When to Plant Raspberry in Alice Springs, Arid / Semi-Arid Guide
Not recommended for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone. The window below explains why.
Grow Raspberry in your space
- Planting window
- Raspberries scorch in dry 40°C heat and dislike alkaline soil and bore water. They are not a practical crop here.
- Sunlight
- Full sun in cool climates. Morning sun with afternoon shade in warm zones.
- Soil pH
- 5.5-6.5
- Shop price
- $35.96/kg average
Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
This Raspberry 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.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Suckering deciduous cane fruit. Two types: summer-bearing (fruit on previous year's canes, one crop per year) and everbearing/primocane (fruit on current year's canes, extended harvest autumn into spring). Everbearing types are increasingly popular as they simplify pruning. Raspberries prefer cool climates. They struggle in subtropical and tropical heat. Need well-drained, slightly acidic soil. In hot zones, consider growing as a winter crop.
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Best Planting Window for Arid / Semi-Arid
Raspberry is not recommended for Arid / Semi-Arid.
Raspberries scorch in dry 40°C heat and dislike alkaline soil and bore water. They are not a practical crop here.
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This month 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.
The full twelve months are on the Arid / Semi-Arid zone page.
How to Grow Raspberry in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia
When to Plant
Raspberries scorch in dry 40°C heat and dislike alkaline soil and bore water. They are not a practical crop here.
- Soil
- Well-drained, slightly acidic, rich in organic matter. Raised beds recommended in heavy soils.
- pH Range
- 5.5-6.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun in cool climates. Morning sun with afternoon shade in warm zones.
Companion plants: Tansy, Garlic, Marigold
Avoid planting near: Previous raspberry/blackberry site (disease buildup), Potato, tomato (share diseases)
Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Raspberry
Recommended Varieties
- Heritage (everbearing)
Key Challenges
- Heat stress
- Spider mite pressure
- Water needs
Pro Tips
- Very difficult in full arid conditions. Only with shade cloth and reliable irrigation.
- 50% shade cloth essential.
Harvesting Raspberry
When ready: Full colour (red/gold depending on variety). Berry detaches from receptacle with gentle pull. If you have to tug, it's not ready.
How to harvest: Pick gently between thumb and forefinger. Berry should separate from white receptacle (which stays on plant). Harvest every 2-3 days.
Preserving: pressure canning
1 tested pressure-canning recipe for Raspberry: 1 where it is the crop being canned. Each one comes from published home canning guidelines. The conversion to Australian units is ours, with psi beside every kPa. Always follow your pressure canner's manual.
Where to next
Supermarket Price
Current average retail: $35.96/kg (12-month range: $30.32–$44.00)
Grow your own and save on grocery bills.
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Open the planting dashboard Join GardenBuddy.auCommon Questions About Raspberry
When do you plant raspberry in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): not recommended
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jun to Aug
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jun to Aug
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jun to Aug
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jun to Aug
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): not recommended
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jun to Aug
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page 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.