When to Plant Pomegranate 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 Pomegranate 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
- Jun to Aug
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 5.5–8.0
Tough, drought-tolerant, heat-loving deciduous tree/large shrub from the Middle East. Produces fruit with jewel-like arils (seed sacs) packed with sweet-tart juice. Thrives in hot, dry climates with cold winters.
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
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun P
- Jul P
- Aug P
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
P = Planting window
One of the best fruit for the arid zone, very hardy and drought-tolerant. Deep watering through summer gives bigger fruit and less splitting.
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How to Grow Pomegranate in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia
- Soil
- Extremely tolerant. Grows in sand, clay, limestone, even slightly saline soil. Prefers well-drained but adapts to most conditions. One of the least fussy fruit trees regarding soil.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 5.5-8.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun, maximum heat. The hotter the better for fruit sweetness.
- Good companions
- Mediterranean herbs (rosemary, lavender, thyme)
- Keep away from
- Nothing specific, very adaptable
Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Pomegranate
Recommended Varieties
- Wonderful
- Elche
- Ben Hur
- Gulosha Rosavaya
Key Challenges
- Water for fruit development (otherwise very drought tolerant)
Pro Tips
- IDEAL pomegranate zone. Hot, dry, cold winters = exactly what pomegranates want.
- Originally from Iran/Central Asia, arid continental climate.
- One of the BEST fruit tree choices for inland Australia.
Pests and problems for Pomegranate in Arid / Semi-Arid
Harvesting Pomegranate
When ready: Skin colour deepens (variety-specific red/pink). Metallic 'tink' sound when tapped (vs dull when unripe). Skin starts to look slightly angular (arils pressing against inside). Calyx flattens.
How to harvest: Cut with secateurs. Don't pull. Stem can tear skin.
Storing and preserving pomegranate
How to keep it
- Arils freezing. Separate arils, spread on tray, freeze, bag. Keeps: 12 months.
- Juicing. Roll fruit to loosen arils, cut in half, juice with citrus juicer or press arils through sieve. Freeze juice. Keeps: 12 months frozen.
- Pomegranate molasses. Simmer juice with sugar and lemon until reduced to thick syrup. Essential Middle Eastern condiment. Keeps: 12 months.
- Grenadine syrup. Simmer juice with sugar (1:1), reduce slightly. Strain and bottle. Keeps: 6 months refrigerated.
What pomegranate costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
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- Soil and weather from your nearest station
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Common Questions About Pomegranate
When do you plant pomegranate in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): May to Aug
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jun to Aug
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jun to Aug
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jun to Aug
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jul to Aug
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jun to Aug
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jun to Aug
When should I plant Pomegranate in Alice Springs?
One of the best fruit for the arid zone, very hardy and drought-tolerant. Deep watering through summer gives bigger fruit and less splitting.
How do I know when Pomegranate are ready to harvest?
Skin colour deepens (variety-specific red/pink). Metallic 'tink' sound when tapped (vs dull when unripe). Skin starts to look slightly angular (arils pressing against inside). Calyx flattens.
What are the best Pomegranate varieties for Alice Springs?
Recommended varieties for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone include: Wonderful, Elche, Ben Hur, Gulosha Rosavaya.
What grows well with Pomegranate?
Good companion plants for Pomegranate include: Mediterranean herbs (rosemary, lavender, thyme).
Are pomegranate salt tolerant?
Only a little. Pomegranate 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.