10 Best (and 5 Worst) Companion Plants for Bok Choy

I think of gardening as a way to understand the relationships between plants, not just planting them. I use companion planting extensively to help my garden grow healthier and more plentiful.

I find that selecting the best Bok Choy companion plants really boosts the health of my garden.

What is Companion Planting?

Best Companion Plants For Bok Choy

Ready to dive into companion planting? I’ll guide you step by step, showing you how to pair plants for the best results. Let’s work together to make your garden a vibrant and productive place.

1. Garlic

   I’ve found that planting garlic next to my bok choy helps to repel pests that can damage the bok choy leaves.
   I’ve also noticed that the strong scent of the garlic helps to mask the scent of the bok choy, making it less attractive to pests.
   In my experience, planting garlic alongside my bok choy has resulted in healthier and more robust bok choy plants.

2. Onions

   Over the years, I have found that planting onions with my bok choy has been incredibly beneficial. I have noticed that the strong scent of onions helps to repel pests that would otherwise harm my bok choy. Additionally, the onions provide a natural shade for the bok choy, protecting it from excessive sunlight and heat. Lastly, I have observed that the onions help to improve the soil quality, providing essential nutrients for the bok choy to thrive.

3. Celery

   I first learned about using celery as a companion plant for bok choy from an old farmer. I have found that planting celery alongside my bok choy helps to deter pests like aphids and cabbage worms. Additionally, the celery’s tall and leafy growth provides shade for the bok choy, preventing it from bolting in hot weather. Lastly, the celery’s strong scent seems to confuse and repel certain insects that would otherwise harm the bok choy.

4. Carrots

   Over time I figured out through trial and error that planting carrots alongside bok choy is a great idea. I noticed that the carrots help to deter pests that often attack bok choy, such as aphids and cabbage worms. Additionally, the tall and leafy bok choy provides shade for the carrots, preventing them from getting scorched by the sun. Lastly, the bok choy’s deep roots help to break up the soil, making it easier for the carrots to grow and access nutrients.

5. Cabbage

   This is a pretty common pairing! I’ve found that planting Bok Choy near Cabbage has been a great way to support the growth of both plants. Personally, I’ve noticed that Bok Choy helps to deter pests that can damage Cabbage, while also providing some shade to keep the soil cool and moist. Additionally, Bok Choy’s shallow root system doesn’t compete with Cabbage for nutrients, allowing both plants to thrive together.



6. Lettuce

   This one comes from the book “Carrots love Tomatoes.” I’ve found that planting Bok Choy alongside Lettuce has been a great companion for my Lettuce plants. Bok Choy helps to deter pests that commonly attack Lettuce, such as aphids and slugs. Additionally, Bok Choy’s tall and leafy growth provides shade for the Lettuce, helping to keep it cool and prevent it from bolting in hot weather.

7. Spinach

   This was a tip from a reader: Bok Choy is a great companion plant for Spinach. I have personally found that planting Bok Choy by my Spinach helps to deter pests like aphids and flea beetles. Additionally, Bok Choy’s broad leaves provide shade for the delicate Spinach plants, helping to prevent them from bolting in hot weather.

8. Swiss chard

   I’ve found that Swiss chard is a great companion plant for bok choy. It helps to deter pests like aphids and cabbage worms, keeping my bok choy healthy and pest-free. Additionally, Swiss chard’s deep roots help to improve soil structure, providing better nutrient absorption for my bok choy plants. Lastly, the shade provided by the Swiss chard leaves helps to protect the bok choy from excessive sun exposure, preventing wilting and sunburn.

9. Radishes

   Another tip is to plant radishes as a companion for bok choy. I have found that radishes help deter pests that commonly attack bok choy, such as aphids and cabbage worms. Additionally, radishes have shallow roots that help loosen the soil, making it easier for bok choy to absorb nutrients. Lastly, the fast-growing nature of radishes provides some shade for bok choy, which helps prevent it from bolting in hot weather.

10. Peas

    I’ve found that planting bok choy next to peas helps to deter pests that can damage the pea plants. I’ve also noticed that the bok choy provides a natural ground cover, helping to retain moisture and suppress weeds around the pea plants. Additionally, I’ve found that the bok choy and peas seem to complement each other well, with the bok choy providing shade for the pea plants during hot summer days.

What Not To Plant With Bok Choy

Just like there are plants that play well together, there are others that don’t get along. Here are some plants that you’re going to want to avoid putting into close proximity to each other. Most of these aren’t the end of the world if it happens, we only have so much garden space after all, but where it makes sense, keep these in mind.

1. Mustard greens

   I learned this the hard way – planting bok choy next to mustard greens can negatively impact the growth of the mustard greens. The bok choy can compete for nutrients and space, causing the mustard greens to struggle.

2. Cabbage

   This one came from my neighbor and I’ve noticed that when I plant Bok Choy near my Cabbage, it seems to attract pests that end up damaging my Cabbage. I’ve also noticed that the Bok Choy tends to compete with my Cabbage for nutrients, causing the Cabbage to not grow as well.

3. Kale

   This also came from Carrots Love Tomatoes. Bok Choy negatively impacts Kale because it attracts pests that can damage the leaves and roots of Kale plants.

4. Broccoli

   Another one I’ve heard around is that Bok Choy negatively impacts Broccoli by competing for the same nutrients in the soil, leading to stunted growth and reduced yield. This can make it difficult for Broccoli to thrive and reach its full potential.

5. Cauliflower

   I’ve heard mixed things on this, but Bok Choy can negatively impact Cauliflower by competing for nutrients and sunlight, potentially stunting its growth.

What Should You Plant Near Bok Choy

In addition to the list below, there are some common plants you likely already have in your garden that I thought you might want to know. These veggies make up much of my garden, so here is what you need to know about companion planting them with Bok Choy.

Lettuce and Bok Choy Companion Planting

Yes, Bok Choy is a good companion plant for lettuce in a vegetable garden. They both have similar growing requirements and can benefit from each other’s presence. Bok Choy can provide shade and help protect lettuce from excessive sun exposure, while lettuce can act as a living mulch and help keep the soil cool and moist for Bok Choy.

Carrots and Bok Choy Companion Planting

Bok Choy is a good companion plant for carrots in a vegetable garden. It helps deter pests like aphids and cabbage worms, which can also harm carrots. Additionally, Bok Choy has shallow roots that won’t compete with carrots for nutrients or space.

Beans and Bok Choy Companion Planting

Bok Choy is a good companion plant for beans in a vegetable garden. It helps deter pests like aphids and cabbage worms, which can also affect beans. Additionally, Bok Choy has shallow roots that won’t compete with the deeper roots of beans for nutrients and water.

Tomatoes and Bok Choy Companion Planting

Bok Choy is a good companion plant for tomatoes in a vegetable garden. It helps repel pests like aphids and cabbage worms, which can also affect tomatoes. Additionally, Bok Choy has shallow roots that won’t compete with the deeper roots of tomatoes for nutrients and water.

Cucumbers and Bok Choy Companion Planting

Yes, bok choy is a good companion plant for cucumbers in a vegetable garden. Bok choy helps repel pests that can harm cucumbers and also provides a natural ground cover to help retain moisture in the soil. Plus, both plants have similar growing conditions and can thrive together in the same garden space.

Zucchini and Bok Choy Companion Planting

Yes, Bok Choy is a good companion plant for zucchini in a vegetable garden. It helps deter pests like aphids and cabbage worms, while also providing shade to the zucchini plants. Additionally, Bok Choy has shallow roots that won’t compete for nutrients with the zucchini plants.

Peppers and Bok Choy Companion Planting

Yes, Bok Choy is a good companion plant for peppers in a vegetable garden. It helps deter pests like aphids and cabbage worms, while also providing shade to the pepper plants. Additionally, Bok Choy has shallow roots that won’t compete with the deeper-rooted peppers for nutrients and water.

Peas and Bok Choy Companion Planting

Yes, Bok Choy is a good companion plant for peas in a vegetable garden. It helps deter pests like aphids and cabbage worms, while also providing shade to the peas. Additionally, Bok Choy has shallow roots that won’t compete with the deeper-rooted peas for nutrients.

Radishes and Bok Choy Companion Planting

Yes, Bok Choy is a good companion plant for radishes in a vegetable garden. They both have similar growth requirements and can benefit from each other’s presence. Bok Choy can help deter pests that may attack radishes, while radishes can help break up the soil for Bok Choy’s shallow roots.

Squash and Bok Choy Companion Planting

Bok choy is a good companion plant for summer squash in a vegetable garden. It helps repel pests and adds nutrients to the soil. Plus, the two plants have different root depths, allowing them to coexist without competing for resources.

Onions and Bok Choy Companion Planting

Bok Choy is a good companion plant for onions in a vegetable garden. It helps deter pests like aphids and cabbage worms, which can also affect onions. Additionally, Bok Choy has shallow roots that won’t compete with onions for nutrients.

Tips For Companion Planting With Bok Choy

Your Turn!

• What have you learned about companion planting for Bok Choy?