When to Plant Macadamia in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide

Plant March to April and October to November. Right now in October you can plant.

Planting window
Grows and crops in sheltered, frost-free Melbourne gardens, though trees stay smaller than further north. Young trees are damaged below...
Sunlight
Full sun for best production. Tolerates light shade.
Soil pH
5.0-6.5

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

This Macadamia 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.

Macadamia

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Australia's only commercially significant native food plant. Large evergreen tree native to QLD/NSW rainforest. Two species: M. integrifolia (smooth shell, commercial) and M. tetraphylla (rough shell, smaller tree, more cold-tolerant). Grafted trees begin producing in 5-7 years but don't reach full production until 12-15 years. Long-lived (100+ years). Beautiful ornamental shade tree with glossy leaves and pendulous white/pink flower racemes. The nuts have the hardest shell of any commercial nut.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Best Planting Window for Cool Temperate

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- - P P - - - - - P P -

P = Planting window

Grows and crops in sheltered, frost-free Melbourne gardens, though trees stay smaller than further north. Young trees are damaged below about minus 1C, so avoid Tasmania, Ballarat and frosty valleys.

Want a nudge when it is Macadamia sowing time in Melbourne?

One email a week with what is worth planting in the Cool Temperate zone right now, Macadamia included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.

This month 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.

The full twelve months are on the Cool Temperate zone page.

How to Grow Macadamia in Cool Temperate Australia

When to Plant

Grows and crops in sheltered, frost-free Melbourne gardens, though trees stay smaller than further north. Young trees are damaged below about minus 1C, so avoid Tasmania, Ballarat and frosty valleys.

Soil
Well-drained, slightly acidic, volcanic or basaltic soils ideal (reflecting native habitat). Can grow in sandy soils with organic amendment. Cannot tolerate waterlogged conditions.
pH Range
5.0-6.5
Sunlight
Full sun for best production. Tolerates light shade.

Companion plants: Native understorey plants, Coffee (traditional intercrop in Hawaii)

Avoid planting near: Buildings too close (large tree)

Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Macadamia

Recommended Varieties

  • M. tetraphylla only

Key Challenges

  • Frost damage to flowers
  • Slow growth
  • May not produce commercially viable crops

Pro Tips

  • Marginal for Melbourne. M. tetraphylla may grow as an ornamental but nut production will be limited.
  • Inner city heat islands might succeed.

Harvesting Macadamia

When ready: Nuts fall from tree when mature (natural abscission). Husk splits or starts to brown. Harvest from ground. Do not pick from tree. Harvest every 2-3 weeks during drop season.

How to harvest: Collect fallen nuts from ground. Remove husk within 24 hours (prevents mould). Dry in-shell nuts in single layer in shade for 2-3 weeks.

Where to next

Also worth sowing in the cool temperate zone this October: Sweet Corn, Beetroot, Rutabaga (Swede) and Asparagus Pea (Winged Bean).

Get the Full Interactive Guide

Track your garden, get real-time pest alerts, and plan around your zone's weather.

Open the planting dashboard Join GardenBuddy.au

Common Questions About Macadamia

When do you plant macadamia 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.