When to Plant Banana in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide
What this month normally looks like in Cool Temperate
In October the Cool Temperate zone normally runs 19°C by day and 8°C overnight, with about 67 mm of rain over 9 or 10 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -3.0°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 28 postcodes, SILO.
Jump to section
This Banana guide is written for the Cool Temperate zone, which takes in Melbourne, Hobart and Geelong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 5.5–6.5
- Shop price
- $4.90/kg at one shop
Technically the world's largest herb, not a tree. The 'trunk' is a pseudostem made of tightly wrapped leaf bases. Propagated by suckers (pups) from the base of the mother plant.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Cool Temperate
Banana is not recommended for Cool Temperate.
Not grown outdoors here. A banana can survive in a sheltered, north-facing warm spot, but fruiting takes two to three years and is slow and unreliable, so the book does not plan it.
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Cool Temperate zone right now, Banana included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Banana in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Deep, rich, well-drained loam with high organic matter. Bananas are gross feeders and need fertile soil. Sandy soils need heavy composting.
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 5.5-6.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun, sheltered from strong wind. Wind shreds leaves (cosmetic damage) and can topple plants.
- Good companions
- Sweet Potato (ground cover), Dwarf Beans, Basil, Comfrey, Ginger
- Keep away from
- Mint
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Banana
Key Challenges
- Frost kills pseudostem
- Insufficient heat units
- 3-4+ years to fruit if it survives
Pro Tips
- Bananas will not fruit reliably in Melbourne's climate. Ornamental varieties (Ensete) can survive as foliage plants but won't produce edible fruit. Grow in large containers and bring into greenhouse for winter if you must try.
Pests and problems for Banana in Cool Temperate
- Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) Source plants from certified virus-free nurseries only. Control banana aphids. Inspect plants regularly. Do not accept banana suckers from... Watch
- Panama Disease (Fusarium Wilt) ONLY use certified disease-free planting material. Never move soil or plant material between properties. Clean tools with bleach between... Watch
Harvesting Banana
When ready: Fingers (individual bananas) are plump and rounded (not angular/ridged). Flower petals at tip of each finger dry and rub off easily. Wait until fingers start to turn slightly yellow on the bunch, OR harvest when full-sized but green and ripen indoors.
How to harvest: Cut entire bunch with machete or heavy knife. Support bunch weight as you cut. They're heavier than you think (15-40kg). Hang in cool shady spot to ripen. Ripen faster in paper bag with ethylene-producing fruit (apple).
Storing and preserving banana
How to keep it
- Freezing. Peel ripe bananas, place on tray lined with baking paper, freeze solid, then transfer to zip-lock bags. Perfect for smoothies and banana bread. Keeps: 6 months.
- Dehydrating (banana chips). Slice 5mm thick. Dip in lemon water. Dehydrate at 55°C for 10-14 hours until crisp. Keeps: 6-12 months in airtight container.
- Banana jam/butter. Mash ripe bananas, cook with sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon until thick. Jar hot in sterilised jars. Keeps: 6 months.
- Green banana flour. Peel green bananas, slice thin, dehydrate at 55°C until bone dry, grind to flour. High resistant starch. Keeps: 6 months in airtight container.
What banana 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 Banana
When do you plant banana in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan, Oct to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Sep to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Oct to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): not recommended
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Oct to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): Oct to Dec
When should I plant Banana in Melbourne?
Not grown outdoors here. A banana can survive in a sheltered, north-facing warm spot, but fruiting takes two to three years and is slow and unreliable, so the book does not plan it.
How do I know when Banana are ready to harvest?
Fingers (individual bananas) are plump and rounded (not angular/ridged). Flower petals at tip of each finger dry and rub off easily. Wait until fingers start to turn slightly yellow on the bunch, OR harvest when full-sized but green and ripen indoors.
What grows well with Banana?
Good companion plants for Banana include: Sweet Potato, Dwarf Beans, Basil, Comfrey, Ginger.
Are banana salt tolerant?
No. Banana 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 Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.