When to Plant Pineapple in Sydney, Warm Temperate Guide

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

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

This Pineapple 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.

Pineapple

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

A bromeliad, not a tree or even a bush. Grows as a rosette of spiky leaves at ground level and produces a single fruit on a central stalk. Propagated from the crown (leafy top of fruit), suckers, or slips from the mother plant. Takes 18-24 months from planting a crown to first fruit. Each plant produces ONE fruit then generates suckers for subsequent crops. Strictly tropical/warm subtropical. Frost kills them.

Best Planting Window for Warm Temperate

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

P = Planting window

Plant November-January. Warmest position.

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How to Grow Pineapple in Warm Temperate Australia

When to Plant

Plant November-January. Warmest position.

Soil
Well-drained, sandy or sandy loam. Acidic. Pineapples CANNOT tolerate waterlogged soil. Root rot is rapid.
pH Range
4.5-5.5 (acidic)
Sunlight
Full sun. Maximum heat. North-facing position in marginal zones.

Companion plants: Other bromeliads, Tropical ground covers

Avoid planting near: Waterlogged areas

Warm Temperate Growing Tips for Pineapple

Recommended Varieties

  • Queen

Key Challenges

  • Very slow growth
  • Frost risk
  • May take 3+ years from crown to fruit

Pro Tips

  • Marginal in Sydney. North-facing sunny position against a wall.
  • Treat as a novelty rather than serious fruit production.
  • Pots allow moving to shelter in winter.

Harvesting Pineapple

When ready: Shell colour changes from green to yellow-gold (starting at base). Sweet aroma develops. Pull a central leaf. If it detaches easily, fruit is ready. Thump test. Sounds dull when ripe, hollow when unripe.

How to harvest: Cut stem below fruit with sharp knife. Can cut with attached slip for propagation.

Where to next

What pineapple 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.

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Common Questions About Pineapple

When do you plant pineapple 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.