When to Plant Kangkong 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 Kangkong 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
- Oct to Jan
- Days to harvest
- 35 days
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 18 cm apart
Kangkong is also called water spinach. It grows fast in heat and plenty of water, and you can cut it again and again. Before you plant it, check with your local council or state department of agriculture.
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 -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct D
- Nov D
- Dec D
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
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How to Grow Kangkong in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia
- Soil
- Rich, constantly damp soil. It will also grow in shallow water.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- Sunlight
- Full sun.
- Spacing
- 18cm apart
- Watering
- Keep the soil wet at all times. No amounts are given by the source.
- 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 Kangkong
Key Challenges
- Frost
- Keeping the soil wet
- Heat
Pro Tips
- Water often
- Use shade cloth in the hottest weeks
- Mulch
Harvesting Kangkong
When ready: Harvest before flowering, when shoots are tender.
How to harvest: Cut 10 cm above the ground. It regrows in 2 to 3 weeks (Rob Pyne).
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 Kangkong
When do you plant kangkong in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): all year
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan, Oct to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Nov to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan, Oct to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Oct to Dec
Can you grow kangkong all year round in Alice Springs?
No. In the Arid / Semi-Arid zone the planting months are Jan, Oct to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Kangkong in Alice Springs?
Sow from October to January. The plant needs a constant water supply and heat suits it, but frost and cold nights end the season. Derived, no regional source.
What soil temperature do Kangkong need?
Kangkong germinate best when soil temperature is between 20°C and 35°C.
How do I know when Kangkong are ready to harvest?
Harvest before flowering, when shoots are tender.
Are kangkong salt tolerant?
Only a little. Kangkong 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.