When to Plant Egyptian Spinach in Alice Springs, Arid / Semi-Arid Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Alice Springs), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Arid / Semi-Arid
In October the Arid / Semi-Arid zone normally runs 32°C by day and 16°C overnight, with about 19 mm of rain over 2 or 3 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was 1.9°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 10 postcodes, SILO.
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This Egyptian Spinach guide is written for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone, which takes in Alice Springs, Broken Hill and Port Augusta. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Sep to Feb
- Days to harvest
- 60 days
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 30 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 4.5–8.2
Egyptian spinach (molokhia, jute mallow) is a tall, fast summer green to 1.2 m grown for its mucilaginous leaves, ready about 60 days from sowing (The Seed Collection).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Arid / Semi-Arid
- Jan D
- Feb D
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep D
- Oct D
- Nov D
- Dec D
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Egyptian Spinach in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia
- Soil
- Moist, well drained soil (The Seed Collection); PFAF gives a wide pH range.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 4.5-8.2
- Sunlight
- Full sun (The Seed Collection).
- Spacing
- 30cm apart, 50cm between rows
- Watering
- Keep moist; drought brings mites (The Seed Collection, PROTA).
- Good companions
- Onion, Cabbage, Peas, Strawberry, Broccoli
- Keep away from
- Potato, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn
- Grow before it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
- Grow after it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
Give the bed 3 turns before leafy greens go back in. Leaf crops want the nitrogen the legumes left behind.
Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Egyptian Spinach
Recommended Varieties
- Egyptian spinach
Key Challenges
- Water demand
- Mites
Pro Tips
- Mulch and daily water
Pests and problems for Egyptian Spinach in Arid / Semi-Arid
Harvesting Egyptian Spinach
When ready: Plants about 50 cm tall (The Seed Collection); 30 to 40 cm for a once-over cut (PROTA).
How to harvest: Cut the top shoots and leaves; first cut 4 to 6 weeks after transplanting, then every 2 to 3 weeks (PROTA).
Storing and preserving egyptian spinach
How to keep it
- Blanching and freezing. Blanch 2 minutes, cool, drain, pack (NCHFP greens method). Keeps: 8-12 months.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Egyptian Spinach
When do you plant egyptian spinach in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan to Mar, Sep to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan, Sep to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Oct to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan, Sep to Dec
Can you grow egyptian spinach all year round in Alice Springs?
No. In the Arid / Semi-Arid zone the planting months are Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Egyptian Spinach in Alice Springs?
Sow direct September to February; it wants full sun, heat and moist well drained soil (The Seed Collection, PROTA), so keep water up through summer. No arid source; months derived from the temperature range.
What soil temperature do Egyptian Spinach need?
Egyptian Spinach germinate best when soil temperature is between 25°C and 30°C.
How do I know when Egyptian Spinach are ready to harvest?
Plants about 50 cm tall (The Seed Collection); 30 to 40 cm for a once-over cut (PROTA).
What are the best Egyptian Spinach varieties for Alice Springs?
Recommended varieties for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone include: Egyptian spinach.
What grows well with Egyptian Spinach?
Good companion plants for Egyptian Spinach include: Onion, Cabbage, Peas, Strawberry, Broccoli.
Are egyptian spinach salt tolerant?
Only a little. Egyptian spinach are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Arid / Semi-Arid zone, Alice Springs is its reference city.