When to Plant NZ Spinach in Brisbane, Subtropical Guide
That soil figure is read off our own weather station in South East Queensland at 21:55 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 NZ Spinach 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
- Aug to Nov
- Days to harvest
- 55 days
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Low
- Spacing
- 60 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.5
New Zealand spinach, also known as warrigal greens or Botany Bay greens, is an Australian and New Zealand native plant that produces thick, succulent-like triangular leaves with a spinach-like flavour.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Planting Calendar for Subtropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug S
- Sep S/T/D
- Oct S/T/D
- Nov T/D
- 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, NZ Spinach included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow NZ Spinach in Subtropical Australia
- Soil
- Tolerates a wide range of soils including poor, sandy, and slightly saline conditions. Performs best in well-drained, moderately fertile soil. Does not need rich soil.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun in most zones. Part shade in extreme heat (arid, tropical). Tolerates coastal salt spray.
- Spacing
- 60cm apart, 90cm between rows
- Watering
- Very drought tolerant once established. Water weekly in dry weather for best leaf production. Tolerates neglect. Overwatering in heavy soil can cause root rot.
- Good companions
- Pumpkin (as ground cover beneath tall crops), Tomato, Sweet Corn
- Keep away from
- No known antagonists. Very easygoing companion.
- 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.
Subtropical Growing Tips for NZ Spinach
Recommended Varieties
- Standard Tetragonia tetragonioides
Key Challenges
- Slow germination (soak seeds first)
- May die back in cold winters
- Can self-seed aggressively
Pro Tips
- The essential summer leafy green for SEQ gardens
- Fills the gap perfectly when lettuce and spinach bolt in summer heat
- One plant covers 1-2 square metres; don't over-plant
Pests and problems for NZ Spinach in Subtropical
- Aphids and Mildew High
- Root Rot Ensure well-drained soil. Don't overwater. Raise beds in heavy clay. NZ spinach is inherently drought-tolerant; respect this. Watch
Organic prevention (Aphids): Healthy, unstressed plants rarely attract significant aphid populations.
Harvesting NZ Spinach
When ready: Growing tips and leaves are plump, fresh, and dark green. Harvest when tips are 8-15cm long. Younger leaves are more tender.
How to harvest: Pinch or cut growing tips (last 5-10cm) including 3-4 leaves. This encourages branching and more production. Never strip all leaves from a stem.
Storing and preserving nz spinach
How to keep it
- Blanching and Freezing. CRITICAL: NZ spinach MUST be blanched before eating or freezing to remove oxalates. Blanch tips in boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Plunge into ice bath. Drain, squeeze, pack into freezer bags. Keeps: 8-12 months.
- Blanch and Use Fresh. Blanch 30-60 seconds in boiling water. Ice bath. Use immediately as cooked green in any recipe calling for spinach. Texture is thicker and more succulent than spinach. Keeps: 3-4 days refrigerated after blanching.
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 NZ Spinach
When do you plant nz spinach in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Jul
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Aug to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Mar, Sep to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan, Sep to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan, Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan to Feb, Sep to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan to Mar, Sep to Dec
Can you grow nz spinach all year round in Brisbane?
No. In the Subtropical zone the planting months are Aug to Nov. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant NZ Spinach in Brisbane?
Sow from August to November. Produces through summer and autumn, the months when English spinach fails. It slows or dies back in cool winters.
What soil temperature do NZ Spinach need?
NZ Spinach germinate best when soil temperature is between 15°C and 25°C.
How do I know when NZ Spinach are ready to harvest?
Growing tips and leaves are plump, fresh, and dark green. Harvest when tips are 8-15cm long. Younger leaves are more tender.
What are the best NZ Spinach varieties for Brisbane?
Recommended varieties for the Subtropical zone include: Standard Tetragonia tetragonioides.
What grows well with NZ Spinach?
Good companion plants for NZ Spinach include: Pumpkin, Tomato, Sweet Corn.
Are nz spinach salt tolerant?
Only a little. Nz 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 Subtropical zone, Brisbane is its reference city.