When to Plant Feijoa 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 Feijoa 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.
- Planting window
- Mar to May, Sep to Oct
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
Feijoa is a tough evergreen shrub or small tree from southern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. It has grey green leaves, edible flowers and aromatic green fruit.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Cool Temperate
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar P
- Apr P
- May P
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep P
- Oct P
- Nov -
- Dec -
P = Planting window
Fruit flavour is best in cooler areas. Plant in autumn, and wait until spring where frosts are hard (Love the Garden). Fruit ripens April to May in southern Australia (Food Forest). Tolerates frost to about minus 5°C (Food Forest), and Daleys says down to minus 10°C.
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Feijoa in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Slightly acidic to neutral, free draining soil. It does not tolerate waterlogging (Daleys).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- Sunlight
- Full sun. A little afternoon shade is fine, but more sun gives more fruit (Love the Garden).
- Keep away from
- Waterlogged ground, Hot tropical sun
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Feijoa
Recommended Varieties
- Mammoth and Nazemetz (self fertile, Love the Garden)
- Apollo (Daleys listing, pollination advice differs)
Key Challenges
- Spring frost on blossom
- Autumn frost on ripening fruit
Pro Tips
- Plant in autumn
- Prune lightly after fruiting
Pests and problems for Feijoa in Cool Temperate
Harvesting Feijoa
How to harvest: Collect fruit as it drops, and pick often.
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 Feijoa
When do you plant feijoa in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): not recommended
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to May
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Mar to May
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Mar to May, Sep to Oct
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Oct
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to May
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to May
When should I plant Feijoa in Melbourne?
Fruit flavour is best in cooler areas. Plant in autumn, and wait until spring where frosts are hard (Love the Garden). Fruit ripens April to May in southern Australia (Food Forest). Tolerates frost to about minus 5°C (Food Forest), and Daleys says down to minus 10°C.
What are the best Feijoa varieties for Melbourne?
Recommended varieties for the Cool Temperate zone include: Mammoth and Nazemetz (self fertile, Love the Garden), Apollo (Daleys listing, pollination advice differs).
Are feijoa salt tolerant?
No. Feijoa 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.