When to Plant Tamarillo 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 Tamarillo 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 86 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil pH
- 5.8–7.0
Tamarillo, the tree tomato, is a fast growing small tree that fruits from about 18 months and lives 2 to 5 years (Green Harvest).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Cold / Highland
Tamarillo is not recommended for Cold / Highland.
Tamarillo is frost tender (Green Harvest, Yates) and fruit forms in autumn (Yates), into the frost season. No source lists it for cold areas and the plant cannot be grown outdoors where winters are hard.
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How to Grow Tamarillo in Cold / Highland Australia
- Soil
- Rich, free draining; will not take wet feet (Green Harvest, Seed Collection).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 5.8-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun; partial shade in the tropics (Yates).
- Keep away from
- Beds that had wilt in tomatoes or potatoes (Seed Collection), Windy spots
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Tamarillo
Key Challenges
- Hard frost
Pests and problems for Tamarillo in Cold / Highland
Harvesting Tamarillo
When ready: Full red or gold colour and a slight give; fruit forms in autumn (Yates).
How to harvest: Twist or cut with a short stalk.
Storing and preserving tamarillo
How to keep it
- Freezing. Scald, peel, freeze halves or puree. Keeps: 8 to 12 months.
- Chutney or sauce. Tested recipe base, water bath for altitude (NCHFP). Keeps: 1 year.
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 Tamarillo
When do you plant tamarillo in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): all year
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan, Aug to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Aug to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Sep to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Aug to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Aug to Nov
When should I plant Tamarillo in Canberra?
Tamarillo is frost tender (Green Harvest, Yates) and fruit forms in autumn (Yates), into the frost season. No source lists it for cold areas and the plant cannot be grown outdoors where winters are hard.
How do I know when Tamarillo are ready to harvest?
Full red or gold colour and a slight give; fruit forms in autumn (Yates).
Are tamarillo salt tolerant?
No. Tamarillo 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.