Getting started
Sowing and space
Direct-sow or transplant small seedlings without burying the crown.
The cycle is an editorial band linked to the method above. Cultivar, temperature, transplant age and the harvest stage can change it.
Allow about 20 cm of usable depth and roughly 22 cm between plants. A suitably sized container can work when the full root volume and mature canopy are allowed.
Water demand is frequent and even. That is not a fixed timetable: heat, wind, rain, container size and growth stage change the interval.
Planting windows by broad profile
The highlighted months are conservative editorial references, not a current forecast or postcode calendar. Confirm the cultivar, packet, current warning and local advice.
Tropical wet–dry
Use heat-tolerant types and the milder dry season, with strong airflow.
Humid subtropical
Hot and arid
Afternoon shade can help in shoulder months, but avoid a stagnant sheltered position.
Warm temperate
Cool temperate
Practical care
- Harvest outer leaves or the whole head according to type.
- Keep the root zone moist but not saturated.
Points to check
- Heat can trigger bitterness and bolting.
- Wash harvested leaves with safe water and handle them hygienically.
Provenance and confidence
This rule is editorial guidance without claimed independent agronomic review. Confidence describes evidence coverage, not the chance of a harvest.
Australian home food garden editorial synthesis — version 1
Original synthesis for broad Australian profiles. It remains editorial draft until independent agronomic review is recorded.
Food safety in horticulture
Context for hygiene, water, soil, compost and produce handling. Commercial standards are not presented as legal duties for ordinary home gardeners.