Rainline Garden

When to plant bok choy in Oregon and Washington

In Portland: Plant bok choy in the garden Mar 1 – Apr 5, either as seeds or as young plants started indoors Jan 25 – Feb 8. For a fall harvest, plant again Aug 20 – Sep 3. In Bend: Apr 28 – Jun 2. Find your city below.

Difficulty
Easy
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Spacing
6 to 10 inches apart
Planting depth
¼ inch deep
Frost
Handles light frost
First harvest
About 45 days after planting

Bolts as days lengthen, so get spring sowings in early. Fall crops are the easiest.

Bok choy planting dates by city

CityStart seeds indoorsPlant in the gardenPlant again for fall
Astoria, ORFeb 18 – Mar 4Mar 25 – Apr 29Aug 20 – Sep 3
Baker City, ORMar 16–30Apr 20 – May 25Jul 21 – Aug 4
Bend and Redmond, ORMar 24 – Apr 7Apr 28 – Jun 2Jul 20 – Aug 3
Burns, ORMar 26 – Apr 9Apr 30 – Jun 4Jul 12–26
Coos Bay and North Bend, ORFeb 18 – Mar 4Mar 25 – Apr 29Aug 20 – Sep 3
Eugene, ORJan 25 – Feb 8Mar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 3
Gresham, ORJan 25 – Feb 8Mar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 3
Klamath Falls, ORMar 24 – Apr 7Apr 28 – Jun 2Jul 24 – Aug 7
Medford, ORJan 25 – Feb 8Mar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 3
Pendleton, ORFeb 13–27Mar 20 – Apr 24Aug 20 – Sep 3
Portland, ORJan 25 – Feb 8Mar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 3
Roseburg, ORJan 25 – Feb 8Mar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 3
Salem, ORJan 25 – Feb 8Mar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 3
The Dalles, ORFeb 13–27Mar 20 – Apr 24Aug 20 – Sep 3
Wilsonville and Canby, ORJan 25 – Feb 8Mar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 3
Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Mar 25 – Apr 29Aug 20 – Sep 3
Bellingham, WAJan 25 – Feb 8Mar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 3
Ellensburg, WAFeb 25 – Mar 11Apr 1 – May 6Aug 12–26
Everett, WAJan 25 – Feb 8Mar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 3
Forks, WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Mar 25 – Apr 29Aug 20 – Sep 3
Moses Lake, WAFeb 13–27Mar 20 – Apr 24Aug 13–27
Olympia, WAFeb 11–25Mar 18 – Apr 22Aug 19 – Sep 2
Omak and Okanogan, WAFeb 25 – Mar 11Apr 1 – May 6Aug 12–26
Seattle and Tacoma, WAJan 25 – Feb 8Mar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 3
Spokane, WAFeb 25 – Mar 11Apr 1 – May 6Aug 17–31
Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WAFeb 13–27Mar 20 – Apr 24Aug 16–30
Vancouver, WAJan 25 – Feb 8Mar 1 – Apr 5Aug 20 – Sep 3
Walla Walla, WAFeb 13–27Mar 20 – Apr 24Aug 20 – Sep 3
Wenatchee, WAFeb 13–27Mar 20 – Apr 24Aug 20 – Sep 3
Yakima, WAFeb 20 – Mar 6Mar 27 – May 1Aug 9–23

How to grow bok choy

  1. Start seeds indoors on your city's dates in trays or small pots under a grow light or in your sunniest window. Or skip this step and buy young plants (starts) at a garden center.
  2. Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
  3. Plant them in the garden on your city's dates, 6 to 10 inches apart. If you plant seeds instead, sow them ¼ inch deep.
  4. Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
  5. Plant again on your city's dates for a fall harvest.
  6. Harvest: Cut baby bok choy at about 6 inches tall, or whole heads at full size. Harvest before a flower stalk appears.

Varieties that do well in the Northwest

Watch out for

Flea beetles and slugs chew the leaves. Row cover and iron phosphate slug bait handle both.

More cabbage family

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