When to Plant Loquat 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 Loquat 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
- May to Sep
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.5
The loquat is an evergreen tree with sweet, apricot like fruit in late winter and spring, when little else is ripe. It is self fertile, grows in warm temperate and subtropical gardens, and tolerates light frost.
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 -
- May P
- Jun P
- Jul P
- Aug P
- Sep P
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
P = Planting window
Tolerates light frost but not a hard freeze (Planting Season), and flowers open in autumn and winter so frost can take the crop. Choose a sheltered spot. Naturalised near Melbourne (Lucid). Fruit months are our estimate.
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Cool Temperate zone right now, Loquat included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Loquat in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Free draining soil (Daleys, Planting Season).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun, at least 6 hours a day (Planting Season).
- Keep away from
- Bushland and creek lines, Waterlogged ground
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Loquat
Recommended Varieties
- Nagasakiwase (early, large)
- Bessell Brown (prunable to about 2 m)
- Seedling loquats (variable, and spread easily)
Key Challenges
- Frost at flowering
- Cold wind
Pro Tips
- Sheltered sunny spot
- Cover young trees
Pests and problems for Loquat in Cool Temperate
Harvesting Loquat
How to harvest: Pick clusters when the fruit is fully coloured, before birds get them.
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 Loquat
When do you plant loquat in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): May to Aug
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): May to Sep
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): May to Sep
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): May to Sep
- Mediterranean (Perth): May to Sep
When should I plant Loquat in Melbourne?
Tolerates light frost but not a hard freeze (Planting Season), and flowers open in autumn and winter so frost can take the crop. Choose a sheltered spot. Naturalised near Melbourne (Lucid). Fruit months are our estimate.
What are the best Loquat varieties for Melbourne?
Recommended varieties for the Cool Temperate zone include: Nagasakiwase (early, large), Bessell Brown (prunable to about 2 m), Seedling loquats (variable, and spread easily).
Are loquat salt tolerant?
No. Loquat 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.