When to Plant Mizuna 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 Mizuna 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 Sep
- Days to harvest
- 21 days
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 25 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.5
Mizuna is a fast-growing Japanese mustard green with distinctive feathery, serrated leaves and a mild, slightly peppery flavour.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Tropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr S/D
- May S/T/D
- Jun S/T/D
- Jul S/T/D (likely to bolt)
- Aug S/T/D (likely to bolt)
- Sep T (likely to bolt)
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Amber = likely to bolt if sown this month, it matures into heat or long days.
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Mizuna in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Well-drained, fertile soil enriched with compost. Not fussy about soil type but performs best in loose, moisture-retentive ground.
- 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 cool weather. Part shade (afternoon) in warm weather to prevent bolting and bitterness.
- Spacing
- 25cm apart, 30cm between rows
- Watering
- Keep consistently moist. Light, frequent watering suits shallow roots. Drought stress triggers bolting and bitterness. Drip or soaker hose ideal.
- Good companions
- Lettuce, Carrot, Radish
- Keep away from
- Other brassicas if disease is present
- 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.
Tropical Growing Tips for Mizuna
Recommended Varieties
- Standard green mizuna
- Purple mizuna (slightly more bolt-resistant)
Key Challenges
- Flea beetles in warm weather
- Bolts if day-length exceeds 13 hours
- Fungal issues in wet season
Pro Tips
- One of the best quick-crop Asian greens for tropical gardens
- Harvest as baby leaf in 3-4 weeks before bolting
- Succession sow every 2 weeks through dry season
Pests and problems for Mizuna in Tropical
Harvesting Mizuna
When ready: Baby leaf: 10-15cm tall (3-4 weeks). Full size: 30-40cm (5-7 weeks). Leaves should be bright green, fresh, and tender.
How to harvest: Cut-and-come-again: cut leaves 3cm above ground level and they will regrow 2-3 times. Or harvest individual outer leaves. Or pull entire plant for one large harvest.
Storing and preserving mizuna
How to keep it
- Blanching and Freezing. Wash. Blanch 1 minute. Ice bath. Drain and squeeze. Pack into freezer bags. Use in stir-fries and soups. Keeps: 6-8 months.
- Fresh Storage. Wrap in damp paper towel in sealed bag in fridge crisper. Best eaten fresh. Keeps: 3-5 days.
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 Mizuna
When do you plant mizuna in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Sep Likely to bolt if sown in July, August and September.
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Feb to Aug Likely to bolt if sown in August.
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Feb to Oct Likely to bolt if sown in October.
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Feb to May, Aug to Oct Likely to bolt if sown in October.
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Feb to Apr, Sep to Oct
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to Aug Likely to bolt if sown in July and August.
- Mediterranean (Perth): Feb to Sep
Can you grow mizuna all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Apr to Sep. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather. Likely to bolt if sown in July, August and September.
When should I plant Mizuna in Cairns?
Sow from April to August (dry season). More bolt-resistant than most Asian greens; baby leaf is ready in 21 days and full size in about 40.
What soil temperature do Mizuna need?
Mizuna germinate best when soil temperature is between 10°C and 30°C.
How do I know when Mizuna are ready to harvest?
Baby leaf: 10-15cm tall (3-4 weeks). Full size: 30-40cm (5-7 weeks). Leaves should be bright green, fresh, and tender.
What are the best Mizuna varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Standard green mizuna, Purple mizuna (slightly more bolt-resistant).
What grows well with Mizuna?
Good companion plants for Mizuna include: Lettuce, Carrot, Radish.
Are mizuna salt tolerant?
Only a little. Mizuna 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.