When to Plant Pepino in Perth, Mediterranean Guide
What this month normally looks like in Mediterranean
In October the Mediterranean zone normally runs 22°C by day and 10°C overnight, with about 38 mm of rain over 6 or 7 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -0.2°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 19 postcodes, SILO.
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This Pepino guide is written for the Mediterranean zone, which takes in Perth, Adelaide and Bunbury. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Sep to Nov
- Days to harvest
- about 26 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
Pepino is a sprawling Andean shrub to about 1 m that gives melon flavoured fruit with cream skin striped purple (SGA, ABC).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Mediterranean
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep P
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec -
P = Planting window
An Esperance grower picked 30 or more fruit from a 3 year old bush, and Busselton, Adelaide and Strathalbyn growers report on it. Plant in spring after frost (Diggers), water through the dry summer and mulch. Fruit into winter in Strathalbyn.
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How to Grow Pepino in Mediterranean Australia
- Soil
- Rich, moist, well drained (SGA).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun; afternoon shade in the hottest areas.
- Keep away from
- Frost pockets
Mediterranean Growing Tips for Pepino
Key Challenges
- Dry summer
Pro Tips
- Water through summer
- Harvest into winter (Daleys review)
Pests and problems for Pepino in Mediterranean
Harvesting Pepino
When ready: Skin turns cream to gold with purple stripes and the fruit gives slightly and smells of melon.
How to harvest: Cut with a short stalk; handle gently.
Storing and preserving pepino
How to keep it
- Freezing. Peel, cube, tray freeze. Keeps: 6 to 8 months.
- Fresh storage. Bench a few days, fridge several weeks above 5C (SGA). Keeps: Several weeks.
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 Pepino
When do you plant pepino in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Sep to Nov
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Sep to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Oct to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Nov to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Nov
When should I plant Pepino in Perth?
An Esperance grower picked 30 or more fruit from a 3 year old bush, and Busselton, Adelaide and Strathalbyn growers report on it. Plant in spring after frost (Diggers), water through the dry summer and mulch. Fruit into winter in Strathalbyn.
How do I know when Pepino are ready to harvest?
Skin turns cream to gold with purple stripes and the fruit gives slightly and smells of melon.
Are pepino salt tolerant?
No. Pepino 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 Mediterranean zone, Perth is its reference city.