When to Plant Plum 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 Plum 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.
- Planting window
- Jun to Aug
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 5.5–6.5
Two main types: Japanese plums (larger, juicy, eat fresh, most common in Australia) and European plums (smaller, denser flesh, better for drying/prunes and cooking). Japanese plums need less chill than European types.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Cold / Highland
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun P
- Jul P
- Aug P
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
P = Planting window
Plant bare-root trees while dormant in winter. Japanese plums ripen from late December and European plums into March.
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Cold / Highland zone right now, Plum included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Plum in Cold / Highland Australia
- Soil
- Well-drained, slightly acidic. Better tolerance of clay than peach. Deep loam ideal.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 5.5-6.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun, good air circulation.
- Good companions
- Nasturtium, Lettuce, Radish, Chives, Comfrey
- Keep away from
- Previous stone fruit site
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Plum
Recommended Varieties
- Greengage
- D'Agen
- Sugar Plum
- Satsuma
Key Challenges
- Late frost on blossoms
Pro Tips
- Good zone for European plums especially. Adequate chill for all varieties.
Pests and problems for Plum in Cold / Highland
Harvesting Plum
When ready: Full colour development. Slight give when gently squeezed. Sweet aroma. Japanese plums: slight softening. European plums: can harvest firmer.
How to harvest: Twist and pull gently. Handle carefully, plums bruise easily.
Storing and preserving plum
How to keep it
- Drying (prunes). European plums: halve, stone, dehydrate at 55°C for 18-24 hours until wrinkled and chewy. Keeps: 12 months.
- Freezing. Halve, stone, freeze on trays then bag. Keeps: 12 months.
- Jam. Halve, stone, cook with sugar (3:4 ratio) and lemon juice to setting point. Keeps: 12 months.
- Bottling. Halve, stone, pack in light syrup, water bath 20 minutes. Keeps: 12 months.
- Plum sauce. Cook plums with sugar, vinegar, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, chilli. Simmer until thick. Bottle. Keeps: 12 months.
What plum 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 Plum
When do you plant plum 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 Jul
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jun to Aug
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jun to Aug
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jun to Aug
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jun to Aug
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jun to Aug
When should I plant Plum in Canberra?
Plant bare-root trees while dormant in winter. Japanese plums ripen from late December and European plums into March.
How do I know when Plum are ready to harvest?
Full colour development. Slight give when gently squeezed. Sweet aroma. Japanese plums: slight softening. European plums: can harvest firmer.
What are the best Plum varieties for Canberra?
Recommended varieties for the Cold / Highland zone include: Greengage, D'Agen, Sugar Plum, Satsuma.
What grows well with Plum?
Good companion plants for Plum include: Nasturtium, Lettuce, Radish, Chives, Comfrey.
Are plum salt tolerant?
Only a little. Plum 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.