When to Plant Orange in Brisbane, Subtropical Guide

Plant September to November. Right now in September you can plant.

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

This Orange guide is written for the Subtropical zone, which takes in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Orange

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Classic backyard citrus. Sweet oranges need more heat than lemons for sweetness development. Coastal Melbourne oranges are noticeably more tart than those from Mildura or the Riverland. Navel oranges (seedless, eating) and Valencia oranges (juicing, summer fruit) are the main types. Trees are medium-sized, attractive, and productive for decades. Grafted onto appropriate rootstock.

Best Planting Window for Subtropical

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

P = Planting window

Plant September-November.

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How to Grow Orange in Subtropical Australia

When to Plant

Plant September-November.

Soil
Well-drained, slightly acidic. Same requirements as other citrus.
pH Range
6.0-7.0
Sunlight
Full sun, minimum 6-8 hours. More heat = sweeter fruit.

Companion plants: Nasturtium, Comfrey, Marigold

Avoid planting near: Grass right to trunk

Subtropical Growing Tips for Orange

Recommended Varieties

  • Washington Navel
  • Lane Late Navel (late season)
  • Valencia
  • Cara Cara (pink navel, excellent)
  • Blood orange (needs cool nights for colour)

Key Challenges

  • Citrus gall wasp
  • Fruit fly
  • Blood oranges need colder winters than SEQ usually provides for full colour

Pro Tips

  • Good orange zone. Navels ripen June-August, Valencia September-November.
  • Lane Late extends harvest to October.
  • Cara Cara is outstanding. Pink flesh, low acid, sweet.

Harvesting Orange

When ready: Full orange colour (some green at stem end is normal). Taste test. Sweetness develops with time on tree. Navel oranges ripen faster than Valencia.

How to harvest: Cut with secateurs or twist-pull.

Where to next

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

Also worth sowing in the subtropical zone this September: Lemongrass, Ginger, Beetroot and Chilli Peppers.

The pest most likely to find your orange: Possums (Common Brushtail, Ringtail).

Supermarket Price

Current average retail: $2.27/kg (12-month range: $1.33–$3.99)

Grow your own and save on grocery bills.

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Common Questions About Orange

When do you plant orange 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 Subtropical zone, Brisbane is its reference city.