When to plant Mustard Greens in Temperate Australia

Temperate zone — applies to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Cool · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.

Sow mustard greens direct for most of the year, across January to June and again from September to December, setting the seed about 5 mm deep in moist, fertile soil. This hardy leafy brassica thrives in the temperate climate, germinating fast in 4–7 days and ready to harvest in around 40–60 days. Thin plants to 15–25 cm apart, with rows 30–40 cm apart, or grow closer for repeated baby-leaf cuts. Melbourne, Adelaide and Newcastle cooks grow mustard greens for their bold, peppery flavour in salads, stir-fries and Asian dishes, sowing successionally so there is always a fresh batch of tender leaves to pick.

Sowing calendar — temperate zone

Green months are your sowing window: September to June.

Growing notes

Mustard greens are quick, hardy and generous, cropping across most of the temperate year with a break through the hottest weeks (note the gap around midsummer in the sowing months). Rapid 4–7 day germination and a 40–60 day turnaround make them ideal for succession sowing every two to three weeks.

The reliable failure here is bolting. Sown into heat or left standing once mature, plants run to flower and the leaves turn harsh and stringy. The fix is rhythm and timing: keep to the listed cooler months, harvest young, and sow little and often rather than relying on a single ageing patch. Consistent moisture matters too, because drought stress is another bolting trigger, so water regularly and mulch to hold moisture in warm Adelaide or Perth spells.

Cut-and-come-again picking suits them well: take the outer leaves and leave the centre to keep producing. As a mustard-family crop they draw caterpillars and flea beetle, which shot-hole the leaves and spoil their looks; in a humid coastal Sydney or Newcastle spring, lightweight exclusion netting over the bed is the cleanest defence. Grow them in full sun to part shade on rich soil, and give young leaves for mild salads or larger, older leaves for cooking, where the heat mellows. With regular sowing you can keep tender greens on hand for most of the year.

Mustard Greens at a glance

Common questions

When can I sow mustard greens in Adelaide?

Sow across January to June and again from September to December, taking a break through the hottest midsummer weeks. Cooler months give the mildest, most tender leaves and reduce the risk of bolting.

Why do my mustard greens turn bitter?

Heat, drought stress and bolting all make the leaves harsh and stringy. Grow them in the cooler months, keep the soil evenly moist, and harvest young for the mildest, most pleasant flavour.

How do I get a continuous supply of mustard greens?

Sow small batches every two to three weeks and harvest cut-and-come-again style, taking the outer leaves. This keeps a steady rotation of tender young plants coming rather than one crop that ages and bolts all at once.

What's the difference between mustard and mustard greens?

They are closely related and grown much the same way, though mustard greens are selected for larger, leafier harvests. Both germinate fast and mature quickly, so follow the sowing months and spacing listed for each and treat them similarly.

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