When to Plant Mitsuba in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Canberra), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Cold / Highland
In October the Cold / Highland zone normally runs 20°C by day and 7°C overnight, with about 58 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -6.4°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 15 postcodes, SILO.
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This Mitsuba guide is written for the Cold / Highland zone, which takes in Canberra, Cooma and Bright. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Sep to Nov
- Days to harvest
- 60 days
- Sun
- Part shade
- Spacing
- 35 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
Mitsuba, or Japanese parsley, is a leafy herb with a mild flavour between parsley and celery. It is a frost-hardy perennial, usually grown as an annual, and does well in moist shade.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Planting Calendar for Cold / Highland
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep S
- Oct S/D
- Nov T/D
- 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 Cold / Highland zone right now, Mitsuba included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Mitsuba in Cold / Highland 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
- 6.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Partial shade to full shade, protected from harsh direct sunlight
- Spacing
- 35cm apart, 20cm between rows
- Good companions
- Lettuce, Coriander, Chervil, Spring onion
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Mitsuba
Key Challenges
- Common Garden Snail: Introduced snail with a tan spiral shell
- Slugs: Soft-bodied shell-less molluscs that feed at night on seedlings and leafy vegetables
- Slugs and Snails: Eat young seedlings and tender leaves
- Downy Mildew: Weakens leaves and can spoil the curd in wet weather
Pro Tips
- Work rich compost into soil prior to sowing; apply a liquid nitrogen-rich organic fertiliser fortnightly to promote tender leafy growth
- Apply a light organic straw mulch around plants to preserve root moisture, keep soil cool, and prevent weeds
- Pinch off early flower buds as soon as they appear to prolong leafy growth and prevent premature bolting
Pests and problems for Mitsuba in Cold / Highland
Harvesting Mitsuba
When ready: Harvest young, tender stems and trifoliate leaves when plants reach 15 to 25 cm tall
How to harvest: Cut stems 3 to 5 cm above ground level with sharp snips to allow regrowth for cut-and-come-again harvests
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 Mitsuba
When do you plant mitsuba in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Jul
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to Jun, Aug to Oct
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Mar to May, Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Aug to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Nov
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to May, Aug to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to May, Sep to Nov
Can you grow mitsuba all year round in Canberra?
No. In the Cold / Highland zone the planting months are Sep to Nov. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Mitsuba in Canberra?
Cold tolerant once established, but it bolts and turns bitter in heat and full sun. Give it shade and moisture, and sow in spring after the last frost.
What soil temperature do Mitsuba need?
Mitsuba germinate best when soil temperature is between 15°C and 22°C.
How do I know when Mitsuba are ready to harvest?
Harvest young, tender stems and trifoliate leaves when plants reach 15 to 25 cm tall
What grows well with Mitsuba?
Good companion plants for Mitsuba include: Lettuce, Coriander, Chervil, Spring onion.
Are mitsuba salt tolerant?
Only a little. Mitsuba 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 Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.