When to Plant Edamame in Alice Springs, Arid / Semi-Arid Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Alice Springs), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Arid / Semi-Arid
In October the Arid / Semi-Arid zone normally runs 32°C by day and 16°C overnight, with about 19 mm of rain over 2 or 3 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was 1.9°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 10 postcodes, SILO.
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This Edamame 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.
- Planting window
- Mar to May, Sep to Nov
- Days to harvest
- about 12 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 20 cm apart
Edamame is the green soybean, picked while the pods are plump and eaten after boiling or steaming. The plants are compact bushes about 75 to 80 cm tall.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Arid / Semi-Arid
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar D
- Apr D
- May D
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep D
- Oct D
- Nov D
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Edamame in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia
- Soil
- Rich, well drained soil in full sun, prepared with compost (Mr Fothergill's, Diggers).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- Sunlight
- Full sun (Diggers, Mr Fothergill's).
- Spacing
- 20cm apart, 45cm between rows
- Watering
- Keep the soil moist during establishment and once pods start to fill (Mr Fothergill's).
- Good companions
- Cucumber, Sweet Corn, Celery, Strawberry, Summer squash
- Grow before it
- Roots and alliums (Carrot, Beetroot, Onion)
- Grow after it
- Leafy greens and brassicas (Lettuce, Silverbeet, Broccoli)
Give the bed 3 turns before legumes go back in. Beans and peas fix nitrogen, so they leave the bed richer than they found it.
Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Edamame
Recommended Varieties
- Green Soy Bean
- Edamame
Key Challenges
- Heat stress
- Keeping water even at pod fill
Pro Tips
- Mulch
- Water regularly
- Give afternoon shade in hot spells
Pests and problems for Edamame in Arid / Semi-Arid
Harvesting Edamame
When ready: Pick the pods while still green and plump, when the beans are nearly full size (Diggers, Mr Fothergill's).
How to harvest: Pick pods by hand. Boil or steam them and eat the beans inside. For dried beans, leave pods on the plant to mature (Diggers).
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Edamame
When do you plant edamame in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Mar to Aug
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Apr, Aug to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan, Oct to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to May, Sep to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Dec
Can you grow edamame all year round in Alice Springs?
No. In the Arid / Semi-Arid zone the planting months are Mar to May, Sep to Nov. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Edamame in Alice Springs?
Diggers lists March to May and September to November for hot climates. We have taken hot to mean arid, which the page does not say. Keep the soil moist, because pods need steady water to fill.
How do I know when Edamame are ready to harvest?
Pick the pods while still green and plump, when the beans are nearly full size (Diggers, Mr Fothergill's).
What are the best Edamame varieties for Alice Springs?
Recommended varieties for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone include: Green Soy Bean, Edamame.
What grows well with Edamame?
Good companion plants for Edamame include: Cucumber, Sweet Corn, Celery, Strawberry, Summer squash.
Are edamame salt tolerant?
Only a little. Edamame are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it 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.