When to plant Bok Choy in Temperate Australia
Temperate zone — applies to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Cool · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.
Sow bok choy direct from September to November in spring and February to May in autumn, dropping seed 5 mm deep into moist, fertile soil. Germination is fast at 5–10 days, and this quick brassica is ready to harvest in as little as 45–70 days. Space plants 20–30 cm apart with 30–40 cm between rows, or grow closer and harvest young as baby leaves. Bok choy is hardy and prefers the cooler bookends of the temperate year, as summer heat drives it to bolt. The autumn sowing is the reliable one for gardens around Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
Sowing calendar — temperate zone
Green months are your sowing window: February to May and September to November.
Growing notes
Bok choy is one of the fastest, most rewarding leafy crops for a temperate garden, going from seed to plate in a couple of months. It grows best in the mild conditions of autumn and spring and dislikes both hard frost extremes and summer heat, which is why the two shoulder-season windows suit it so well.
The defining failure is bolting: the plant runs up a flower stalk instead of forming a plump base, turning bitter in the process. Heat and stress are the triggers. Sow into the cool of autumn or early spring rather than summer, keep the soil consistently moist so plants never check, and harvest promptly once they size up rather than leaving them standing. In Adelaide and Perth a warm spring can push spring-sown plants to bolt early, so the February to May autumn window is more dependable.
The other pest to watch is the cabbage white butterfly and its caterpillars, along with slugs and snails that shred the tender leaves. Cover the crop with fine exclusion netting from sowing to keep the butterflies from laying, and patrol at dusk for slugs. Feed with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser for fast leafy growth, and water deeply and often, because any drought stress both toughens the leaves and hastens bolting. Successive small sowings every few weeks give a steady supply rather than a glut.
Bok Choy at a glance
| Sowing depth | 5 mm |
|---|---|
| Plant spacing | 20-30 cm |
| Row spacing | 30-40 cm |
| Germination | 5-10 days |
| Days to maturity | 45-70 days |
| Frost tolerance | Hardy |
| Method | Raise Seedlings,Sow Direct |
Common questions
- why does my bok choy bolt to seed
- Bolting is triggered by heat and stress. Sow into the cool of autumn or early spring rather than summer, keep the soil consistently moist, and harvest promptly once plants size up. In warmer temperate areas the autumn sowing bolts far less than a spring one.
- how long does bok choy take to grow
- Bok choy is fast, ready to harvest in 45–70 days from sowing, and germinating in just 5–10 days. You can also harvest earlier as baby leaves by sowing more thickly and thinning as you pick.
- when to plant bok choy in Melbourne
- In temperate Melbourne, sow from September to November in spring and February to May in autumn. The autumn window is the most reliable, as cooler weather keeps plants from bolting and produces sweeter, plumper heads.
- how do I stop caterpillars eating my bok choy
- Cover the crop with fine exclusion netting from sowing so cabbage white butterflies cannot lay their eggs on the leaves. Check regularly for any caterpillars that slip through, and patrol at dusk for slugs and snails.
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