When to Plant Plum in Perth, Mediterranean Guide

Plant June to August. Right now in October it is out of season. The next planting month is June.

Planting window
Plant bare-root in winter. Low-chill Japanese plums suit the plains, and European plums suit the hills.
Sunlight
Full sun, good air circulation.
Soil pH
5.5-6.5

Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Plum 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.

Plum

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Two main types: Japanese plums (larger, juicy, eat fresh, most common in Australia) and European plums (smaller, denser flesh, better for drying/prunes and cooking). Japanese plums need less chill than European types. Many Japanese varieties need cross-pollination while European plums are often self-fertile. Subject to same diseases as peaches (leaf curl equivalent: silver leaf, brown rot). Grafted on plum or peach rootstock.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Best Planting Window for Mediterranean

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- - - - - P P P - - - -

P = Planting window

Plant bare-root in winter. Low-chill Japanese plums suit the plains, and European plums suit the hills.

Want a nudge when it is Plum sowing time in Perth?

One email a week with what is worth planting in the Mediterranean zone right now, Plum included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.

This month 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.

The full twelve months are on the Mediterranean zone page.

How to Grow Plum in Mediterranean Australia

When to Plant

Plant bare-root in winter. Low-chill Japanese plums suit the plains, and European plums suit the hills.

Soil
Well-drained, slightly acidic. Better tolerance of clay than peach. Deep loam ideal.
pH Range
5.5-6.5
Sunlight
Full sun, good air circulation.

Companion plants: Comfrey, Nasturtium

Avoid planting near: Previous stone fruit site

Mediterranean Growing Tips for Plum

Recommended Varieties

  • Santa Rosa
  • Satsuma
  • Mariposa
  • Greengage
  • D'Agen

Key Challenges

  • Dry summers
  • Med fruit fly in WA

Pro Tips

  • Good zone for both types. Dry conditions reduce disease.
  • European prune plums do brilliantly.

Harvesting Plum

When ready: Full colour development. Slight give when gently squeezed. Sweet aroma. Japanese plums: slight softening. European plums: can harvest firmer.

How to harvest: Twist and pull gently. Handle carefully, plums bruise easily.

Preserving: pressure canning

2 tested pressure-canning recipes for Plum: 1 where it is the crop being canned and 1 where it is a main ingredient. Each one comes from published home canning guidelines. The conversion to Australian units is ours, with psi beside every kPa. Always follow your pressure canner's manual.

Recipes in this set

  • Plums-Halved or Whole
  • Fruit Pureés

The full recipe details are for members on a paid plan: jar sizes, headspace, process time, the pressure for a weighted or dial gauge at your altitude, the ingredients, the preparation steps and the safety notes.

See the plans

Where to next

What plum costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.

Also worth sowing in the mediterranean zone this October: Lemongrass, Radish, Zucchini and Beetroot.

The pest most likely to find your plum: Queensland Fruit Fly.

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Common Questions About Plum

When do you plant plum in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page 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.