When to Plant Orange in Sydney, Warm Temperate Guide

Plant October to November. Right now in September it is out of season. The next planting month is October.

Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Orange 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.

Orange

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Classic backyard citrus. Sweet oranges need more heat than lemons for sweetness development. Coastal Melbourne oranges are noticeably more tart than those from Mildura or the Riverland. Navel oranges (seedless, eating) and Valencia oranges (juicing, summer fruit) are the main types. Trees are medium-sized, attractive, and productive for decades. Grafted onto appropriate rootstock.

Best Planting Window for Warm Temperate

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- - - - - - - - - P P -

P = Planting window

Plant October-November.

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How to Grow Orange in Warm Temperate Australia

When to Plant

Plant October-November.

Soil
Well-drained, slightly acidic. Same requirements as other citrus.
pH Range
6.0-7.0
Sunlight
Full sun, minimum 6-8 hours. More heat = sweeter fruit.

Companion plants: Nasturtium, Comfrey, Marigold

Avoid planting near: Grass right to trunk

Warm Temperate Growing Tips for Orange

Recommended Varieties

  • Washington Navel
  • Lane Late
  • Valencia
  • Cara Cara
  • Blood Orange (Moro, Tarocco, Sanguinelli)

Key Challenges

  • Gall wasp
  • Fruit may lack sweetness in cooler coastal areas

Pro Tips

  • Western Sydney and Hunter Valley produce sweet oranges. Coastal Sydney less so.
  • Blood oranges develop best colour with cold winter nights (western suburbs better than coastal).
  • Full sun, north-facing position for sweetest fruit.

Harvesting Orange

When ready: Full orange colour (some green at stem end is normal). Taste test. Sweetness develops with time on tree. Navel oranges ripen faster than Valencia.

How to harvest: Cut with secateurs or twist-pull.

Where to next

What orange costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.

Also worth sowing in the warm temperate zone this September: Ginger, Beetroot, Chilli Peppers and Cucumber.

The pest most likely to find your orange: Possums (Common Brushtail, Ringtail).

Supermarket Price

Current average retail: $2.27/kg (12-month range: $1.33–$3.99)

Grow your own and save on grocery bills.

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Common Questions About Orange

When do you plant orange in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page 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.