When to Plant Galangal in Cairns, Tropical Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.
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 Galangal 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
- Mar to Nov
- Days to harvest
- about 26 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 25 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
Galangal is a tall, clumping plant related to ginger, grown for its pungent rhizomes. It likes warmth, moisture and a protected, shady spot. It is frost tender, though a frosted clump rarely dies (Green Harvest).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Tropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar P
- Apr P
- May P
- Jun P
- Jul P
- Aug P
- Sep P
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec -
P = Planting window
Plant from March to November (Seed Collection). Best growth is at 20 to 30°C, in rich, moist soil with some shade. Dig young rhizomes through most of the year (Green Harvest).
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How to Grow Galangal in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Rich, moist soil (Green Harvest). pH 6 to 7 (Rob Pyne). Daleys gives 6.6 to 7.3.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- At least 3 hours of full sun, or part shade (Seed Collection). Green Harvest says a protected, shady position.
- Spacing
- 25cm apart, 30cm between rows
- Watering
- Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. No source gives amounts.
- Good companions
- Coriander, Lemongrass, Ginger, Mint, Turmeric
- Keep away from
- Capsicum, Cucumber, Eggplant, Tomato
- Grow before it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
- Grow after it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
Give the bed 3 turns before root crops go back in. Roots fork and go leafy in fresh manure, so they take the bed after the heavy feeders have used it.
Tropical Growing Tips for Galangal
Key Challenges
- Wet season rot
- Leaf spots
Pro Tips
- Plant on a raised bed or ridge
- Give it afternoon shade
- Dig young rhizomes through the year
Pests and problems for Galangal in Tropical
- Fusarium Wilt Plant healthy rhizomes in free draining soil, and do not replant in the same spot for several years. Watch
- Bacterial Leaf Spot Water the soil, not the leaves. Space the plants for airflow and rotate the bed. Watch
- Verticillium Wilt Use healthy rhizomes and rotate the bed. Do not plant after tomatoes, potatoes or eggplants. Watch
- Rhizome Rot Plant on a raised bed or ridge in free draining soil. Watch
- Wet season rot Wet season rot Watch
Harvesting Galangal
When ready: Young rhizomes are white skinned and more tender, and can be dug through most of the year (Green Harvest). Mature rhizomes are ready from about 160 to 190 days (Seed Collection) to 12 months (Rob Pyne).
How to harvest: Dig the clump and cut off the rhizomes you need. Replant a few sections with buds.
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 Galangal
When do you plant galangal in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Mar to Nov
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Mar, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Oct to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Nov to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Oct to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Oct to Dec
When should I plant Galangal in Cairns?
Plant from March to November (Seed Collection). Best growth is at 20 to 30°C, in rich, moist soil with some shade. Dig young rhizomes through most of the year (Green Harvest).
What soil temperature do Galangal need?
Galangal germinate best when soil temperature is between 20°C and 30°C.
How do I know when Galangal are ready to harvest?
Young rhizomes are white skinned and more tender, and can be dug through most of the year (Green Harvest). Mature rhizomes are ready from about 160 to 190 days (Seed Collection) to 12 months (Rob Pyne).
What grows well with Galangal?
Good companion plants for Galangal include: Coriander, Lemongrass, Ginger, Mint, Turmeric.
Are galangal salt tolerant?
Only a little. Galangal are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
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.