When to Plant Okinawa Spinach in Perth, Mediterranean Guide
What this month normally looks like in Mediterranean
In October the Mediterranean zone normally runs 22°C by day and 10°C overnight, with about 38 mm of rain over 6 or 7 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -0.2°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 19 postcodes, SILO.
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This Okinawa Spinach guide is written for the Mediterranean zone, which takes in Perth, Adelaide and Bunbury. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Oct to Mar
- 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 Mediterranean
- Jan P
- Feb P
- Mar P
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec P
P = Planting window
You might be able to grow it here under the right conditions. Plant rooted cuttings from October to March in a sheltered, part shaded spot with steady water (Green Harvest). It is frost sensitive and no source lists it for Mediterranean areas. Months derived.
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Okinawa Spinach in Mediterranean 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.
Mediterranean Growing Tips for Okinawa Spinach
Recommended Varieties
- Okinawa spinach
Key Challenges
- Dry summer and frost
Pro Tips
- Part shade and steady water
Pests and problems for Okinawa Spinach in Mediterranean
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 Perth?
You might be able to grow it here under the right conditions. Plant rooted cuttings from October to March in a sheltered, part shaded spot with steady water (Green Harvest). It is frost sensitive and no source lists it for Mediterranean areas. 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 Perth?
Recommended varieties for the Mediterranean 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 Mediterranean zone, Perth is its reference city.