When to Plant Mustard Greens in Alice Springs, Arid / Semi-Arid Guide
Sow year round in Alice Springs. That includes right now, in October.
Grow Mustard Greens in your space
- Planting window
- Sow all year. Mustard greens grow well here but need filtered shade in summer.
- Days to harvest
- 25 days
- Sunlight
- Full sun in cool weather. Part shade in warm weather to reduce bolting and excessive pungency.
- Water needs
- Consistent moisture for tender, mild leaves. Drought stress increases pungency and...
- Spacing
- 25cm apart, 35cm between rows
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.5
Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
This Mustard Greens 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.
Mustard greens are fast-growing, peppery brassica greens available in a stunning range of leaf forms and colours, from the broad, purple-red 'Red Giant' to the lacy, golden 'Golden Frills'. They add spice and colour to salads and stir-fries. Faster than kale and more flavourful than mizuna, they fill the gap between mild Asian greens and spicy rocket.
See what grows now in your own postcode
Planting Calendar for Arid / Semi-Arid
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D |
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
You can sow mustard greens in any month in Arid / Semi-Arid, but the months are not equal. Summer heat brings faster bolting and heavier pest pressure, so pick a heat tolerant variety, sow little and often, and give afternoon shade from December through February.
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Current Growing Conditions
Soil temperature: 23.9°C (optimal range: 10–35°C) ✓ Ready to plant
Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Alice Springs), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like
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.
How to Grow Mustard Greens in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia
When to Plant
Sow all year. Mustard greens grow well here but need filtered shade in summer.
- Soil
- Well-drained, fertile soil with compost. Not fussy about soil type. Performs well in average garden soil.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun in cool weather. Part shade in warm weather to reduce bolting and excessive pungency.
- Spacing
- 25cm apart, 35cm between rows
- Watering
- Consistent moisture for tender, mild leaves. Drought stress increases pungency and toughness. Water deeply 2-3 times per week.
Companion plants: Lettuce, Celery, Onion, Peas, Marigold
Avoid planting near: Other brassicas if disease present
Grow before, grow after
Mustard Greens belong with the brassicas, the leafy greens and brassicas turn of a four turn bed rotation.
- Grow before it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
- Grow after it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
Give the bed 3 turns before brassicas go back in. The cabbage family is hungry for nitrogen and shares club root and other soil diseases.
Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Mustard Greens
Recommended Varieties
- Red Giant
- Tendergreen
Key Challenges
- Heat increases pungency to unpalatable levels
- Water demand
- Bolts in warm spells
Pro Tips
- Shade cloth essential
- Grow for baby leaf only in arid conditions
- Quick crop minimises water investment
Harvesting Mustard Greens
When ready: Baby leaf: 10-15cm (3-4 weeks). Full size: 30-40cm (5-8 weeks). Leaves should be fresh and undamaged. Young leaves are milder.
How to harvest: Cut-and-come-again: cut 3cm above ground for regrowth. Or pick individual outer leaves. Harvest before flower stalk appears.
Preserving: pressure canning
1 tested pressure-canning recipe for Mustard greens: 1 where it is the crop being canned. Each one comes from published home canning guidelines. The conversion to Australian units is ours, with psi beside every kPa. Always follow your pressure canner's manual.
Common Mustard Greens Pests in Arid / Semi-Arid Zones
Caterpillars and Aphids, risk: LOW (score: 37/100)Organic prevention (Aphids): Avoid excess nitrogen. Encourage beneficial insects.
Where to next
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Open the planting dashboard Join GardenBuddy.auCommon Questions About Mustard Greens
When do you plant mustard greens in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan to Nov
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Feb to Sep
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Feb to Sep
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Feb to May, Aug to Oct
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan to May, Sep to Oct
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): all year
- Mediterranean (Perth): Feb to Sep
Does mustard greens grow all year round in Alice Springs?
Yes, every month is on the calendar for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone, though not every month is equally easy. Sow all year. Mustard greens grow well here but need filtered shade in summer.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page 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.