When to Plant Gai Lan in Brisbane, Subtropical Guide
That soil figure is read off our own weather station in South East Queensland at 6:55 this morning, 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 Gai Lan 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
- Mar to Sep
- Days to harvest
- about 9 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 20 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
Gai lan (Chinese broccoli, kailaan) is grown for its thick juicy flowering stems, picked just before the buds open (Green Harvest).
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 D
- Apr D
- May D
- Jun D
- Jul D
- Aug D
- Sep D
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
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How to Grow Gai Lan in Subtropical Australia
- Soil
- Fertile, well drained soil with plenty of compost; a heavy feeder (Green Harvest, SGA).
- 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, 6 or more hours; part shade in very hot areas (Green Harvest, SGA, The Seed Collection).
- Spacing
- 20cm apart, 30cm between rows
- Watering
- Keep moist; shallow roots need frequent water and mulch (Green Harvest, SGA).
- Good companions
- Dwarf Beans, Cucumber, Carrot, Beetroot, Peas
- Keep away from
- Parsley (SGA)
- 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.
Subtropical Growing Tips for Gai Lan
Recommended Varieties
- Kailaan (Green Harvest)
- Kai Lan (Succeed Heirlooms)
Key Challenges
- Cabbage white butterfly
Pro Tips
- Net the bed from sowing
Pests and problems for Gai Lan in Subtropical
Harvesting Gai Lan
When ready: Flower buds formed but not open, stems 15 to 20 cm (Green Harvest).
How to harvest: Cut the top 15 to 20 cm of the stalk; leave at least 8 cm of stem so side shoots regrow (Green Harvest, Succeed Heirlooms).
Storing and preserving gai lan
How to keep it
- Blanching and freezing. Blanch 2 minutes, cool in iced water, drain, pack and freeze (NCHFP greens method). Keeps: 8-12 months.
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 Gai Lan
When do you plant gai lan in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Aug
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to Sep
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Apr, Sep to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to Mar, Sep to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan to Feb, Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Feb to Jul
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan to Apr, Sep to Dec
Can you grow gai lan all year round in Brisbane?
No. In the Subtropical zone the planting months are Mar to Sep. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Gai Lan in Brisbane?
Sow direct March to September (Green Harvest, Succeed Heirlooms). Sow a short row every 2 to 3 weeks for a steady supply (Southern Harvest). Keep the shallow roots moist and mulched (SGA).
What soil temperature do Gai Lan need?
Gai Lan germinate best when soil temperature is between 10°C and 29°C.
How do I know when Gai Lan are ready to harvest?
Flower buds formed but not open, stems 15 to 20 cm (Green Harvest).
What are the best Gai Lan varieties for Brisbane?
Recommended varieties for the Subtropical zone include: Kailaan (Green Harvest), Kai Lan (Succeed Heirlooms).
What grows well with Gai Lan?
Good companion plants for Gai Lan include: Dwarf Beans, Cucumber, Carrot, Beetroot, Peas.
Are gai lan salt tolerant?
Only a little. Gai lan 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.