When to Plant Jicama in Sydney, Warm Temperate Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Sydney), not a live sensor.
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 Jicama 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
- Jul to Nov
- Days to harvest
- about 39 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 20 cm apart
- Soil pH
- Not given by the sources opened.
Jicama (yam bean) is a climbing legume, 2 to 5 m, grown for its crisp sweet tuber (Daleys).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Warm Temperate
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul S
- Aug S
- Sep S
- Oct T/D
- Nov T/D
- 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 Warm Temperate zone right now, Jicama included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Jicama in Warm Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Rich, free draining soil; roots rot in wet ground (Rob Pyne).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- Not given by the sources opened.
- Sunlight
- Full sun, about 9 hours (Rob Pyne).
- Spacing
- 20cm apart, 90cm between rows
- Watering
- Steady water, never waterlogged (Rob Pyne).
- 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.
Warm Temperate Growing Tips for Jicama
Recommended Varieties
- Yam bean
Key Challenges
- Short frost-free window
Pro Tips
- Bottom heat, early start
Pests and problems for Jicama in Warm Temperate
Harvesting Jicama
When ready: Vines yellow after 9 months; small tubers from 4 months (Green Harvest, Rob Pyne).
How to harvest: Dig carefully before frost (Rob Pyne).
Storing and preserving jicama
How to keep it
- Fresh storage. Keep whole tubers cool and dry; cut pieces in water in the fridge. Keeps: 2-4 weeks.
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 Jicama
When do you plant jicama in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): all year
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Aug to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jul to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Aug to Sep, Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Aug to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Aug to Nov
Can you grow jicama all year round in Sydney?
No. In the Warm Temperate zone the planting months are Jul to Nov. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Jicama in Sydney?
You might be able to grow it here under the right conditions. Start seed 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost, July to September, with bottom heat, and plant out in October and November, or sow direct in October and November (Green Harvest, Rob Pyne). Only 5 months frost free gives small tubers (Green Harvest); dig in April to June before frost. Harvest months derived.
What soil temperature do Jicama need?
Jicama germinate best when soil temperature is between 21°C and 29°C.
How do I know when Jicama are ready to harvest?
Vines yellow after 9 months; small tubers from 4 months (Green Harvest, Rob Pyne).
What are the best Jicama varieties for Sydney?
Recommended varieties for the Warm Temperate zone include: Yam bean.
Are jicama salt tolerant?
Only a little. Jicama 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 Warm Temperate zone, Sydney is its reference city.