Common Bok Choy Problems
Bok choy is very attractive to bugs, and some of them can do serious damage. Here are the most prevalent bok choy pests:
Cabbage maggots Flea beetles Tarnished plant bugs Cutworms Leafminers Aphids Seedcorn maggots Slugs Whiteflies Vegetable weevils
A lot of these pests can be combatted with row covers and crop rotation. Another useful method is growing bok choy as a fall crop, when pests are past their natural growing season lifecycle. This is especially effective when combatting vegetable weevils. If natural methods fail, use insecticides.
Common Bok Choy Diseases
Problems with bok choy that stem from diseases are much less common. As a rule, bok choy is relatively resistant to disease. There are, however, a few possible bok choy diseases. These are:
Clubroot Downy mildew Alternaria leaf spot Pseudo-cercosporella leaf spot Turnip mosaic virus Soft rot
Most of these diseases spread through moisture, and the best method of prevention is keeping the leaves dry and well aired. Don’t plant your bok choy too closely together and try not to get water on the leaves.
Additional Bok Choy Problems
Some problems aren’t due to disease or pests, but environment or human error. Here are some common physiological culprits:
Herbicide burn Drought Overwatering Nutrient deficiency Overfertilization
These often result in wilted, stunted, or yellowing growth. Luckily, they are usually the most easily corrected. Simply adjust your water or fertilizer amounts and wait to see if your plant begins to recover.
