When to Plant Mizuna in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide

Sow February to April and September to October. Right now in October you can sow.

Planting window
Hardy and quick, so sow in late summer to autumn and again in early spring. Spring sowings bolt as days lengthen, so pick young and sow...
Days to harvest
21 days
Sunlight
Full sun in cool weather. Part shade (afternoon) in warm weather to prevent bolting and bitterness.
Water needs
Keep consistently moist. Light, frequent watering suits shallow roots. Drought stress...
Spacing
25cm apart, 30cm 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 Mizuna 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.

Mizuna

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Mizuna is a fast-growing Japanese mustard green with distinctive feathery, serrated leaves and a mild, slightly peppery flavour. It is one of the easiest and fastest Asian greens to grow, ready to harvest as baby leaf in 3-4 weeks. More bolt-resistant than many Asian greens, it can be grown year-round in most Australian zones with successive sowings.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Planting Calendar for Cold / Highland

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- S/D S/T/D S/T/D - - - - S/T/D T/D - -

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

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Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 13.6°C (optimal range: 10–30°C) ✓ Ready to plant

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Canberra), not a live sensor.

What this month normally looks like

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.

How to Grow Mizuna in Cold / Highland Australia

When to Plant

Hardy and quick, so sow in late summer to autumn and again in early spring. Spring sowings bolt as days lengthen, so pick young and sow small batches often.

Soil
Well-drained, fertile soil enriched with compost. Not fussy about soil type but performs best in loose, moisture-retentive ground.
pH Range
6.0-7.5
Sunlight
Full sun in cool weather. Part shade (afternoon) in warm weather to prevent bolting and bitterness.
Spacing
25cm apart, 30cm between rows
Watering
Keep consistently moist. Light, frequent watering suits shallow roots. Drought stress triggers bolting and bitterness. Drip or soaker hose ideal.

Companion plants: Lettuce, Radish, Carrot, Peas, Beans

Avoid planting near: Other brassicas if disease is present

Grow before, grow after

Mizuna belongs 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.

Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Mizuna

Recommended Varieties

  • Standard green mizuna

Key Challenges

  • Frost damages leaves (but plants recover from light frost)
  • Short season

Pro Tips

  • Fast growth means it can produce even in short highland seasons
  • Frost cloth extends season
  • Excellent crop for cold frame or polytunnel year-round

Harvesting Mizuna

When ready: Baby leaf: 10-15cm tall (3-4 weeks). Full size: 30-40cm (5-7 weeks). Leaves should be bright green, fresh, and tender.

How to harvest: Cut-and-come-again: cut leaves 3cm above ground level and they will regrow 2-3 times. Or harvest individual outer leaves. Or pull entire plant for one large harvest.

Common Mizuna Pests in Cold / Highland Zones

Aphids and Whiteflies, risk: MODERATE (score: 47/100)

Organic prevention (Aphids): Avoid excess nitrogen. Check plants regularly. Grow flowering companions.

View all pest alerts →

Where to next

Also worth sowing in the cold and highland zone this October: Sweet Corn, Beetroot, Celeriac and Kohlrabi.

The pest most likely to find your mizuna: Cabbage White Butterfly.

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Common Questions About Mizuna

When do you plant mizuna in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Does mizuna grow all year round in Canberra?

No. In the Cold / Highland zone the planting months are Feb to Apr, Sep to Oct. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

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 Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.