When to Plant Mibuna 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 Mibuna 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
- Mar to Oct
- Days to harvest
- 25 days
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Spacing
- 20 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.5
Mibuna is a fast-growing Japanese leafy green with long, narrow, smooth-edged leaves in a loose clump. It has a mild, slightly peppery flavour and is eaten raw in salads, stir-fried or added to soups.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Planting Calendar for Arid / Semi-Arid
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar D
- Apr D
- May D
- Jun D
- Jul D
- Aug D
- Sep D
- Oct D
- Nov -
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Arid / Semi-Arid zone right now, Mibuna included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Mibuna in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia
- Soil
- Rich, fertile, moist, organic-rich well-drained loam
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun to partial shade, at least 4 to 6 hours of direct sun a day
- Spacing
- 20cm apart, 25cm between rows
- Watering
- Water when the top few centimetres of soil are dry, early morning or late afternoon, and keep water off the leaves to limit fungal disease.
- Good companions
- Lettuce, Onion, Radish, Dill, Beetroot
Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Mibuna
Key Challenges
- Cabbage white butterfly caterpillars: Caterpillars consume foliage
- Diamondback moth caterpillars: Chewed leaves and small window-like holes
- Aphids: Sap-sucking, virus transmission
- Common Garden Snail: Introduced snail with a tan spiral shell
Pro Tips
- Incorporate well-rotted compost into soil prior to planting; feed with a nitrogen-rich liquid organic fertiliser fortnightly to maintain rapid leaf growth
- Apply a light organic straw mulch around plants to retain soil moisture and prevent dirt from splashing onto leaves
Pests and problems for Mibuna in Arid / Semi-Arid
- Common Garden Snail Common Garden Snail: Introduced snail with a tan spiral shell Watch
- Slugs Watch
- Downy Mildew Rotate brassicas, space plants and avoid overhead watering late in the day. Watch
- Cabbage white butterfly caterpillars Cabbage white butterfly caterpillars: Caterpillars consume foliage Watch
- Diamondback moth caterpillars Diamondback moth caterpillars: Chewed leaves and small window-like holes Watch
- Aphids Aphids: Sap-sucking, virus transmission Watch
Harvesting Mibuna
When ready: Harvest baby leaves at 10 cm tall (approx. 21 days), or full clumps at 20 to 30 cm tall (approx. 40 to 50 days)
How to harvest: Snip outer leaves 2 to 3 cm above ground level for cut-and-come-again harvest, or harvest whole plant rosette
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 Mibuna
When do you plant mibuna in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Mar to Oct
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to Sep
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Mar to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Feb to Apr, Sep to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan to Mar, Sep to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to May, Sep to Oct
Can you grow mibuna all year round in Alice Springs?
No. In the Arid / Semi-Arid zone the planting months are Mar to Oct. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Mibuna in Alice Springs?
Mibuna is a cool-season green, so grow it from autumn to early spring with regular water and light shade.
What soil temperature do Mibuna need?
Mibuna germinate best when soil temperature is between 10°C and 22°C.
How do I know when Mibuna are ready to harvest?
Harvest baby leaves at 10 cm tall (approx. 21 days), or full clumps at 20 to 30 cm tall (approx. 40 to 50 days)
What grows well with Mibuna?
Good companion plants for Mibuna include: Lettuce, Onion, Radish, Dill, Beetroot.
Are mibuna salt tolerant?
Only a little. Mibuna 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.