When to Plant Wax Gourd in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Canberra), not a live sensor.
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 Wax Gourd 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 14 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Regular
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.5
Benincasa hispida is wax gourd or Chinese winter melon, a frost-tender vine. It is distinct from Cucurbita winter squash and from the chi-qua cultivar group.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Cold / Highland
Wax Gourd is not recommended for Cold / Highland.
Allocation unverified; no recommendation established for this zone.
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How to Grow Wax Gourd in Cold / Highland Australia
- Soil
- Rich, fertile, organic-rich well-draining loam
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun, at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun a day
- Spacing
- 50-100cm apart, 150cm between rows
- Watering
- Water consistently and mulch to hold moisture in the soil.
- Good companions
- Nasturtium, Dwarf Beans, Sweet Corn, Radish, Spring onion
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Wax Gourd
Recommended Varieties
- Giant Wax (Wax gourd)
Pests and problems for Wax Gourd in Cold / Highland
Harvesting Wax Gourd
When ready: Fruit skin develops a white powdery chalk-like waxy bloom, the stem turns brown and dry, and the rind feels thick and hard
How to harvest: Cut fruit stem with sharp secateurs leaving a 3 to 5 cm stem stub attached to the gourd
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 Wax Gourd
When do you plant wax gourd in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Feb to Sep
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Aug to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Sep to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Oct to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan, Sep to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Nov
When should I plant Wax Gourd in Canberra?
Allocation unverified; no recommendation established for this zone.
What soil temperature do Wax Gourd need?
Wax Gourd germinate best when soil temperature is between 22°C and 30°C.
How do I know when Wax Gourd are ready to harvest?
Fruit skin develops a white powdery chalk-like waxy bloom, the stem turns brown and dry, and the rind feels thick and hard
What are the best Wax Gourd varieties for Canberra?
Recommended varieties for the Cold / Highland zone include: Giant Wax (Wax gourd).
What grows well with Wax Gourd?
Good companion plants for Wax Gourd include: Nasturtium, Dwarf Beans, Sweet Corn, Radish, Spring onion.
Are wax gourd salt tolerant?
Only a little. Wax gourd 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.