When to Plant Apple in Alice Springs, Arid / Semi-Arid Guide

Plant June to July. Right now in September it is out of season. The next planting month is June.

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

This Apple guide is written for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone, which takes in Alice Springs, Broken Hill and Port Augusta. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Perth

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

Apple

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Australia's most popular deciduous fruit tree, but success depends entirely on chill hours. Most varieties need 400-1000+ hours below 7°C. Planting a high-chill variety in Brisbane or Cairns is throwing money away. Grafted trees on dwarfing rootstocks (M26, M9, MM106) are essential for home gardens. Seedling trees take 8-10 years to fruit and rarely produce true to type.

Best Planting Window for Arid / Semi-Arid

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- - - - - P P - - - - -

P = Planting window

Plant bare root June-July. Alice Springs gets adequate chill from cold desert nights. Water is the main constraint.

Want a nudge when it is Apple sowing time in Alice Springs?

One email a week with what is worth planting in the Arid / Semi-Arid zone right now, Apple included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.

How to Grow Apple in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia

When to Plant

Plant bare root June-July. Alice Springs gets adequate chill from cold desert nights. Water is the main constraint.

Soil
Deep, well-drained loam. Heavy clay must be amended with gypsum and compost or use raised mounds.
pH Range
6.0-6.5
Sunlight
Full sun, minimum 6 hours direct. Morning sun preferred to dry dew and reduce fungal pressure.

Companion plants: Nasturtium, Comfrey, Chives, Borage

Avoid planting near: Walnut (juglone toxicity), Grass right to trunk (competition)

Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Apple

Recommended Varieties

  • Anna
  • Dorsett Golden
  • Gala
  • Pink Lady

Key Challenges

  • Water scarcity
  • Extreme summer heat (fruit scald)
  • Low humidity cracks fruit less but heat stress is severe

Pro Tips

  • Surprisingly viable if irrigation is reliable. Cold desert nights provide chill hours.
  • Shade cloth 30% essential in summer.
  • Mulch heavily (15cm+) to conserve soil moisture.

Harvesting Apple

When ready: Background colour changes from green to yellow (for red varieties, check the shaded side). Seeds turn dark brown. Fruit detaches with a gentle upward twist. Flesh is crisp and juicy, not starchy.

How to harvest: Cup fruit in hand and twist upward with a slight roll. Never pull downward, breaks fruiting spurs. Handle gently. Bruised apples rot in storage.

Where to next

What apple costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.

Also worth sowing in the arid and semi-arid zone this September: Ginger, Chilli Peppers, Lemongrass and Beetroot.

The pest most likely to find your apple: Possums (Common Brushtail, Ringtail).

Supermarket Price

Current average retail: $5.28/kg (12-month range: $3.50–$8.90)

Grow your own and save on grocery bills.

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Common Questions About Apple

When do you plant apple in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

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 Arid / Semi-Arid zone, Alice Springs is its reference city.