When to Plant Jicama 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 Jicama 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
- All year
- Days to harvest
- about 39 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 20 cm apart
- Soil pH
- Not given by the sources opened.
Jicama (yam bean) is a climbing legume, 2 to 5 m, grown for its crisp sweet tuber (Daleys).
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 D
- Apr D
- May D
- Jun D
- Jul D
- Aug D
- Sep D
- Oct D
- Nov D
- Dec D
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
You can sow jicama in any month in Tropical, but the months are not equal. Summer heat brings faster bolting and heavier pest pressure, so pick a heat tolerant variety, sow little and often, and give afternoon shade from December through February.
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Tropical zone right now, Jicama included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Jicama in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Rich, free draining soil; roots rot in wet ground (Rob Pyne).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- Not given by the sources opened.
- Sunlight
- Full sun, about 9 hours (Rob Pyne).
- Spacing
- 20cm apart, 90cm between rows
- Watering
- Steady water, never waterlogged (Rob Pyne).
- 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 Jicama
Recommended Varieties
- Yam bean (The Seed Collection)
Key Challenges
- Wet season rot
Pro Tips
- Raised beds in the wet
Pests and problems for Jicama in Tropical
Harvesting Jicama
When ready: Vines yellow after 9 months; small tubers from 4 months (Green Harvest, Rob Pyne).
How to harvest: Dig carefully before frost (Rob Pyne).
Storing and preserving jicama
How to keep it
- Fresh storage. Keep whole tubers cool and dry; cut pieces in water in the fridge. Keeps: 2-4 weeks.
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 Jicama
When do you plant jicama in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): all year
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Aug to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jul to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Aug to Sep, Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Aug to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Aug to Nov
Can you grow jicama all year round in Cairns?
Yes, every month is on the calendar for the Tropical zone, though not every month is equally easy. Sow direct any month; Green Harvest says it can be planted all year in the tropics. Soak seed, sow 5 cm deep, 20 to 25 cm apart in rows 60 to 90 cm, give it a trellis and pinch flowers for bigger tubers (Green Harvest). Daleys gives harvest July to September; dig any time from 4 months for small tubers (Green Harvest).
When should I plant Jicama in Cairns?
Sow direct any month; Green Harvest says it can be planted all year in the tropics. Soak seed, sow 5 cm deep, 20 to 25 cm apart in rows 60 to 90 cm, give it a trellis and pinch flowers for bigger tubers (Green Harvest). Daleys gives harvest July to September; dig any time from 4 months for small tubers (Green Harvest).
What soil temperature do Jicama need?
Jicama germinate best when soil temperature is between 21°C and 29°C.
How do I know when Jicama are ready to harvest?
Vines yellow after 9 months; small tubers from 4 months (Green Harvest, Rob Pyne).
What are the best Jicama varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Yam bean (The Seed Collection).
Are jicama salt tolerant?
Only a little. Jicama 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.