Baby Bok Choy
Shanghai Green Bok Choy is a jade green baby variety that has earned its place in the kitchens of top chefs for good reason. These petite, upright plants mature in just 35 to 55 days, producing tender leaves and chartreuse-tinted stems that look as beautiful as they taste. The variety thrives in cool to moderate temperatures (60-80°F) and needs only modest sunlight to flourish, making it surprisingly flexible for a leafy green that demands such tender results.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-11
?in H x ?in W
Annual, Biennial
Low
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What sets Shanghai Green Bok Choy apart is its combination of refinement and practicality. The plants' distinctive upright form and gently curved leaves with striking light green stems create visual interest both in the garden and on the plate. Its tender texture and exceptionally fine flavor have made it a favorite among professional chefs, yet it grows just as eagerly in a home garden as on a commercial farm. The quick timeline from seed to harvest, as little as 35 days, means you can have baby bok choy on your table while the season is still perfect.
Shanghai Green Bok Choy is harvested at the baby stage, when its leaves and stems are at their most tender and delicate. This makes it ideal for raw applications like salads and composed plates, where its light green color and fine texture shine. It's equally at home in quick sautés, stir-fries, and light broths, where minimal cooking preserves its tender character and subtle flavor.
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your desired harvest date, keeping soil at 60-80°F for reliable germination in 10-14 days. Transplant seedlings outdoors once they've developed true leaves and nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50°F.
Harden off transplants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Transplant into the garden when soil is workable and nighttime temperatures remain above 50°F, spacing plants according to your final size preference (typically 4 to 6 inches apart for baby bok choy).
Direct sow seeds where they will grow in spring and fall, planting every 2 weeks for a continuous harvest. Sow in moist soil and keep the seedbed consistently damp until germination occurs in 10-14 days.
Shanghai Green Bok Choy is ready to harvest when plants are small and tender, typically 35 to 55 days after sowing. Cut the entire plant at soil level with a sharp knife, or harvest outer leaves individually for a longer-producing plant. The harvest window is forgiving; the plants are most delicate when young but remain usable even as they approach their full 55-day potential. Look for firm, glossy leaves and harvest in the early morning when plants are most crisp.
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