When to Plant Sugar Apple in Brisbane, Subtropical Guide
What this month normally looks like in Subtropical
In October the Subtropical zone normally runs 27°C by day and 15°C overnight, with about 77 mm of rain over 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, 33 postcodes, SILO.
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This Sugar Apple 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.
- Planting window
- Sep to Feb
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 6.6–7.3
Sugar apple, also called sweetsop, is a small partly deciduous tree of 2 to 5 m for tropical and subtropical gardens, with knobbly sweet fruit eaten raw and chilled (Daleys).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Subtropical
- Jan P
- Feb P
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep P
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec P
P = Planting window
Daleys lists it for the subtropics, likes temperatures above 5 degrees, harvest March to July. Young trees are killed at 0 to minus 1 degree (IFAS), so a frost free spot is needed. Planting months are our estimate: spring to summer.
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How to Grow Sugar Apple in Subtropical Australia
- Soil
- Well drained soil; flooding for 7 to 10 days kills the tree (IFAS). Shallow rooted (Morton).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 6.6-7.3
- Sunlight
- Full sun (Daleys).
- Keep away from
- Frost pockets, Wet ground (IFAS), Bushland edges where seed could escape (Morton)
Subtropical Growing Tips for Sugar Apple
Recommended Varieties
- Sweetsop seedling (Daleys)
- Big Eyes (Daleys)
Key Challenges
- Frost on young trees
- Mealybugs and ants
Pro Tips
- Frost free spot in full sun
- Hand pollinate for near full fruit set (IFAS)
Pests and problems for Sugar Apple in Subtropical
Harvesting Sugar Apple
When ready: Pick when the skin colour shows between the segments and they start to separate (Morton).
How to harvest: Clip with a short stem; ripe fruit lasts 2 to 4 days (IFAS). Chilling injury at 4 degrees, so do not refrigerate unripe fruit (Morton).
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 Sugar Apple
When do you plant sugar apple in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan to Mar, Nov to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Oct to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): not recommended
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): not recommended
When should I plant Sugar Apple in Brisbane?
Daleys lists it for the subtropics, likes temperatures above 5 degrees, harvest March to July. Young trees are killed at 0 to minus 1 degree (IFAS), so a frost free spot is needed. Planting months are our estimate: spring to summer.
How do I know when Sugar Apple are ready to harvest?
Pick when the skin colour shows between the segments and they start to separate (Morton).
What are the best Sugar Apple varieties for Brisbane?
Recommended varieties for the Subtropical zone include: Sweetsop seedling (Daleys), Big Eyes (Daleys).
Are sugar apple salt tolerant?
No. Sugar apple 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 Subtropical zone, Brisbane is its reference city.