When to Plant Almond in Cairns, Tropical Guide
What this month normally looks like in Tropical
In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.
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This Almond guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Sun
- Full sun
Almond is a deciduous nut tree that needs cold winters and flowers early. It crops from about the third year, and nuts are ready from February to April when the hull splits. Most need a second variety for pollination.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Tropical
Almond is not recommended for Tropical.
Almonds need cold winters (Yates, Love the Garden). We found no source for tropical growing.
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How to Grow Almond in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Well drained. Add gypsum to clay soils (Yates).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- Sunlight
- Full sun (BHG, Love the Garden).
- Keep away from
- Waterlogged ground
Tropical Growing Tips for Almond
Recommended Varieties
- All In One and Dwarf Self Pollinating (Yates)
- Nonpareil, Mission, Peerless, Fritz, Johnston Prolific, Brandis Jordan, Ne Plus Ultra, IXL (Yates home garden list)
Key Challenges
- No winter chill
Pro Tips
- Not recommended
Pests and problems for Almond in Tropical
Harvesting Almond
When ready: The outer fleshy hull starts to split open (Yates).
How to harvest: Harvest all nuts at once, since autumn rain can rot them on the tree (Love the Garden).
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 Almond
When do you plant almond in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): not recommended
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jun to Aug
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jun to Aug
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jun to Aug
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jun to Aug
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jun to Aug
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jun to Aug
When should I plant Almond in Cairns?
Almonds need cold winters (Yates, Love the Garden). We found no source for tropical growing.
How do I know when Almond are ready to harvest?
The outer fleshy hull starts to split open (Yates).
What are the best Almond varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: All In One and Dwarf Self Pollinating (Yates), Nonpareil, Mission, Peerless, Fritz, Johnston Prolific, Brandis Jordan, Ne Plus Ultra, IXL (Yates home garden list).
Are almond salt tolerant?
No. Almond 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 Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.