | above 27 °C |
| Sunlight | 3–8 hrs/day, best 6 |
| Frost | Medium sensitivity |
The flower-drop thresholds matter more than the survival ones. A plant can be perfectly alive at 29 °C and still give you nothing.
How cold is too cold for bok choy? Check your temperaturesEnter your night low and day high — see if it survives, and if it will cropTimeline
Bok Choy growing stages, day by day
Click any stage to see what's happening. Durations shift with temperature — a warm season runs roughly a quarter faster than a cool one.
Feeding
Fertiliser schedule for bok choy
Feed on the interval below, changing what you give as the plant shifts from making leaves to making fruit.
| Stage | What to use | Per 10 L | Every |
|---|
How to prepare each feed
Common mistakes
Why bok choy fails, and how to avoid it
- A container that is too small
Below 5 litres the root run is too shallow. The plant grows, flowers late, and drops whatever it sets because it cannot support the crop.
- Watering too lightly
A daily splash wets the top few centimetres and nothing else. Bok Choy wants about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil — one deep soak beats three shallow ones.
- Ignoring the flower-drop threshold
Above 27 °C flowers fall before setting. The plant can look perfectly healthy and still give you nothing — shade it through the hottest hours.
- Planting it beside Strawberry
Can inhibit the growth of brassicas like Bok Choy.
Companions
What to plant with bok choy
Good neighbours
Believed to improve the growth and flavor of nearby brassicas.
Attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps and ladybugs, which prey on common brassica pests.
Its strong scent helps deter flea beetles and cabbage moths, common pests of Bok Choy.
Acts as a trap crop, attracting aphids and cabbage worms away from Bok Choy.
Deters aphids, slugs, and other pests with its pungent odor.
Keep apart from
Can inhibit the growth of brassicas like Bok Choy.
Can stunt the growth of Bok Choy due to different nutrient requirements and potential allelopathy.
Some sources suggest pole beans can stunt the growth of brassicas.
Known to inhibit the growth of many plants, including brassicas.
Planting other brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kale) nearby leads to competition for nutrients and shared pests/diseases.
Problems
Bok Choy pests and diseases
Each lists the weather that brings it on, so you know when to start checking rather than reacting once it's established.
Cabbage Worms humidity any · temp 18-29
Larvae (green caterpillars) chew irregular holes in leaves, often leaving behind dark green frass. Can quickly defoliate plants.
Flea Beetles humidity <60% · temp >20
Tiny, jumping beetles that create small, round 'shot-hole' damage on leaves. Severe infestations can stunt growth or kill seedlings.
Aphids humidity any · temp 15-25
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth and undersides of leaves, sucking sap and causing distorted, yellowed leaves. May secrete sticky honeydew.
Slugs Snails humidity >80% · temp 10-20
Leave irregular holes in leaves and characteristic silvery slime trails. Especially damaging to young seedlings.
Clubroot humidity high soil moisture · temp 18-25
Causes swollen, distorted roots, leading to stunted growth, wilting during the day, and yellowing leaves. Favors acidic, wet soil.
Downy Mildew humidity >85% · temp 10-20
Yellowish spots on the upper surface of leaves, with fuzzy gray or purplish mold on the undersides. Can cause leaves to die.
Black Rot humidity >80% · temp 20-30
V-shaped yellow lesions starting at leaf margins, with black veins. Can spread systemically and cause a foul odor.
Alternaria Leaf Spot humidity >70% · temp 20-28
Dark, concentric spots (target-like) on older leaves, often surrounded by a yellow halo. Can lead to defoliation.
Harvest
When to harvest bok choy
First picking falls between day 30 and day 60, and the plant then keeps producing for about 45 days. Pick often — what you leave on the plant signals it to stop making more.
How to tell it's ready
- Leaves are tender and crisp, 6-12 inches tall depending on variety.
How much to expect
Storing it: Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 1 week.
Questions
Bok Choy: common questions
How long does bok choy take to grow?
About 50 days from sowing to the first harvest, with picking usually starting between day 30 and day 60. It then keeps producing for roughly 45 more days. Warm weather pulls that forward; cool weather pushes it back.
What size pot does bok choy need?
At least 5 litres and 15 cm deep for one plant. A raised bed wants 10 litres of soil and 20 cm of depth.
How often should I water bok choy?
About 600 ml per 10 litres of soil, every 2 days in normal weather — daily when it is hot and every 3 days when cool. Water in the early morning.
What temperature does bok choy need?
It does best between 13 °C and 24 °C and survives from -4 °C to 29 °C. Seed needs soil above 7 °C to germinate, ideally around 18 °C.
Can I grow bok choy in winter?
It tolerates cold better than most, down to about -4 °C, so a sheltered spot or a cold frame will often carry it through.
How do I know when bok choy is ready to harvest?
Leaves are tender and crisp, 6-12 inches tall depending on variety.. Once picked: refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 1 week.
How much does one bok choy plant produce?
Roughly 1 kg from a 20 litre container, or about 2 kg in open ground. Larger containers give proportionally more, up to a point.