When to Plant Pineapple 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 Pineapple 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.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 4.5–5.5
A bromeliad, not a tree or even a bush. Grows as a rosette of spiky leaves at ground level and produces a single fruit on a central stalk.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Cool Temperate
Pineapple is not recommended for Cool Temperate.
Not grown outdoors here. A pineapple can be kept in a pot or against a warm wall with reflected heat, but fruit takes 14 to 24 months and is usually small, so the book does not plan it.
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How to Grow Pineapple in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Well-drained, sandy or sandy loam. Acidic. Pineapples CANNOT tolerate waterlogged soil. Root rot is rapid.
- Salt
- Moderately tolerant. Handles slightly salty water better than most veggies.
- pH Range
- 4.5-5.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun. Maximum heat. North-facing position in marginal zones.
- Good companions
- Coconut
- Keep away from
- Waterlogged areas
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Pineapple
Key Challenges
- Frost kills plants
Pro Tips
- Greenhouse only.
Pests and problems for Pineapple in Cool Temperate
Harvesting Pineapple
When ready: Shell colour changes from green to yellow-gold (starting at base). Sweet aroma develops. Pull a central leaf. If it detaches easily, fruit is ready. Thump test. Sounds dull when ripe, hollow when unripe.
How to harvest: Cut stem below fruit with sharp knife. Can cut with attached slip for propagation.
Storing and preserving pineapple
How to keep it
- Freezing. Peel, core, chunk. Freeze on trays then bag. Keeps: 12 months.
- Dehydrating. Slice into rings or chunks. Dehydrate at 55°C for 12-16 hours. Keeps: 12 months.
- Canning in syrup. Pack chunks in light syrup. Water bath 20 minutes. Keeps: 12 months.
- Pineapple vinegar (tepache). Ferment peel and core with sugar and water for 3-5 days. Strain. Keeps: 2 weeks refrigerated.
What pineapple costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
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- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Pineapple
When do you plant pineapple in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Sep to Nov
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Oct to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): not recommended
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): not recommended
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan to Mar, Nov to Dec
When should I plant Pineapple in Melbourne?
Not grown outdoors here. A pineapple can be kept in a pot or against a warm wall with reflected heat, but fruit takes 14 to 24 months and is usually small, so the book does not plan it.
How do I know when Pineapple are ready to harvest?
Shell colour changes from green to yellow-gold (starting at base). Sweet aroma develops. Pull a central leaf. If it detaches easily, fruit is ready. Thump test. Sounds dull when ripe, hollow when unripe.
What grows well with Pineapple?
Good companion plants for Pineapple include: Coconut.
Are pineapple salt tolerant?
Fairly. Pineapple are moderately tolerant of salt and handle slightly salty water better than most veggies.
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.