When to Plant Corn Salad in Brisbane, Subtropical Guide
That soil figure is read off our own weather station in South East Queensland at 22:55 yesterday, not a model.
What this month normally looks like in Subtropical
In October the Subtropical zone normally runs 27°C by day and 15°C overnight, with about 77 mm of rain over 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, 33 postcodes, SILO.
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This Corn Salad guide is written for the Subtropical zone, which takes in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- May to Jul
- Days to harvest
- 45 days
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
Valerianella locusta. Frost-hardy salad rosettes; also called lamb's lettuce. Sow directly in moist soil during cool weather.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Subtropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May D
- Jun D
- Jul D
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov -
- 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 Subtropical zone right now, Corn Salad included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Corn Salad in Subtropical Australia
- Soil
- Moist, fertile, free-draining sandy loam
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun to partial shade, at least 4 to 6 hours of sun a day
- Spacing
- 10-20cm apart, 15cm between rows
- Watering
- Keep the soil moist but never soggy or dry. Water deeply in the early morning or late afternoon and keep water off the leaves.
- Good companions
- Lettuce, Onion, Spinach
- Grow before it
- Leafy greens and brassicas (Lettuce, Silverbeet, Broccoli)
- Grow after it
- Roots and alliums (Carrot, Beetroot, Onion)
Give the bed 3 turns before other fruiting crops go back in. Corn, okra and sunflower are heavy feeders that sit with the fruiting crops in the cycle.
Subtropical Growing Tips for Corn Salad
Recommended Varieties
- Dutch Broad Leaf: Sow strictly during late autumn and winter to grow in cool conditions before warm weather triggers flowering
- Large Dutch (Open pollinated)
Key Challenges
- Aphids: Sap-sucking, virus transmission
- 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
Pro Tips
- Work well-rotted compost into soil prior to planting; light feeder that requires minimal added fertiliser during growth
- Apply a fine organic mulch between rows to preserve soil moisture and suppress weeds
Pests and problems for Corn Salad in Subtropical
- Damping Off Use clean seed-raising mix and avoid overwatering. Watch
- Downy Mildew Give correct spacing, rotate beds and water at the base. Watch
- Common Garden Snail Common Garden Snail: Introduced snail with a tan spiral shell Watch
- Slugs Slugs: Soft-bodied shell-less molluscs that feed at night on seedlings and leafy vegetables Watch
- Aphids Aphids: Sap-sucking, virus transmission Watch
Harvesting Corn Salad
When ready: Rosettes form 8 to 12 tender spoon-shaped leaves, around 45 to 60 days after sowing
How to harvest: Snip individual outer leaves or cut the entire rosette at ground level with a sharp knife
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 Corn Salad
When do you plant corn salad in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): not recommended
- Subtropical (Brisbane): May to Jul
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Apr to May, Aug to Sep
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Mar to May, Aug to Sep
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Mar to May, Aug to Sep
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Apr to May, Aug
- Mediterranean (Perth): Apr to May, Aug to Sep
Can you grow corn salad all year round in Brisbane?
No. In the Subtropical zone the planting months are May to Jul. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Corn Salad in Brisbane?
Sow direct from May to July during the coolest months in partial shade or morning sun.
What soil temperature do Corn Salad need?
Corn Salad germinate best when soil temperature is between 10°C and 18°C.
How do I know when Corn Salad are ready to harvest?
Rosettes form 8 to 12 tender spoon-shaped leaves, around 45 to 60 days after sowing
What are the best Corn Salad varieties for Brisbane?
Recommended varieties for the Subtropical zone include: Dutch Broad Leaf: Sow strictly during late autumn and winter to grow in cool conditions before warm weather triggers flowering, Large Dutch (Open pollinated).
What grows well with Corn Salad?
Good companion plants for Corn Salad include: Lettuce, Onion, Spinach.
Are corn salad salt tolerant?
Only a little. Corn salad 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 Subtropical zone, Brisbane is its reference city.