When to Plant Moringa 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 Moringa 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.
- Days to harvest
- about 104 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.3
Moringa (horseradish tree, drumstick tree) is a fast, drought tolerant tree of the tropics and subtropics, reaching 5 to 10 m but pruned under 2 m for picking (Daleys, Green Harvest).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Cold / Highland
Moringa is not recommended for Cold / Highland.
A freeze kills the tree to the ground (PFAF) and no source lists it for cold or highland areas. The season is too short and cold for an outdoor tree.
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How to Grow Moringa in Cold / Highland Australia
- Soil
- Well drained, even dry sandy soil (Green Harvest, Daleys).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 5.5-7.3
- Sunlight
- Full sun (Daleys).
- Good companions
- Sweet Potato, Ginger, Turmeric
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Moringa
Key Challenges
- Freeze
Pro Tips
- Not an outdoor tree
Harvesting Moringa
When ready: Young leaves any time the tree is in growth; pods while still slender and immature (Green Harvest).
How to harvest: Pick leaf shoots by hand; cut immature pods (Green Harvest).
Storing and preserving moringa
How to keep it
- Dried leaf. Dry leaves out of direct sun until crisp, crumble and store airtight; traditional method, no source opened. Keeps: 6-12 months.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
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Common Questions About Moringa
When do you plant moringa in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan, Oct to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan, Nov to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan, Oct to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Oct to Dec
When should I plant Moringa in Canberra?
A freeze kills the tree to the ground (PFAF) and no source lists it for cold or highland areas. The season is too short and cold for an outdoor tree.
How do I know when Moringa are ready to harvest?
Young leaves any time the tree is in growth; pods while still slender and immature (Green Harvest).
What grows well with Moringa?
Good companion plants for Moringa include: Sweet Potato, Ginger, Turmeric.
Are moringa salt tolerant?
Only a little. Moringa 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 Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.