When to Plant Feijoa 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 Feijoa 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 to part shade
Feijoa is a tough evergreen shrub or small tree from southern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. It has grey green leaves, edible flowers and aromatic green fruit.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Tropical
Feijoa is not recommended for Tropical.
Feijoas need winter chill. Daleys forum growers say Townsville does not normally get enough, and a grower there had four trees flower once and never fruit in over four years. Daleys says in very warm areas the tree is grown mainly for its edible flowers. Not a fruit crop in the tropics.
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How to Grow Feijoa in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Slightly acidic to neutral, free draining soil. It does not tolerate waterlogging (Daleys).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- Sunlight
- Full sun. A little afternoon shade is fine, but more sun gives more fruit (Love the Garden).
- Keep away from
- Waterlogged ground, Hot tropical sun
Tropical Growing Tips for Feijoa
Recommended Varieties
- Mammoth and Nazemetz (self fertile, Love the Garden)
- Apollo (Daleys listing, pollination advice differs)
Key Challenges
- Not enough winter chill
- Flowers drop without fruit
Pro Tips
- Grow only for the edible flowers
Pests and problems for Feijoa in Tropical
Harvesting Feijoa
How to harvest: Collect fruit as it drops, and pick often.
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 Feijoa
When do you plant feijoa in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): not recommended
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to May
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Mar to May
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Mar to May, Sep to Oct
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Oct
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to May
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to May
When should I plant Feijoa in Cairns?
Feijoas need winter chill. Daleys forum growers say Townsville does not normally get enough, and a grower there had four trees flower once and never fruit in over four years. Daleys says in very warm areas the tree is grown mainly for its edible flowers. Not a fruit crop in the tropics.
What are the best Feijoa varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Mammoth and Nazemetz (self fertile, Love the Garden), Apollo (Daleys listing, pollination advice differs).
Are feijoa salt tolerant?
No. Feijoa 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.