When to Plant Zucchini in Alice Springs, Arid / Semi-Arid Guide

Sow August to February. Right now in October you can sow.

Also called courgette.

Planting window
Sow from late August once frost has passed, with the last sowing in February. Plant three or more for good pollination and pick daily in...
Days to harvest
45 days
Sunlight
Full sun (minimum 6 hours daily)
Water needs
Deep water 2-3 times weekly at base. Avoid wetting leaves, powdery mildew magnet...
Spacing
90cm apart, 120cm between rows
Soil pH
6.0-7.0
Shop price
$7.94/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 Zucchini 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.

Zucchini

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Zucchini (courgette) is the quintessential productive home garden vegetable. A single plant can produce more fruit than a family can eat. A warm-season C. pepo cucurbit with bush habit, making it suitable for smaller gardens. Fast-growing, prolific, and forgiving. The classic 'too much zucchini' problem is real. Plant fewer than you think you need.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Planting Calendar for Arid / Semi-Arid

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
S/T/D S/T/D - - - - - S S/T/D S/T/D S/T/D S/T/D

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

Want a nudge when it is Zucchini sowing time in Alice Springs?

One email a week with what is worth planting in the Arid / Semi-Arid zone right now, Zucchini included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.

Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 24.4°C (optimal range: 18–35°C) ✓ Ready to plant

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Alice Springs), not a live sensor.

What this month normally looks like

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.

How to Grow Zucchini in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia

When to Plant

Sow from late August once frost has passed, with the last sowing in February. Plant three or more for good pollination and pick daily in summer.

Soil
Rich, well-drained soil with plenty of compost. Raised beds excellent.
pH Range
6.0-7.0
Sunlight
Full sun (minimum 6 hours daily)
Spacing
90cm apart, 120cm between rows
Watering
Deep water 2-3 times weekly at base. Avoid wetting leaves, powdery mildew magnet. Consistent moisture during fruiting.

Companion plants: Corn, Beans, Nasturtium, Marigold, Borage

Avoid planting near: Potato, Other C. pepo varieties if seed saving

Grow before, grow after

Zucchini belongs with the cucurbits, the fruiting crops turn of a four turn bed rotation.

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 cucurbits go back in. Pumpkin, cucumber and zucchini want a bed with fresh compost dug through.

Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Zucchini

Recommended Varieties

  • Black Beauty
  • Blackjack
  • Greyzini
  • Gold Rush

Key Challenges

  • Water requirements
  • Spider mites
  • Extreme heat flower drop

Pro Tips

  • Drip irrigation
  • Heavy mulch
  • Shade cloth in extreme heat events

Harvesting Zucchini

When ready: 15-20cm long for standard varieties, 8-10cm for round types. Skin glossy and tender (can pierce with thumbnail). Firm but not hard.

How to harvest: Cut with sharp knife leaving 2-3cm stem. Pick YOUNG. Check plants DAILY in warm weather. A 15cm zucchini today is a 30cm marrow tomorrow.

Preserving: pressure canning

2 tested pressure-canning recipes for Zucchini: 2 where it is a main ingredient. 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.

Recipes in this set

  • Tomato Wedges and Zucchini
  • Tomatoes with okra or zucchini

The full recipe details are for members on a paid plan: jar sizes, headspace, process time, the pressure for a weighted or dial gauge at your altitude, the ingredients, the preparation steps and the safety notes.

See the plans

Worth growing?

A 2.4 m × 1.2 m bed fits 3 plants, about $119 worth at today’s Aldi and Coles prices, checked today.

That is roughly 15 kg at $7.94 a kilo.

Draw your zucchini bed → No account needed.

Common Zucchini Pests in Arid / Semi-Arid Zones

Squash Vine Borer, risk: MODERATE (score: 43/100)

In the pest library for zucchini:

Queensland Fruit Fly, critical severity Green Vegetable Bug, high severity Whitefly (Silverleaf and Greenhouse), high severity Thrips (Onion, Tomato, Western Flower), high severity Two-spotted Spider Mite, high severity Root-knot Nematode, high severity Powdery Mildew, high severity Downy Mildew, high severity Mosaic Viruses (CMV, ToMV, ZYMV), high severity Aphids (Green Peach, Cabbage, Cotton), moderate severity Pumpkin Beetle, moderate severity

View all pest alerts →

Where to next

What zucchini costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.

Also worth sowing in the arid and semi-arid zone this October: Lemongrass, Cucumber, Savory and Basil.

The pest most likely to find your zucchini: Queensland Fruit Fly.

Supermarket Price

Current average retail: $7.94/kg (12-month range: $3.90–$9.98)

Grow your own and save on grocery bills.

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Common Questions About Zucchini

When do you plant zucchini in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Does zucchini grow all year round in Alice Springs?

No. In the Arid / Semi-Arid zone the planting months are Jan to Feb, Aug to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

What else is zucchini called?

Zucchini is the usual Australian name. Overseas seed packets and recipes call it courgette. Same plant, same growing advice.

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.