Patience dock
Patience dock: plant 40 cm (16 in) apart in the row and 60 cm (24 in) between rows, 1 plant per 2 squares. Good neighbours: Carrot, Beetroot, Radish.
Key facts
| Spacing in the row | 40 cm (16 in) |
|---|---|
| Between rows | 60 cm (24 in) |
| In a 30 cm (1 ft) square | 1 plant per 2 squares |
| Sun | Part sun, 4–6 hours a day |
| Root depth | 25 cm (10 in) |
| Height when grown | 60 cm (24 in) |
| Crop rotation group | Herbs, flowers and perennials |
| Support | None needed |
Sowing and germination
| How it is started | Sown straight into the bed, by dividing a clump |
|---|---|
| Seeds per hole | 1 |
| Plants kept after thinning | 1 |
| Seeds per metre of row | 2 |
| Sowing depth | 1 cm (0.4 in) |
| Soil temperature | from 8 °C, best 15–22 °C |
| Days to emerge | 10–20 days |
| Light while germinating | Light makes no difference |
| Before sowing | nothing needed |
| When to sow | Indoors 8 weeks before the last frost; outdoors before the last frost; soil at least 8 °C |
From seedling to plant
| Pricking out | at 2 true leaves |
|---|---|
| Takes transplanting | Easily |
| Hardening off | 10–14 days |
| Life cycle | Perennial |
| Cold tolerance | Hardy, takes hard frost |
| Soil | Rich, with compost, free draining, pH 6–7 |
| In a pot | — |
| Watering | Water when the soil is dry two fingers down; while growing |
| Feeding | Moderate; in spring |
| Support and training | None needed |
Harvest and planning
| Days to first harvest | 0.8–1 years, from planting |
|---|---|
| Ready when | The leaves are big enough to use |
| Harvest window | Picked again and again, 12–20 weeks |
| Typical yield | 0.5–1.5 kg per plant |
| Botanical family | Polygonaceae |
| Watch out for | Slugs and snails, leaf spot |
| First crop after | 1–2 years |
| Pollination | Fruits on its own |
Good neighbours
Carrot
Beetroot
Radish
Chives
OnionPlan Patience dock in your garden
Open the free planner, drop Patience dock onto a bed and see how many plants fit.
Start Planning Your GardenSowing and harvest
| Sow outdoors | Apr–May |
|---|---|
| Harvest | Apr–Sep |
My dates for this crop
Give the date once and this page, the sowing calendar and the planner all follow it.
- Not recommended
- Marginal
- Conditional
- Favourable
Months for a temperate climate: about a month later in the north and a month earlier in the south. Give your own last frost date for exact dates.
From the same family
Plants of the Polygonaceae family share diseases and pests, so they follow each other in the rotation only after a break.
Sorrel
RhubarbGrown much the same way
Crops that need about the same room and care, from another family.
Sea kale
Asparagus
Artichoke
CardoonSources
The values on this page marked as checked come from these sources: spacing, sowing depth, germination, soil, timing and safety notes, each against the source named here.
- Sorrel — RxList for: safety; checked 2026-10-28