When to Plant Popcorn 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 Popcorn 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
- Sep to Oct
- Days to harvest
- about 14 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 25 cm apart
Popcorn is a type of corn with hard kernels that pop when heated. The plants are tall, 150 to 200 cm, and grow best in full sun. Sow straight into warm soil in blocks, not single rows.
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 -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep D
- Oct D
- Nov -
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Arid / Semi-Arid zone right now, Popcorn included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Popcorn in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia
- Soil
- Moist, nutrient rich and well-drained soil. Poorly drained soil increases lodging and cuts yield (Utah State University Extension). Improve soil fertility with compost before sowing (Seeds of Plenty corn grow guide).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- Sunlight
- Full sun (Seeds of Plenty).
- Spacing
- 25cm apart, 50cm between rows
- Watering
- Water regularly while the tassels and ears form. Drought during silking can cause kernel tip back (Seeds of Plenty).
- Good companions
- Dwarf Beans, Cucumber, Peas, Summer squash, Pumpkin
- Keep away from
- Tomato (Listed as a bad companion for corn.)
- Grow before it
- Leafy greens and brassicas (Lettuce, Silverbeet, Broccoli)
- Grow after it
- Roots and alliums (Carrot, Beetroot, Onion)
Give the bed 3 turns before other fruiting crops go back in. Corn, okra and sunflower are heavy feeders that sit with the fruiting crops in the cycle.
Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Popcorn
Recommended Varieties
- Popping Corn
Key Challenges
- Heat at silking
- Water use
- Wind lodging
Pro Tips
- Water often at tassel and silk
- Hill soil around stems
- Mulch
Pests and problems for Popcorn in Arid / Semi-Arid
Harvesting Popcorn
When ready: Harvest when the silks are dark brown and dry (Seeds of Plenty). Kings Seeds NZ says to wait until the husks turn brown and papery and the kernels are hard.
How to harvest: Pick the whole ear, then dry in a well ventilated, dry place (Seeds of Plenty).
Storing and preserving popcorn
How to keep it
- Drying. Leave ears on the plant until the silks are dark brown and dry, then dry the ears in a well ventilated, dry place (Seeds of Plenty).
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 Popcorn
When do you plant popcorn in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Mar to Sep
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Oct to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Nov to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Nov
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Oct to Dec
Can you grow popcorn all year round in Alice Springs?
No. In the Arid / Semi-Arid zone the planting months are Sep to Oct. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Popcorn in Alice Springs?
No popcorn calendar was found. Sweet corn is sown here in September and October, and again in January. Popcorn needs a long season, so we kept to September and October. Seeds of Plenty counts five sowing months in arid areas. Water often, especially while the tassels and silks form.
What soil temperature do Popcorn need?
Popcorn germinate best when soil temperature is between 20°C and 30°C.
How do I know when Popcorn are ready to harvest?
Harvest when the silks are dark brown and dry (Seeds of Plenty). Kings Seeds NZ says to wait until the husks turn brown and papery and the kernels are hard.
What are the best Popcorn varieties for Alice Springs?
Recommended varieties for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone include: Popping Corn.
What grows well with Popcorn?
Good companion plants for Popcorn include: Dwarf Beans, Cucumber, Peas, Summer squash, Pumpkin.
Are popcorn salt tolerant?
Only a little. Popcorn 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.