How to Grow Bok Spinach

Plant bok choy seeds or seedlings in the outdoor garden when nighttime temperatures reach 50 to 55 degrees F. The young plants need cool starts but suffer in frost or prolonged temperatures lower than 50 degrees F.

Choose a garden site with partial or filtered sun, good air circulation and drainage for spring plantings. Controlled sun keeps temperatures cooler and prevents the bok choy from bolting and going to seed. This vegetable rots and fails in any standing water.

Prepare the soil for planting. Turn over the top 10 inches of natural soil and add 4 to 5 inches of rich organic compost to warm and nourish the soil. Bok choy does best with crumbly, quick-draining and nutritious soil, and thrives with high organic content. Add 5-10-10 fertilizer per manufacturer's instructions for more starting nutrition.

Plant bok choy seeds 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, an inch apart in the row. Leave 18 to 30 inches between rows.

Water the bok choy with 2 inches of water every week, and lay 1 to 2 inches of organic mulch over the soil to maintain moisture and temperature. Mulch also restricts weed growth for easier maintenance.

Thin the plants to 6 to 12 inches apart in the row when they sprout. Maintain 6-inch spacing if you mean to harvest some or all of the plants as baby bok choy.

Harvest bok choy at 30 to 50 days, before the hot weather sets in. Cut off the bok choy at its base for harvest.