The Fast-Growing Fall Vegetable Its Not Too Late To Plant

It's never too late in the season to start a vegetable garden. September may feel like the tail end of summer, but it's actually prime time to squeeze in a few cool-weather crops, and one of the best is bok choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis). Often listed among the vegetables you can still plant in September for a fall garden harvest, this crisp, tender green thrives in the chill of autumn and grows fast enough to reach your table before the first hard frost.

Also called pak choi, Chinese cabbage, or Shanghai bok choy, this member of the Brassica family is a perfect choice for gardeners who don't want the season to end just yet. While many vegetables need months to mature, bok choy's quick growth lets you make the most of the remaining daylight and cooler temperatures, so you can enjoy home-grown greens long after summer tomatoes have faded.

Bok choy loves the chill of early autumn, and it grows really fast. You can start picking tender baby leaves in as little as four weeks for quick salads or stir-fries. If you want something more substantial, you can leave a few plants to mature, and in about eight to 10 weeks, you'll have crisp, full-sized heads ready to harvest. For an extra pop of color in your fall garden, try the purple varieties, as they're just as easy to grow and look stunning in the garden bed.

Bok choy is surprisingly low-maintenance, especially once the weather cools down. It grows well in moist, well-drained soil and handles the damp autumn air with ease. Because the seeds germinate in about a week, you won't be left waiting long to see results. For a steady supply of greens, you can sow small batches of seeds every couple of weeks. Bok choy is one of the easiest crops to add when you're learning to plant a fall vegetable garden because it grows quickly.

Bok choy loves cool weather, which makes fall one of the best times to plant it. If you've got a sunny spot and some decent soil, you can still enjoy a fresh harvest before winter. It adapts to a wide range of temperatures, and it even grows year-round in parts of South Florida. Up north, it typically has two to three growing windows, with fall being one of the most reliable. Start by prepping the soil well. Bok choy thrives in slightly acidic soil (pH between 5.5 and 7.0) that's rich in organic matter. Once your soil is ready and moist, sow the seeds in rows about 12 inches apart, leaving 8 inches  between plants. This spacing gives each one room to form those crisp, leafy heads.

With the right care, bok choy grows fast. Most varieties are ready to harvest about 40 to 50 days after seeding, or when the plants reach the 10 to 15 leaf stage. If you like repeat harvests, you can cut mature plants at the base and let the smaller ones keep growing. Bok choy loves consistent moisture, especially in its first few weeks, but too much water can leave the roots sitting in soggy soil. The goal is to keep the ground evenly damp but never waterlogged, which helps prevent stress and bolting. Timing really matters here, and just like with other cool-season crops, understanding how often you should be watering your garden for healthy vegetables can make the difference between tender, crisp leaves and plants that struggle in dry spells.