When to Plant Taro 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 Taro 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
- Aug to Sep
- Days to harvest
- about 39 weeks
- Sun
- Part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 80 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.0
Taro is a tropical plant with large, heart shaped leaves and a starchy corm that is a staple food in many cultures. It likes warmth, moisture and part shade, and it grows slowly. Expect to wait 7 to 12 months for a crop.
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 P
- Sep P
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
P = Planting window
Gardenate gives August and September in the tropics. Yates says taro can go in at any time of year in the tropics. Plant in moist, rich soil in part shade. Best growth is at 25 to 35°C (Green Harvest). Lift when the leaves die down.
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How to Grow Taro in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Rich, moisture holding soil with plenty of compost (Yates). Green Harvest gives a pH of 5.5 to 7.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 5.5-7.0
- Sunlight
- Part shade (Yates).
- Spacing
- 80cm apart, 180cm between rows
- Watering
- Keep the soil moist all the time. Taro grows best in wet, well mulched soil. Do not let it dry out.
- Good companions
- Ginger, Banana, Turmeric, Chinese Water Chestnut
- 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 Taro
Recommended Varieties
- Bun-long (Purple Spot)
Key Challenges
- Keeping the soil wet
- Weed risk if it escapes
Pro Tips
- Plant in a moist, part shaded spot
- Keep it away from creeks and drains
- Wear gloves when you peel the corm
Harvesting Taro
When ready: The leaves begin to yellow and die down, about 7 months after planting (Gardenate) or 9 to 12 months (Yates, Green Harvest).
How to harvest: Lift the corms with a fork. Harvest before the first frost (Yates).
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 Taro
When do you plant taro in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Aug to Sep
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Oct to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): not recommended
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): Oct to Nov
When should I plant Taro in Cairns?
Gardenate gives August and September in the tropics. Yates says taro can go in at any time of year in the tropics. Plant in moist, rich soil in part shade. Best growth is at 25 to 35°C (Green Harvest). Lift when the leaves die down.
What soil temperature do Taro need?
Taro germinate best when soil temperature is between 20°C and 35°C.
How do I know when Taro are ready to harvest?
The leaves begin to yellow and die down, about 7 months after planting (Gardenate) or 9 to 12 months (Yates, Green Harvest).
What are the best Taro varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Bun-long (Purple Spot).
What grows well with Taro?
Good companion plants for Taro include: Ginger, Banana, Turmeric, Chinese Water Chestnut.
Are taro salt tolerant?
Only a little. Taro 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.