When to Plant Grape 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 Grape 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
- Apr to Sep
- Days to harvest
- about 156 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
- Shop price
- $23.75/kg at one shop
Grapes are a deciduous vine that grows in most climates (Yates), happiest with a cool winter, a wet spring and a long dry summer (SGA, Diggers).
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 -
- Apr P
- May P
- Jun P
- Jul P
- Aug P
- Sep P
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
P = Planting window
A cool to cold winter, a wet spring and a long dry summer is the ideal (Diggers, SGA). The dormant vine is frost hardy but new spring shoots are not (Diggers), so shelter from severe frost (Bunnings). Plant bare root vines in winter, or potted vines in autumn, winter or spring (Bunnings). Cabernet types need cool winters. Harvest from February onwards (SGA), through late autumn (Yates).
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How to Grow Grape in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Free draining, neutral to slightly acidic (Bunnings); not fussy (Diggers).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun, sheltered from wind and severe frost (Bunnings).
- Good companions
- Chives, Garlic, Hyssop, Kiwiberry
- Keep away from
- Cabbage, Radish
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Grape
Recommended Varieties
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Pinot Noir
- Chardonnay (SGA, Daleys)
- Black Muscat
Key Challenges
- Spring frost on shoots
Pro Tips
- North facing pergola (Diggers)
- Remove 90 to 95 percent of last season's growth each winter (Bunnings, Diggers)
Pests and problems for Grape in Cool Temperate
Harvesting Grape
When ready: Full colour, sweet taste and a dusty bloom; grapes do not ripen further after picking.
How to harvest: Cut whole bunches with secateurs, mid to late summer through late autumn (Yates).
Storing and preserving grape
How to keep it
- Freezing. Whole seedless grapes on a tray or in 40 percent syrup (NCHFP). Keeps: 8 to 12 months.
- Grape jam. NCHFP grape jam without pectin, water bath 5 minutes at sea level. Keeps: 1 year.
- Fruit leather. Puree, spread, dry at 60C for 6 to 8 hours (NCHFP). Keeps: 1 month room temperature, 1 year frozen.
What grape 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 Grape
When do you plant grape in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Sep
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Apr to Sep
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Apr to Sep
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Apr to Sep
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jun to Sep
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Apr to Sep
- Mediterranean (Perth): Apr to Sep
When should I plant Grape in Melbourne?
A cool to cold winter, a wet spring and a long dry summer is the ideal (Diggers, SGA). The dormant vine is frost hardy but new spring shoots are not (Diggers), so shelter from severe frost (Bunnings). Plant bare root vines in winter, or potted vines in autumn, winter or spring (Bunnings). Cabernet types need cool winters. Harvest from February onwards (SGA), through late autumn (Yates).
How do I know when Grape are ready to harvest?
Full colour, sweet taste and a dusty bloom; grapes do not ripen further after picking.
What are the best Grape varieties for Melbourne?
Recommended varieties for the Cool Temperate zone include: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay (SGA, Daleys), Black Muscat.
What grows well with Grape?
Good companion plants for Grape include: Chives, Garlic, Hyssop, Kiwiberry.
Are grape salt tolerant?
Only a little. Grape 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 Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.