When to Plant Okinawa Spinach in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide
What this month normally looks like in Cool Temperate
In October the Cool Temperate zone normally runs 19°C by day and 8°C overnight, with about 67 mm of rain over 9 or 10 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -3.0°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 28 postcodes, SILO.
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This Okinawa Spinach guide is written for the Cool Temperate zone, which takes in Melbourne, Hobart and Geelong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Nov to Jan
- Days to harvest
- 60 days
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Spacing
- 60 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.1–6.5
Okinawa spinach is a low perennial to about 70 cm with green leaves that are purple underneath, grown from cuttings as a year-round cooked green in warm wet climates (Green Harvest).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Cool Temperate
- Jan P
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov P
- Dec P
P = Planting window
You might be able to grow it here under the right conditions. Plant rooted cuttings in November to January in a pot or warm sheltered bed; it is frost sensitive and no source lists it for cool areas (Green Harvest, Daleys). Bring a pot under cover before the first frost. Months derived.
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Okinawa Spinach in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Rich, fertile, well drained and mulched (Green Harvest).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.1-6.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun to part shade (Green Harvest, Daleys).
- Spacing
- 60cm apart, 60cm between rows
- Watering
- Ample water (Green Harvest).
- Grow before it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
- Grow after it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
Give the bed 3 turns before leafy greens go back in. Leaf crops want the nitrogen the legumes left behind.
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Okinawa Spinach
Recommended Varieties
- Okinawa spinach
Key Challenges
- Frost and cold soil
Pro Tips
- Pot that comes under cover
Pests and problems for Okinawa Spinach in Cool Temperate
Harvesting Okinawa Spinach
When ready: Young leaves and shoot tips once the plant is bushy (Green Harvest).
How to harvest: Pinch tips and young leaves; this doubles as the pruning the plant needs (Green Harvest).
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 Okinawa Spinach
When do you plant okinawa spinach in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan to Apr, Oct to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Apr, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Mar, Oct to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan, Nov to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to Apr, Sep to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan to Mar, Oct to Dec
When should I plant Okinawa Spinach in Melbourne?
You might be able to grow it here under the right conditions. Plant rooted cuttings in November to January in a pot or warm sheltered bed; it is frost sensitive and no source lists it for cool areas (Green Harvest, Daleys). Bring a pot under cover before the first frost. Months derived.
How do I know when Okinawa Spinach are ready to harvest?
Young leaves and shoot tips once the plant is bushy (Green Harvest).
What are the best Okinawa Spinach varieties for Melbourne?
Recommended varieties for the Cool Temperate zone include: Okinawa spinach.
Are okinawa spinach salt tolerant?
Only a little. Okinawa spinach 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 Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.