When to plant Chinese Cabbage in Subtropical Australia
Subtropical zone — applies to Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Coffs Harbour, Lismore and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Cool · Tropical · Arid.
Sow Chinese cabbage direct in the subtropics almost year-round, with the reliable heading windows falling in the cooler months even though the calendar lists January to December. Seed germinates fast in 6-12 days, so sow it 6 mm deep where it will grow and thin seedlings to 30 cm apart in rows 40 cm apart. This quick brassica matures in just 60-80 days, so an autumn or early-spring sowing in Brisbane or the Gold Coast gives you crisp, upright heads before heat or humidity pushes it to bolt.
Sowing calendar — subtropical zone
Green months are your sowing window: January to December.
Growing notes
Chinese cabbage is fast and productive, but it is a cool-season brassica at heart, and in the subtropics it fails in two familiar ways. The first is bolting. Warm weather and any check to growth send the plant straight to a flower spike instead of forming a head, so despite the year-round sowing window, target autumn and winter for heading crops and treat warm-season sowings as loose-leaf greens picked young.
The second failure is pest and disease pressure, which is intense in the subtropical wet. Cabbage white caterpillars, aphids, and slugs all target the soft leaves, while humidity brings soft rot and downy mildew. The single best defence is fine exclusion netting laid over the bed from sowing, keeping cabbage moth and other pests off entirely. Combine that with the full 40 cm row spacing for airflow, morning watering at the base, and prompt removal of any rotting outer leaves.
Other keys to a good head:
- Grow it fast and never let it stall; rich soil, steady water, and a nitrogen feed keep it moving.
- Thin to the full 30 cm so heads have room to firm up.
- Harvest promptly once heads are solid, as a mature plant left too long will split or bolt.
With netting and cool-season timing, this is one of the most rewarding quick crops in the subtropical garden.
Chinese Cabbage at a glance
| Sowing depth | 6 mm |
|---|---|
| Plant spacing | 30 cm |
| Row spacing | 40 cm |
| Germination | 6-12 days |
| Days to maturity | 60-80 days |
| Frost tolerance | Hardy |
| Method | Sow Direct |
Common questions
- Why does my Chinese cabbage bolt instead of forming a head?
- Chinese cabbage bolts in warm weather or after any check to growth, running to flower rather than heading. Sow for heading crops in autumn and winter, keep growth fast and unstressed with rich soil and steady water, and treat warm-season sowings as loose greens instead.
- How do I stop caterpillars eating my Chinese cabbage?
- Lay fine exclusion netting over the bed from sowing to keep cabbage moth and other pests off entirely. This is the most effective defence in the subtropics, and it pairs well with good spacing and prompt removal of any damaged leaves.
- When is the best time to grow Chinese cabbage in Brisbane?
- Although you can sow year-round, autumn and early spring give the most reliable heads in Brisbane, before summer heat and humidity trigger bolting and rot. The crop is quick at 60-80 days, so it fits neatly into the cooler months.
- How far apart should I plant Chinese cabbage?
- Thin or space plants 30 cm apart in rows 40 cm apart. This gives each head room to firm up and, just as importantly, keeps air moving between plants to reduce the soft rot and mildew that thrive in subtropical humidity.
Track chinese cabbage in your garden — sow dates, harvest countdowns, reminders. Free.
Add to my garden