When to Plant Cashew 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 Cashew 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.
- Planting window
- Dec to Feb
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 4.5–6.5
A fast evergreen tree to 10 to 15 m for the dry tropical coast and inland north, grown commercially in the Northern Territory and north Queensland (Daleys, QDAF).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Tropical
- Jan D
- Feb D
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec D
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Cashew in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Deep well drained sandy loam, pH 4.5 to 6.5; alkaline soils cause deficiencies and poor drainage kills it (Daleys, UF IFAS).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 4.5-6.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun.
- Good companions
- Sweet Corn, Peanut, Yam
- Keep away from
- Frost pockets, Windy sites, Wet or heavy ground, Paths and washing lines, the apple juice stains
Tropical Growing Tips for Cashew
Recommended Varieties
- Seedling (Daleys)
Key Challenges
- Anthracnose in wet flowering
- Wind damage
- Shell oil at harvest
Pro Tips
- Mound and shelter
- Gloves and long sleeves for harvest
Pests and problems for Cashew in Tropical
Harvesting Cashew
When ready: The apple colours yellow to red and the whole fruit with its nut falls to the ground (UF IFAS).
How to harvest: Pick up fallen fruit wearing gloves, twist the nut off the apple and keep the raw nuts away from skin and children (Daleys, UF IFAS). Use the apple the same day.
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 Cashew
When do you plant cashew in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan to Feb, Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): not recommended
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): not recommended
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): not recommended
- Mediterranean (Perth): not recommended
Can you grow cashew all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Jan to Feb, Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Cashew in Cairns?
Daleys lists cashew for the tropics and dry tropical coast, with a self pollinating seedling tree that fruits September to December and February to March. Orchards exist in the Northern Territory and north Queensland (QDAF, CSIRO). Planting months are our estimate from UF IFAS, which sows seed in summer: plant at the start of the wet season into well drained sandy loam, sheltered from wind.
How do I know when Cashew are ready to harvest?
The apple colours yellow to red and the whole fruit with its nut falls to the ground (UF IFAS).
What are the best Cashew varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Seedling (Daleys).
What grows well with Cashew?
Good companion plants for Cashew include: Sweet Corn, Peanut, Yam.
Are cashew salt tolerant?
No. Cashew 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.