When to Plant Banana in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide

Not recommended for the Cool Temperate zone. The window below explains why.

Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

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.

Banana

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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. Commercial bananas are seedless and sterile. Each pseudostem fruits once then dies, replaced by suckers. Strictly tropical/subtropical in Australia. Biosecurity restrictions apply to plant movement between states due to Panama disease.

Best Planting Window for Cool Temperate

Banana is not recommended for Cool Temperate.

Not recommended for fruit production outdoors.

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How to Grow Banana in Cool Temperate Australia

When to Plant

Not recommended for fruit production outdoors.

Soil
Deep, rich, well-drained loam with high organic matter. Bananas are gross feeders and need fertile soil. Sandy soils need heavy composting.
pH Range
5.5-6.5
Sunlight
Full sun, sheltered from strong wind. Wind shreds leaves (cosmetic damage) and can topple plants.

Companion plants: Sweet potato (ground cover), Comfrey, Lemongrass

Avoid planting near: Nothing specific, but keep away from structures due to spreading root mat

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.

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).

Where to next

What banana costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.

Also worth sowing in the cool temperate zone this September: Ginger, Sweet Corn, Chilli Peppers and Snow Peas.

Supermarket Price

Current average retail: $4.90/kg (12-month range: $2.90–$4.90)

Grow your own and save on grocery bills.

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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:

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page 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.