When to Plant Myoga in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide
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 Myoga 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
- Oct to Nov
- Days to harvest
- about 13 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 60 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.6–7.3
Myoga is a shade loving Japanese ginger grown for its crisp pink flower buds, which push up at the soil surface and are eaten raw, pickled or in tempura (Daleys blog).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Cold / Highland
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec -
P = Planting window
You might be able to grow it here under the right conditions. It is frost tolerant when well mulched (ABC) but Diggers says protect from severe frost. The rhizome is dormant in winter anyway, so a deep mulch over the bed may carry it through. Plant in late spring; buds come late in the window Daleys gives.
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How to Grow Myoga in Cold / Highland Australia
- Soil
- Free draining, moist; avoid winter waterlogging (Diggers). pH 6.6 to 7.3 (Daleys).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.6-7.3
- Sunlight
- Part sun 50 to 80 percent, full sun scorches (Daleys); dappled light (Diggers).
- Spacing
- 60cm apart, 60cm between rows
- Watering
- Moderate water (Daleys); keep moist in the growing season.
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Myoga
Key Challenges
- Severe frost
- Late buds
Pro Tips
- Deep mulch
- Pot under cover
Pests and problems for Myoga in Cold / Highland
Harvesting Myoga
When ready: Firm pink buds at the soil surface, picked before they open or turn green (West Ryde grower, Daleys review).
How to harvest: Part the mulch and snap or cut the buds at the base; mature leaves can be cut for wrapping food (Diggers).
Storing and preserving myoga
How to keep it
- Refrigerator pickle. Halve buds, cover with hot sweetened rice vinegar, chill. Keeps: 2 to 3 weeks.
- Fresh. Paper towel in a container in the crisper. Keeps: 3 to 5 days.
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 Myoga
When do you plant myoga in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Sep to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Oct to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Oct to Nov
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Nov
When should I plant Myoga in Canberra?
You might be able to grow it here under the right conditions. It is frost tolerant when well mulched (ABC) but Diggers says protect from severe frost. The rhizome is dormant in winter anyway, so a deep mulch over the bed may carry it through. Plant in late spring; buds come late in the window Daleys gives.
How do I know when Myoga are ready to harvest?
Firm pink buds at the soil surface, picked before they open or turn green (West Ryde grower, Daleys review).
Are myoga salt tolerant?
Only a little. Myoga 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.