When to Plant Jackfruit in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide
What this month normally looks like in Cold / Highland
In October the Cold / Highland zone normally runs 20°C by day and 7°C overnight, with about 58 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -6.4°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 15 postcodes, SILO.
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This Jackfruit guide is written for the Cold / Highland zone, which takes in Canberra, Cooma and Bright. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.3
Jackfruit is a large evergreen tree of 9 to 12 m unpruned, or 2.4 to 4.3 m kept small (IFAS), for warm humid tropical and subtropical gardens, carrying the largest tree fruit of all, up to 30 kg (Daleys).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Cold / Highland
Jackfruit is not recommended for Cold / Highland.
Trees are killed at minus 2 degrees (IFAS) and the tree needs a hot humid growing season. Cold and highland gardens cannot grow it outdoors.
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How to Grow Jackfruit in Cold / Highland Australia
- Soil
- Free draining neutral soil; tolerates moderately saline soil (Daleys). Dies after 2 to 3 days of waterlogging (IFAS).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 5.5-7.3
- Sunlight
- Full sun (Daleys).
- Keep away from
- Buildings, pipes and septic within 6 to 9 m (IFAS), Low wet ground (IFAS)
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Jackfruit
Key Challenges
- Frost
Pests and problems for Jackfruit in Cold / Highland
Harvesting Jackfruit
When ready: Skin turns from green to light green or yellowish brown, the spines flatten and spread, the fruit gives a hollow sound when tapped and a strong aroma starts (IFAS).
How to harvest: Cut the stalk with a saw or secateurs, wrap the cut in paper towel for the latex, and ripen 3 to 10 days at 24 to 27 degrees (IFAS). Oil hands and knife before cutting open (IFAS).
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 Jackfruit
When do you plant jackfruit in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan to Mar, Nov to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Oct to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): not recommended
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): not recommended
- Mediterranean (Perth): not recommended
When should I plant Jackfruit in Canberra?
Trees are killed at minus 2 degrees (IFAS) and the tree needs a hot humid growing season. Cold and highland gardens cannot grow it outdoors.
How do I know when Jackfruit are ready to harvest?
Skin turns from green to light green or yellowish brown, the spines flatten and spread, the fruit gives a hollow sound when tapped and a strong aroma starts (IFAS).
Are jackfruit salt tolerant?
No. Jackfruit are salt-sensitive, one of the more sensitive veggies. Use rainwater if your bore water is salty, or grow them in a raised bed of fresh mix if your soil is.
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 Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.