When to Plant Pepino 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 Pepino 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
- Sep to Nov
- Days to harvest
- about 26 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
Pepino is a sprawling Andean shrub to about 1 m that gives melon flavoured fruit with cream skin striped purple (SGA, ABC).
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 -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep P
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec -
P = Planting window
Growers at Rockhampton and Tolga report on it. A sprawling shrub to 1 m that fruits young (Diggers, SGA). Plant in spring, give afternoon shade in the hottest months and steady water. Fruit from late summer into winter (derived; Daleys review).
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How to Grow Pepino in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Rich, moist, well drained (SGA).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun; afternoon shade in the hottest areas.
- Keep away from
- Frost pockets
Tropical Growing Tips for Pepino
Key Challenges
- Heat
- Fruit fly
Pro Tips
- Afternoon shade
- Net fruit
Pests and problems for Pepino in Tropical
Harvesting Pepino
When ready: Skin turns cream to gold with purple stripes and the fruit gives slightly and smells of melon.
How to harvest: Cut with a short stalk; handle gently.
Storing and preserving pepino
How to keep it
- Freezing. Peel, cube, tray freeze. Keeps: 6 to 8 months.
- Fresh storage. Bench a few days, fridge several weeks above 5C (SGA). Keeps: Several 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 Pepino
When do you plant pepino in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Sep to Nov
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Sep to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Oct to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Nov to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Nov
When should I plant Pepino in Cairns?
Growers at Rockhampton and Tolga report on it. A sprawling shrub to 1 m that fruits young (Diggers, SGA). Plant in spring, give afternoon shade in the hottest months and steady water. Fruit from late summer into winter (derived; Daleys review).
How do I know when Pepino are ready to harvest?
Skin turns cream to gold with purple stripes and the fruit gives slightly and smells of melon.
Are pepino salt tolerant?
No. Pepino 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.