When to Plant Mizuna in Sydney, Warm Temperate Guide

Sow February to October. Right now in October you can sow.

Planting window
Grows through the whole cool season. Summer crops need afternoon shade and bolt quickly.
Days to harvest
21 days
Sunlight
Full sun in cool weather. Part shade (afternoon) in warm weather to prevent bolting and bitterness.
Water needs
Keep consistently moist. Light, frequent watering suits shallow roots. Drought stress...
Spacing
25cm apart, 30cm between rows
Soil pH
6.0-7.5

Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Mizuna guide is written for the Warm Temperate zone, which takes in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Mizuna

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Mizuna is a fast-growing Japanese mustard green with distinctive feathery, serrated leaves and a mild, slightly peppery flavour. It is one of the easiest and fastest Asian greens to grow, ready to harvest as baby leaf in 3-4 weeks. More bolt-resistant than many Asian greens, it can be grown year-round in most Australian zones with successive sowings.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Planting Calendar for Warm Temperate

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- S/D S/T/D S/T/D S/T/D T/D S/D S/T/D S/T/D T - -

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

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Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 18.5°C (optimal range: 10–30°C) ✓ Ready to plant

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Sydney), not a live sensor.

What this month normally looks like

In October the Warm Temperate zone normally runs 24°C by day and 13°C overnight, with about 66 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -1.5°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 153 postcodes, SILO.

How to Grow Mizuna in Warm Temperate Australia

When to Plant

Grows through the whole cool season. Summer crops need afternoon shade and bolt quickly.

Soil
Well-drained, fertile soil enriched with compost. Not fussy about soil type but performs best in loose, moisture-retentive ground.
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.

Companion plants: Lettuce, Radish, Carrot, Peas, Beans

Avoid planting near: Other brassicas if disease is present

Grow before, grow after

Mizuna belongs with the brassicas, the leafy greens and brassicas turn of a four turn bed rotation.

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.

Warm Temperate Growing Tips for Mizuna

Recommended Varieties

  • Standard green mizuna
  • Purple mizuna
  • Mibuna

Key Challenges

  • May bolt in hot exposed positions in January
  • Flea beetles in warm weather

Pro Tips

  • One of the easiest and most reliable salad greens for Sydney gardens
  • Can be grown year-round with minimal effort
  • Broadcast seed thickly for baby leaf mesclun mix

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.

Common Mizuna Pests in Warm Temperate Zones

Aphids and Whiteflies, risk: MODERATE (score: 45/100)

Organic prevention (Aphids): Avoid excess nitrogen. Check plants regularly. Grow flowering companions.

View all pest alerts →

Where to next

Also worth sowing in the warm temperate zone this October: Lemongrass, Beetroot, Dwarf Beans (Bush) and Eggplant (Aubergine).

The pest most likely to find your mizuna: Cabbage White Butterfly.

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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:

Does mizuna grow all year round in Sydney?

No. In the Warm Temperate zone the planting months are Feb to Oct. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page 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 Warm Temperate zone, Sydney is its reference city.