When to Plant Queensland Arrowroot 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 Queensland Arrowroot 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
- Sep to Feb
- Days to harvest
- about 26 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 30 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.6–7.3
Queensland arrowroot is a tall canna, 1 to 2 m, grown for its starchy rhizome tubers and as a mulch and stock feed plant (Green Harvest, Daleys, Jerry Coleby-Williams).
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 P
- Feb P
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep P
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec P
P = Planting window
Plant rhizome pieces September to February, once the soil warms, and dig tubers from March to July before heavy frost cuts the tops down; Daleys says it tolerates frost and a South Australian grower reports it doing well. Months are a cool-climate narrowing of Green Harvest's all-year advice.
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Cool Temperate zone right now, Queensland Arrowroot included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Queensland Arrowroot in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Rich, moist, well drained soil (Green Harvest).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.6-7.3
- Sunlight
- Full sun to part shade (Daleys).
- Spacing
- 30cm apart, 45cm between rows
- Watering
- Moderate to ample water (Daleys, Green Harvest).
- Grow before it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
- Grow after it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
Give the bed 3 turns before root crops go back in. Roots fork and go leafy in fresh manure, so they take the bed after the heavy feeders have used it.
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Queensland Arrowroot
Recommended Varieties
- Queensland arrowroot
Key Challenges
- Frost cuts tops
Pro Tips
- Mulch the crown
Pests and problems for Queensland Arrowroot in Cool Temperate
Harvesting Queensland Arrowroot
When ready: Tubers at tennis-ball size, from about 6 months; older tubers go fibrous (Green Harvest, Daleys).
How to harvest: Dig a clump, take the young tubers, replant the rest (Green Harvest).
Storing and preserving queensland arrowroot
How to keep it
- Arrowroot flour. Grate tubers, wash the starch out in water, let it settle, pour off, dry the starch (Green Harvest mentions flour; method not detailed in the sources opened). Keeps: 12 months.
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 Queensland Arrowroot
When do you plant queensland arrowroot in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): all year
- Subtropical (Brisbane): all year
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): all year
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan to Mar, Sep to Dec
When should I plant Queensland Arrowroot in Melbourne?
Plant rhizome pieces September to February, once the soil warms, and dig tubers from March to July before heavy frost cuts the tops down; Daleys says it tolerates frost and a South Australian grower reports it doing well. Months are a cool-climate narrowing of Green Harvest's all-year advice.
How do I know when Queensland Arrowroot are ready to harvest?
Tubers at tennis-ball size, from about 6 months; older tubers go fibrous (Green Harvest, Daleys).
What are the best Queensland Arrowroot varieties for Melbourne?
Recommended varieties for the Cool Temperate zone include: Queensland arrowroot.
Are queensland arrowroot salt tolerant?
Only a little. Queensland arrowroot 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.