When to Plant Stevia 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 Stevia 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 Oct
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 40 cm apart
Stevia is a leafy perennial herb whose leaves taste many times sweeter than sugar. It likes warm, humid places and is frost tender, so cooler gardens grow it in a pot and bring it inside for winter.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Tropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr T
- May T
- Jun T
- Jul T
- Aug T
- Sep T
- Oct T
- Nov -
- Dec -
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, Stevia included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Stevia in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Fertile, well draining soil (Bunnings, Rob Pyne).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- Sunlight
- Full sun, or part shade with some afternoon shade in a hot summer (Bunnings, Rob Pyne).
- Spacing
- 40cm apart
- Watering
- Keep the soil evenly moist with frequent light watering (Rob Pyne). Water regularly in warm weather so roots do not dry out, and avoid overwatering in the cooler months (Bunnings).
Tropical Growing Tips for Stevia
Recommended Varieties
- Stevia rebaudiana
Key Challenges
- Wet season rot
- Leaf spot
Pro Tips
- Grow in the dry season
- Free draining pot or mound
Pests and problems for Stevia in Tropical
Harvesting Stevia
When ready: Pick just as plants start to flower, when the leaves are sweetest (Bunnings). Harvest in the morning when sugar content is highest (Rob Pyne).
How to harvest: Cut stems or pick leaves, then rinse well before eating (Bunnings). Cut stems about 2.5 cm above the ground (Rob Pyne).
Storing and preserving stevia
How to keep it
- Drying. Dry whole stems or leaves in a warm, airy place until crisp, then crumble or grind. No Australian source read, so treat as general practice.
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 Stevia
When do you plant stevia in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Oct
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Aug to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Oct to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Oct to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Nov to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): Oct to Nov
Can you grow stevia all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Apr to Oct. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Stevia in Cairns?
Stevia prefers humid tropical and subtropical regions (Bunnings). Plant in the dry season, water regularly in warm weather and watch for root rot and leaf spot in the wet. Months are our estimate, no tropical specific source.
How do I know when Stevia are ready to harvest?
Pick just as plants start to flower, when the leaves are sweetest (Bunnings). Harvest in the morning when sugar content is highest (Rob Pyne).
What are the best Stevia varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Stevia rebaudiana.
Are stevia salt tolerant?
Only a little. Stevia 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.