When to Plant Custard Apple 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.
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This Custard Apple 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
- 6.6–7.3
Custard apple as grown in Australia is the atemoya, a cross of cherimoya and sugar apple; Pinks Mammoth and African Pride are the main Queensland types (Morton).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Cool Temperate
Custard Apple is not recommended for Cool Temperate.
Young trees die at about minus 2 degrees and mature trees are damaged at minus 4 (IFAS). The tree needs 22 to 32 degrees and high humidity at flowering (IFAS), which cool temperate gardens do not give. No source shows fruit south of the NSW coast.
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How to Grow Custard Apple in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Fertile, sunny, well drained soil (Daleys). Intolerant of wet soil (IFAS); waterlogging is fatal (Morton). Mound up in clay.
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 6.6-7.3
- Sunlight
- Full sun (Daleys).
- Keep away from
- Frost pockets, Hot dry wind (Daleys), Wet or heavy soil (IFAS), Pond apple rootstock (NSW WeedWise)
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Custard Apple
Key Challenges
- Frost kills young trees
Pro Tips
- Grow cherimoya instead, which is the cold hardier relative (Daleys)
Pests and problems for Custard Apple in Cool Temperate
Harvesting Custard Apple
When ready: Skin turns from green to yellowish green, the segments swell and flatten and a bloom appears on the skin (IFAS). Pick firm; fruit ripens off the tree at 18 to 24 degrees and will not ripen below 13 degrees (Custard Apples Australia).
How to harvest: Cut with a short stem, handle gently and let fruit soften at room temperature, then eat or refrigerate for 2 to 4 days (IFAS). Unripe fruit holds at 8 to 12 degrees for up to 5 days (Custard Apples Australia).
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 Custard Apple
When do you plant custard apple in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan to Mar, Nov to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): not recommended
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): not recommended
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Nov
When should I plant Custard Apple in Melbourne?
Young trees die at about minus 2 degrees and mature trees are damaged at minus 4 (IFAS). The tree needs 22 to 32 degrees and high humidity at flowering (IFAS), which cool temperate gardens do not give. No source shows fruit south of the NSW coast.
How do I know when Custard Apple are ready to harvest?
Skin turns from green to yellowish green, the segments swell and flatten and a bloom appears on the skin (IFAS). Pick firm; fruit ripens off the tree at 18 to 24 degrees and will not ripen below 13 degrees (Custard Apples Australia).
Are custard apple salt tolerant?
No. Custard apple 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.