When to plant Coriander in Subtropical Australia

Subtropical zone — applies to Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Coffs Harbour, Lismore and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Cool · Tropical · Arid.

Coriander is sown direct in two subtropical windows: March to May, and again from August to December. Of the two, autumn is the prize — seed sown into cooling soil grows slow and leafy through the mild Brisbane winter instead of racing to flower. Sow 6 mm deep where plants are to grow, since the taproot resents disturbance, and be patient: germination takes 14–21 days. Leaves are ready in 45–70 days at 20 cm spacing. The plant is fully hardy, so even a light frost in the Coffs Harbour hinterland will not touch a winter crop.

Sowing calendar — subtropical zone

Green months are your sowing window: March to May and August to December.

Growing notes

Bolting is the whole game with subtropical coriander. Heat and lengthening days flip the plant from leaf production to flowering, sometimes within a fortnight, and no amount of watering reverses it. That is why the March–May sowings outperform everything else here: plants mature through winter, the one season when bolting pressure disappears. Spring sowings from August still work but get progressively riskier — by November and December in a humid Sunshine Coast garden you are growing coriander in fast-forward, and afternoon shade plus constant moisture only buys time.

A few habits make the difference:

• Sow direct every three to four weeks for a continuous supply
• Keep the bed evenly moist for the full 14–21 day germination — do not give up at day ten
• Mulch lightly to keep roots cool
• Pick outer leaves and let the centre keep producing

When a plant does bolt, let it finish. The flowers feed hoverflies and other beneficial insects, and the seed that follows is the spice coriander — worth harvesting once the heads turn brown, with a few shaken back into the bed to self-sow the next crop. Then start the following row in the gap, and the cycle barely pauses from autumn to spring.

Coriander at a glance

Common questions

When should I plant coriander in Brisbane?

The best sowings are March to May, giving leafy plants right through winter. A second window runs August to December, but late-spring sowings bolt to seed much faster.

Why does my coriander always go to seed?

Heat and lengthening days trigger bolting, and in the subtropics that means spring and summer sowings flower quickly. Sow in autumn instead so plants mature through the mild winter.

How long does coriander take to germinate?

Allow 14–21 days, which is slower than most herbs. Keep the soil consistently moist the whole time and sow about 6 mm deep.

Can coriander handle frost?

Yes, coriander is hardy and shrugs off the light frosts that occasionally reach inland subtropical gardens. Winter is its most productive season in this zone.

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