When to Plant Date Palm in Sydney, Warm Temperate Guide
What this month normally looks like in Warm Temperate
In October the Warm Temperate zone normally runs 24°C by day and 13°C overnight, with about 66 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -1.5°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 153 postcodes, SILO.
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This Date Palm guide is written for the Warm Temperate zone, which takes in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Sep to Nov
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 6.6–7.3
Date palm is the desert palm behind Medjool, Barhee and Khadrawy dates.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Warm Temperate
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep P
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec -
P = Planting window
You might be able to grow it here under the right conditions. Daleys lists warm temperate as a suitable climate and a Gerogery NSW grower has one in the ground. No warm temperate fruiting report was found, so no fruit months are given. Plant in spring.
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How to Grow Date Palm in Warm Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Good drainage (Daleys). Sand, sandy loam, clay and heavy soils with drainage and aeration; very tolerant of alkali, stunted by excess salt (Morton).
- Salt
- Tolerant. One of the better picks if your water or soil is on the salty side.
- pH Range
- 6.6-7.3
- Sunlight
- Full sun (Daleys, Morton). A Geelong grower found seedlings burn in full sun at first (Daleys review).
- Keep away from
- Waterholes, creeks and wet bushland in dry country, it naturalises (Weeds of Australia), Overhead sprinklers on fruit (Morton)
Warm Temperate Growing Tips for Date Palm
Recommended Varieties
- Medjool (seedling of Californian Medjool)
- Barhee (honey date, sweetest)
- Khadrawy (Daleys)
Key Challenges
- Pollination
- Summer heat
Pro Tips
- Plant three seedlings
- Hand pollinate
Pests and problems for Date Palm in Warm Temperate
Harvesting Date Palm
When ready: Khalal is full size and crunchy, rutab half ripe and soft brown, tamar fully ripe and wrinkled (Morton).
How to harvest: Cut the bunch or pick in several rounds; orchards make 6 to 8 pickings per palm (Morton).
Storing and preserving date palm
How to keep it
- dehydrating. Leave bunches on the palm to the tamar stage, or finish drying in a dehydrator. Keeps: Months once dried (Morton describes tamar stage dates).
- freezing. Select good dates, wash, cut open and remove the pit; leave halves or sieve to a puree; pack leaving headspace, seal and freeze (NCHFP). Keeps: Up to 12 months in a sealed container (NCHFP general guidance).
- fresh_storage. Pick at the stage you like, keep in sealed containers in the fridge. Keeps: Up to 10 months at 0 degrees slightly underripe; 5 to 6 months fully ripe (Morton).
- jams_sauces. Date paste, syrup and date sugar (Morton). Keeps: Use a tested method.
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 Date Palm
When do you plant date palm in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Oct to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Sep to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Oct to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Nov
When should I plant Date Palm in Sydney?
You might be able to grow it here under the right conditions. Daleys lists warm temperate as a suitable climate and a Gerogery NSW grower has one in the ground. No warm temperate fruiting report was found, so no fruit months are given. Plant in spring.
How do I know when Date Palm are ready to harvest?
Khalal is full size and crunchy, rutab half ripe and soft brown, tamar fully ripe and wrinkled (Morton).
What are the best Date Palm varieties for Sydney?
Recommended varieties for the Warm Temperate zone include: Medjool (seedling of Californian Medjool), Barhee (honey date, sweetest), Khadrawy (Daleys).
Are date palm salt tolerant?
Yes. Date palm are salt-tolerant, one of the better picks if your water or soil is on the salty side.
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 Warm Temperate zone, Sydney is its reference city.