When to Plant Pineapple 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.
Jump to section
This Pineapple 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
- 4.5–5.5
A bromeliad, not a tree or even a bush. Grows as a rosette of spiky leaves at ground level and produces a single fruit on a central stalk.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Cold / Highland
Pineapple is not recommended for Cold / Highland.
Not possible.
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Cold / Highland zone right now, Pineapple included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Pineapple in Cold / Highland Australia
- Soil
- Well-drained, sandy or sandy loam. Acidic. Pineapples CANNOT tolerate waterlogged soil. Root rot is rapid.
- Salt
- Moderately tolerant. Handles slightly salty water better than most veggies.
- pH Range
- 4.5-5.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun. Maximum heat. North-facing position in marginal zones.
- Good companions
- Coconut
- Keep away from
- Waterlogged areas
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Pineapple
Key Challenges
- Impossible outdoors
Pro Tips
- Do not attempt.
Pests and problems for Pineapple in Cold / Highland
Harvesting Pineapple
When ready: Shell colour changes from green to yellow-gold (starting at base). Sweet aroma develops. Pull a central leaf. If it detaches easily, fruit is ready. Thump test. Sounds dull when ripe, hollow when unripe.
How to harvest: Cut stem below fruit with sharp knife. Can cut with attached slip for propagation.
Storing and preserving pineapple
How to keep it
- Freezing. Peel, core, chunk. Freeze on trays then bag. Keeps: 12 months.
- Dehydrating. Slice into rings or chunks. Dehydrate at 55°C for 12-16 hours. Keeps: 12 months.
- Canning in syrup. Pack chunks in light syrup. Water bath 20 minutes. Keeps: 12 months.
- Pineapple vinegar (tepache). Ferment peel and core with sugar and water for 3-5 days. Strain. Keeps: 2 weeks refrigerated.
What pineapple costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
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 Pineapple
When do you plant pineapple in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Sep to Nov
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Oct to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): not recommended
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): not recommended
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan to Mar, Nov to Dec
When should I plant Pineapple in Canberra?
Not possible.
How do I know when Pineapple are ready to harvest?
Shell colour changes from green to yellow-gold (starting at base). Sweet aroma develops. Pull a central leaf. If it detaches easily, fruit is ready. Thump test. Sounds dull when ripe, hollow when unripe.
What grows well with Pineapple?
Good companion plants for Pineapple include: Coconut.
Are pineapple salt tolerant?
Fairly. Pineapple 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 Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.