Zone 3 · Leafy Greens Growing Guide

When to Plant Bok Choy
in Zone 3

Fast, productive, and delicious stir-fried or in soups. Baby bok choy can be harvested whole at 30 days or left to mature as full heads. Cool-season crop that tolerates light frost.

Plant outdoors
May 1 – Jun 15, Aug 1 – Aug 20
Start indoors
Direct sow
Last Frost
~May 15
Days to harvest
45–60 days
Difficulty
Easy
Wrong season — Zone 3
Harvest window: Jun – Jul, Sep – Oct

Planting Calendar

In Zone 3, Bok Choy should be planted outdoors May 1 – Jun 15, Aug 1 – Aug 20, after the average last frost date of approximately May 15.

Two short seasons. Very fast-maturing baby varieties like Shanghai or Toy Choy work best.

Care Guide

Sunlight
Full sun to partial shade · 3–8 hrs/day
Watering
Regular
Spacing
6–12 inches
Soil
Fertile, moisture-retentive, well-draining
Days to maturity
45–60 days
Soil pH
6.0–7.0
plant tip · Zone 3

Two short seasons. Very fast-maturing baby varieties like Shanghai or Toy Choy work best.

Feeding Schedule

How often
every 3 weeks
Feed type
balanced (10-10-10)
Key timing
throughout growing season

Fast-growing and a moderate feeder. Liquid balanced feed every 3 weeks. Bolts in heat regardless of feeding.

Succession Planting

Sow every 3 weeks

Sow every 3 weeks from early spring and again from late summer. Bolts in heat — time sowings to mature before temperatures exceed 75°F.

Companion Planting for Bok Choy

What you plant next to bok choy makes a real difference — some plants actively help, others compete or attract pests.

Grows well with
  • Garlic
  • Onions
  • Beets
  • Spinach
Keep away from
  • Tomatoes
  • Fennel
  • Nightshades

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Common questions

In Zone 3, direct sow bok choy outdoors May 1 – Jun 15, Aug 1 – Aug 20 after your last frost date of approximately May 15. Two short seasons. Very fast-maturing baby varieties like Shanghai or Toy Choy work best.
Zone 3 has an average last spring frost of approximately May 15 and a first fall frost around Sep 15. These dates vary by specific location — use your ZIP code in the plant app for precision based on the nearest NOAA weather station.
Good companion crops for bok choy include Garlic, Onions, Beets, Spinach. Avoid planting near Tomatoes, Fennel, Nightshades, which can compete for nutrients or attract pests.
Bok Choy typically takes 45–60 days from transplant or direct sow to harvest in Zone 3. Expected harvest window: Jun – Jul, Sep – Oct.

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Bok Choy in other zones
Crop Guides