When to Plant Jackfruit in Alice Springs, Arid / Semi-Arid Guide
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 Jackfruit 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.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.3
Jackfruit is a large evergreen tree of 9 to 12 m unpruned, or 2.4 to 4.3 m kept small (IFAS), for warm humid tropical and subtropical gardens, carrying the largest tree fruit of all, up to 30 kg (Daleys).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Arid / Semi-Arid
Jackfruit is not recommended for Arid / Semi-Arid.
Jackfruit wants a warm humid climate and is only moderately drought tolerant (IFAS). No source shows it in an arid garden.
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How to Grow Jackfruit in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia
- Soil
- Free draining neutral soil; tolerates moderately saline soil (Daleys). Dies after 2 to 3 days of waterlogging (IFAS).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 5.5-7.3
- Sunlight
- Full sun (Daleys).
- Keep away from
- Buildings, pipes and septic within 6 to 9 m (IFAS), Low wet ground (IFAS)
Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Jackfruit
Key Challenges
- Dry air
Pests and problems for Jackfruit in Arid / Semi-Arid
Harvesting Jackfruit
When ready: Skin turns from green to light green or yellowish brown, the spines flatten and spread, the fruit gives a hollow sound when tapped and a strong aroma starts (IFAS).
How to harvest: Cut the stalk with a saw or secateurs, wrap the cut in paper towel for the latex, and ripen 3 to 10 days at 24 to 27 degrees (IFAS). Oil hands and knife before cutting open (IFAS).
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 Jackfruit
When do you plant jackfruit in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan to Mar, Nov to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Oct to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): not recommended
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): not recommended
- Mediterranean (Perth): not recommended
When should I plant Jackfruit in Alice Springs?
Jackfruit wants a warm humid climate and is only moderately drought tolerant (IFAS). No source shows it in an arid garden.
How do I know when Jackfruit are ready to harvest?
Skin turns from green to light green or yellowish brown, the spines flatten and spread, the fruit gives a hollow sound when tapped and a strong aroma starts (IFAS).
Are jackfruit salt tolerant?
No. Jackfruit are salt-sensitive, one of the more sensitive veggies. Use rainwater if your bore water is salty, or grow them in a raised bed of fresh mix if your soil is.
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.