When to Plant Purslane 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 Purslane 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 Feb
- Days to harvest
- 50 days
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 30 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.5
Portulaca oleracea culinary selections, including golden purslane, provide edible succulent leaves and stems. Use known culinary material rather than unidentified lookalikes.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Planting Calendar for Arid / Semi-Arid
- Jan D
- Feb D
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep D
- Oct D
- Nov D
- Dec D
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Purslane in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia
- Soil
- Light, sandy to medium well-drained loam
- Salt
- Moderately tolerant. Handles slightly salty water better than most veggies.
- pH Range
- 5.5-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun, at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun a day
- Spacing
- 30cm apart, 25cm between rows
- Watering
- Keep the seedbed moist but never wet or dry until plants are up.
- Good companions
- Lettuce, Tomato, Sweet Corn, Capsicum
Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Purslane
Key Challenges
- Aphids: Sap-sucking, virus transmission
- Common Garden Snail: Introduced snail with a tan spiral shell
- Slugs: Soft-bodied shell-less molluscs that feed at night on seedlings and leafy vegetables
- Slugs and Snails: Eat young seedlings and tender leaves
Pro Tips
- Light feeder; incorporate compost into soil prior to planting, avoid high-nitrogen fertilisers which cause limp watery leaves
- Apply a light straw mulch around plants to keep succulent leaves clean off bare soil and retain root moisture
Pests and problems for Purslane in Arid / Semi-Arid
- Common Garden Snail Common Garden Snail: Introduced snail with a tan spiral shell Watch
- Slugs Slugs: Soft-bodied shell-less molluscs that feed at night on seedlings and leafy vegetables Watch
- Aphids Aphids: Sap-sucking, virus transmission Watch
- Damping off and stem or root rot Use free-draining sandy soil, avoid overcrowding and avoid overwatering. Watch
Harvesting Purslane
When ready: Harvest succulent stems and tender leaves when shoots are 10 to 15 cm long before small yellow flower buds open
How to harvest: Snip shoot tips 2 to 3 cm above ground level with clean scissors to allow regrowth for cut-and-come-again harvests
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 Purslane
When do you plant purslane in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan, Apr to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Mar, Aug to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan, Oct to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
Can you grow purslane all year round in Alice Springs?
No. In the Arid / Semi-Arid zone the planting months are Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Purslane in Alice Springs?
Sow direct from September to February.
What soil temperature do Purslane need?
Purslane germinate best when soil temperature is between 20°C and 30°C.
How do I know when Purslane are ready to harvest?
Harvest succulent stems and tender leaves when shoots are 10 to 15 cm long before small yellow flower buds open
What grows well with Purslane?
Good companion plants for Purslane include: Lettuce, Tomato, Sweet Corn, Capsicum.
Are purslane salt tolerant?
Fairly. Purslane are moderately tolerant of salt and handle slightly salty water better than most veggies.
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.