When to Plant Mitsuba in Cairns, Tropical Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Tropical
In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.
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This Mitsuba guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Apr to Jul
- Days to harvest
- 60 days
- Sun
- Part shade
- Spacing
- 35 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
Mitsuba, or Japanese parsley, is a leafy herb with a mild flavour between parsley and celery. It is a frost-hardy perennial, usually grown as an annual, and does well in moist shade.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Planting Calendar for Tropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr S
- May S/T
- Jun S/T
- Jul T
- 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 Tropical zone right now, Mitsuba included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Mitsuba in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Rich, fertile, moist, organic-rich well-drained loam
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Partial shade to full shade, protected from harsh direct sunlight
- Spacing
- 35cm apart, 20cm between rows
- Good companions
- Lettuce, Coriander, Chervil, Spring onion
Tropical Growing Tips for Mitsuba
Key Challenges
- 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
- Downy Mildew: Weakens leaves and can spoil the curd in wet weather
Pro Tips
- Work rich compost into soil prior to sowing; apply a liquid nitrogen-rich organic fertiliser fortnightly to promote tender leafy growth
- Apply a light organic straw mulch around plants to preserve root moisture, keep soil cool, and prevent weeds
- Pinch off early flower buds as soon as they appear to prolong leafy growth and prevent premature bolting
Pests and problems for Mitsuba in Tropical
Harvesting Mitsuba
When ready: Harvest young, tender stems and trifoliate leaves when plants reach 15 to 25 cm tall
How to harvest: Cut stems 3 to 5 cm above ground level with sharp snips to allow regrowth for cut-and-come-again harvests
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 Mitsuba
When do you plant mitsuba in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Jul
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to Jun, Aug to Oct
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Mar to May, Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Aug to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Nov
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to May, Aug to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to May, Sep to Nov
Can you grow mitsuba all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Apr to Jul. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Mitsuba in Cairns?
Mitsuba is a cool, shade-loving herb, so grow it in deep shade with plenty of water during the cooler dry months.
What soil temperature do Mitsuba need?
Mitsuba germinate best when soil temperature is between 15°C and 22°C.
How do I know when Mitsuba are ready to harvest?
Harvest young, tender stems and trifoliate leaves when plants reach 15 to 25 cm tall
What grows well with Mitsuba?
Good companion plants for Mitsuba include: Lettuce, Coriander, Chervil, Spring onion.
Are mitsuba salt tolerant?
Only a little. Mitsuba 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 Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.