When to Plant Strawberry 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 Strawberry 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 May
- Days to harvest
- about 13 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 30 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 5.5–6.5
Strawberries are one of Australia's favourite home garden fruits, producing sweet berries from compact plants that thrive in garden beds, pots, and hanging baskets.
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 -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
P = Planting window
Plant fresh runners at the start of the dry season and treat them as an annual, replacing them each year because the plants rarely survive the wet. They crop best in the cooler months, and the Atherton Tablelands suits them best.
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How to Grow Strawberry in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Well-drained, slightly acidic soil enriched with compost. Sandy loam is ideal. Raised beds or mounded rows improve drainage. Strawberries hate waterlogged roots.
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 5.5-6.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun (minimum 6-8 hours). In tropical/subtropical zones, afternoon shade beneficial.
- Spacing
- 30cm apart, 75cm between rows
- Watering
- Regular consistent moisture during flowering and fruiting, 2-3cm per week. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses preferred. NEVER overhead water when fruit is developing. Causes grey mould (Botrytis). Reduce water after fruiting.
- Good companions
- Borage (attracts pollinators, improves flavour, traditional companion), Blueberry (woodland types), Dwarf Beans, Lettuce, Onion
- Keep away from
- Broccoli, Cabbage, Capsicum, Chinese cabbage, Collards, Eggplant (share Verticillium wilt), Fennel, Kale, Kohlrabi, Mustard greens (Listed under 'keep apart from' for mustard greens; no reason is given.), Pak Choy, Rutabaga, Tomato, Turnip
Tropical Growing Tips for Strawberry
Recommended Varieties
- Redlands Joy (QLD-bred, subtropical/tropical adapted)
- Ruby Gem
- Sugarbaby
Key Challenges
- Extreme heat reduces fruit quality
- High disease pressure from humidity
- Fruit fly pressure year-round
- Short productive life, treat as annual
Pro Tips
- Australian-bred varieties (Redlands Joy, Ruby Gem) are the only sensible choices
- Morning sun with afternoon shade essential
- Raised beds for drainage in wet season
Pests and problems for Strawberry in Tropical
- Queensland Fruit Fly Watch
- Botrytis (Grey Mould) Watch
- Two-spotted spider mite Watch
- Powdery Mildew Choose resistant varieties where available. Full sun, good air circulation, adequate spacing. Avoid late-afternoon watering. Watch
- Common Garden Snail Watch
- Slugs Watch
- Grey Mould (Botrytis Fruit Rot) Straw mulch under fruit. Adequate spacing. Water at base, NEVER overhead during flowering/fruiting. Remove all dead leaves and rotting... Watch
- Fruit fly pressure year-round Fruit fly pressure year-round Watch
Harvesting Strawberry
When ready: Fully red/coloured all over (no white shoulders). Slight give when gently pressed. Fragrant strawberry aroma. Berries do NOT continue ripening after picking.
How to harvest: Pick in the morning when cool. Pinch stem 1cm above berry with thumbnail or use small scissors. Handle gently, strawberries bruise easily. Place in single layer in container. Refrigerate immediately or eat within hours.
Storing and preserving strawberry
How to keep it
- Freezing. Hull and halve (or leave whole if small). Lay on tray lined with baking paper. Flash-freeze until solid (2-3 hours). Transfer to freezer bags. Alternatively, toss with a little sugar before freezing (helps retain texture). Frozen strawberries are best for smoothies, sauces, and baking. They soften on thawing. Keeps: 12 months.
- Dehydrating. Slice 5mm thick. Lay on dehydrator trays. Dry at 55C for 8-12 hours until leathery/crisp. Use in muesli, baking, or eat as snacks. Intensely flavoured. Keeps: 12 months.
- Strawberry Jam. Combine 1kg hulled strawberries, 800g sugar, juice of 2 lemons. Rest 2 hours. Bring to rolling boil, cook 15-20 minutes to setting point (105C). Skim foam. Pour into sterilised jars, seal immediately. For chunkier jam, crush only half the berries. Keeps: 12-18 months.
- Strawberry Leather (Fruit Roll-ups). Puree strawberries with a little honey or sugar. Spread thinly on dehydrator sheet or baking paper. Dry at 55C for 8-10 hours until pliable but not sticky. Roll in baking paper. Children's favourite. Keeps: 6 months.
Grow vs buy
A 2.4 m × 1.2 m bed fits 12 plants, about $72 worth at today’s Aldi and Coles prices, checked today.
That is roughly 6 kg at $11.99 a kilo.
Draw your strawberry bed → No account needed.
What strawberry costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
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 Strawberry
When do you plant strawberry in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Mar to May
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to May
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Mar to Jul, Sep
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Apr to Aug
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Mar to Apr, Jul to Sep
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Apr to May, Sep
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to Jun
When should I plant Strawberry in Cairns?
Plant fresh runners at the start of the dry season and treat them as an annual, replacing them each year because the plants rarely survive the wet. They crop best in the cooler months, and the Atherton Tablelands suits them best.
What soil temperature do Strawberry need?
Strawberry germinate best when soil temperature is between 15°C and 25°C.
How do I know when Strawberry are ready to harvest?
Fully red/coloured all over (no white shoulders). Slight give when gently pressed. Fragrant strawberry aroma. Berries do NOT continue ripening after picking.
What are the best Strawberry varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Redlands Joy (QLD-bred, subtropical/tropical adapted), Ruby Gem, Sugarbaby.
What grows well with Strawberry?
Good companion plants for Strawberry include: Borage, Blueberry, Dwarf Beans, Lettuce, Onion.
Are strawberry salt tolerant?
No. Strawberry 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.