When to Plant Nectarine 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 Nectarine 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
- Jun to Aug
- Sun
- Full sun
- Shop price
- $3.90/kg at one shop
Nectarine is a smooth skinned peach relative and grows the same way. It is a deciduous tree planted bare root in winter. Low chill varieties reach the subtropics, and fruit ripens from October to February.
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 -
- Jun P
- Jul P
- Aug P
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
P = Planting window
Royal Gem ripens in early December. May Grand ripens late December to mid January and Goldmine in February (SGA). Choose peach leaf curl resistant or covered sites, and keep the tree dry in spring.
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How to Grow Nectarine in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Moisture retentive but well drained. Avoid heavy soils (GrowVeg).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- Sunlight
- Full sun, to limit disease and give good fruit (GrowVeg).
- Good companions
- Nasturtium, Chives, Garlic, Lavender, Rosemary
- Keep away from
- Heavy clay, Waterlogged ground
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Nectarine
Recommended Varieties
- Sunbob, Sunwright, White Satin (low chill, Daleys)
- Nectar-cot, Sunny Belle (warm winters, Qld and northern NSW)
- Royal Gem, Arctic Rose (cooler winters)
Key Challenges
- Leaf curl
- Frost on blossom
- Brown rot
Pro Tips
- Plant bare root in winter
- Remove mummified fruit
Pests and problems for Nectarine in Cool Temperate
Harvesting Nectarine
When ready: Colour fully developed and the flesh feels soft near the stalk (GrowVeg).
How to harvest: The fruit should pull away easily.
What nectarine 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 Nectarine
When do you plant nectarine in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): not recommended
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jun to Aug
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jun to Aug
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jun to Aug
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jun to Aug
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jun to Aug
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jun to Aug
When should I plant Nectarine in Melbourne?
Royal Gem ripens in early December. May Grand ripens late December to mid January and Goldmine in February (SGA). Choose peach leaf curl resistant or covered sites, and keep the tree dry in spring.
How do I know when Nectarine are ready to harvest?
Colour fully developed and the flesh feels soft near the stalk (GrowVeg).
What are the best Nectarine varieties for Melbourne?
Recommended varieties for the Cool Temperate zone include: Sunbob, Sunwright, White Satin (low chill, Daleys), Nectar-cot, Sunny Belle (warm winters, Qld and northern NSW), Royal Gem, Arctic Rose (cooler winters).
What grows well with Nectarine?
Good companion plants for Nectarine include: Nasturtium, Chives, Garlic, Lavender, Rosemary.
Are nectarine salt tolerant?
No. Nectarine 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.