When to Plant Rue in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Melbourne), not a live sensor.
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 Rue 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 Nov
- Days to harvest
- about 16 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 50 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.5–7.5
Rue is a hardy, evergreen, strongly aromatic perennial with blue-green divided leaves and clusters of small yellow flowers in late spring and summer.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Cool Temperate
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep S
- Oct S/T/D
- Nov T/D
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Cool Temperate zone right now, Rue included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Rue in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Lean, sandy, gravelly, or dry well-draining soil
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.5-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun, at least 6 hours of direct sun a day
- Spacing
- 50cm apart, 45cm between rows
- Watering
- let the soil dry out between waterings, then water thoroughly
- Good companions
- Fig (traditional companion), Carrot, Lavender, Brussels Sprouts, Catnip
- Keep away from
- Basil, Broccoli, Sage
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Rue
Key Challenges
- Root Rot: Plants collapse in waterlogged pots or beds
- Green peach aphid: They suck sap from soft growth, which causes distorted tips and sticky honeydew
- Swallowtail caterpillars (possible orchard swallowtail): They chew leaves and can strip young plants
Pro Tips
- Light feeder; requires little to no fertiliser, though a light compost top-dressing in spring is beneficial
- Apply a gravel or light straw mulch around the base to keep root crowns dry and reduce weeds
- Prune back woody stems heavily in early spring to encourage fresh, bushy growth and prevent leggy stems
Pests and problems for Rue in Cool Temperate
- Root Rot Plant in well-drained soil that does not waterlog, use raised beds in high-rainfall areas, and do not overwater established plants. Watch
- Green peach aphid Green peach aphid: They suck sap from soft growth, which causes distorted tips and sticky honeydew Watch
- Swallowtail caterpillars (possible orchard swallowtail) Swallowtail caterpillars (possible orchard swallowtail): They chew leaves and can strip young plants Watch
Harvesting Rue
When ready: Harvest blue-green leaves when stems reach 20 to 30 cm tall before yellow flowers fully bloom
How to harvest: Snip leafy stem tips using clean shears or snips; wear gloves to prevent skin irritation from plant sap
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 Rue
When do you plant rue in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Jul
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to Jun, Aug to Oct
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Aug to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Sep to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to Apr, Aug to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to Apr, Aug to Nov
Can you grow rue all year round in Melbourne?
No. In the Cool Temperate zone the planting months are Sep to Nov. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Rue in Melbourne?
Sow direct or in seed trays from September to November in full sun and free-draining soil.
What soil temperature do Rue need?
Rue germinate best when soil temperature is between 18°C and 22°C.
How do I know when Rue are ready to harvest?
Harvest blue-green leaves when stems reach 20 to 30 cm tall before yellow flowers fully bloom
What grows well with Rue?
Good companion plants for Rue include: Fig, Carrot, Lavender, Brussels Sprouts, Catnip.
Are rue salt tolerant?
Only a little. Rue 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.