When to Plant Purslane 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 Purslane 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
- Apr to Jan
- Days to harvest
- 50 days
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 30 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.5
Portulaca oleracea culinary selections, including golden purslane, provide edible succulent leaves and stems. Use known culinary material rather than unidentified lookalikes.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Planting Calendar for Tropical
- Jan D
- Feb -
- Mar -
- 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
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Tropical zone right now, Purslane included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Purslane in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Light, sandy to medium well-drained loam
- Salt
- Moderately tolerant. Handles slightly salty water better than most veggies.
- pH Range
- 5.5-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun, at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun a day
- Spacing
- 30cm apart, 25cm between rows
- Watering
- Keep the seedbed moist but never wet or dry until plants are up.
- Good companions
- Lettuce, Tomato, Sweet Corn, Capsicum
Tropical Growing Tips for Purslane
Key Challenges
- Aphids: Sap-sucking, virus transmission
- Common Garden Snail: Introduced snail with a tan spiral shell
- Slugs: Soft-bodied shell-less molluscs that feed at night on seedlings and leafy vegetables
- Slugs and Snails: Eat young seedlings and tender leaves
Pro Tips
- Light feeder; incorporate compost into soil prior to planting, avoid high-nitrogen fertilisers which cause limp watery leaves
- Apply a light straw mulch around plants to keep succulent leaves clean off bare soil and retain root moisture
Pests and problems for Purslane in Tropical
- Common Garden Snail Common Garden Snail: Introduced snail with a tan spiral shell Watch
- Slugs Slugs: Soft-bodied shell-less molluscs that feed at night on seedlings and leafy vegetables Watch
- Aphids Aphids: Sap-sucking, virus transmission Watch
- Damping off and stem or root rot Use free-draining sandy soil, avoid overcrowding and avoid overwatering. Watch
Harvesting Purslane
When ready: Harvest succulent stems and tender leaves when shoots are 10 to 15 cm long before small yellow flower buds open
How to harvest: Snip shoot tips 2 to 3 cm above ground level with clean scissors to allow regrowth for cut-and-come-again harvests
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 Purslane
When do you plant purslane in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan, Apr to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Mar, Aug to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan, Oct to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
Can you grow purslane all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Jan, Apr to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Purslane in Cairns?
Supplier gives year-round direct sowing. Cut young leaves and stems; this heat-tolerant annual reshoots after cutting.
What soil temperature do Purslane need?
Purslane germinate best when soil temperature is between 20°C and 30°C.
How do I know when Purslane are ready to harvest?
Harvest succulent stems and tender leaves when shoots are 10 to 15 cm long before small yellow flower buds open
What grows well with Purslane?
Good companion plants for Purslane include: Lettuce, Tomato, Sweet Corn, Capsicum.
Are purslane salt tolerant?
Fairly. Purslane are moderately tolerant of salt and handle slightly salty water better than most veggies.
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.