North East Melbourne fruiting schedule
The table below shows the possible fruiting months for a wide variety of fruit trees, berries and vines. It also shows: the number of plants required for successful pollination (1 for self-fertile or 2+ for self-incompatible); whether the fruit will ripen after being picked (if kept at room temperature); and which parts of the tree bear the fruit (relevant for pruning).
Clearly, the schedule for a particular plant will depend on its variety. So, for example, whilst apple trees may have fruit at any time from February to September, Golden Delicious are typically ready to harvest in February, Granny Smith in April and Eve in June.
Click anywhere in the table to view a higher resolution version. Alternatively, here is a pdf version.
Which parts of the tree bear the fruit (relevant for pruning)
When pruning your fruit trees, berries or vines, it is important to understand what wood is going to bear the fruit next year. Two examples, illustrate the point.
First, ‘everbearing’ raspberries bear their best fruit on 1st year canes, so a lot of people cut all their canes down to the ground after harvesting. But standard ‘summer bearing’ raspberries bear their fruit on 2nd year canes so if you cut all their canes down to the ground after harvesting then you would get no raspberries the following year!
Second, grapes bear their fruit on current year growth. So, once a part of the vine has fruited, it will never fruit again. So, their annual prune typically comprises cutting off just about all of last year’s growth. Peaches, on the other hand, bear their fruit on last year’s growth (so-called 1-year-old wood) so if you pruned them like you prune grapes, you would get no peaches the following year!
Hello where exactly can you recommend we can harvest and buy the apples on the month of May?
Hi MJ
Different varieties of apple are ready for harvest as different times of year.
This is a really good chart. We would like to know suitable month to grow fruits, flowers and vegetables in north east Melbourne.
Hi Yvonne,
For veggies, see https://localfoodconnect.org.au/community-gardening/planting-guide/
Can I ask a question, the one with the green dots, does that mean that tree will fruit for that long?
Thanks heaps for this list by the way!
Hi Carla,
No. A particular tree will fruit in a particular month. What the green dots mean is that different varieties might fruit in these various months. So, for example, my grapefruit tree is always harvested in August but other people’s grapefruit trees may fruit in a different month during Winter or Spring. Putting this another way, the green dots are the months that you might be able to buy locally harvested fruit.
What berries can I plant in Feb in Melbourne please?
Basically, none. Most berries are deciduous and you plant them in Winter, when they are dormant.
What time of year is it best to grow a blackberry? Going to grow it in a large pot.
You should plant your blackberry canes in Winter, when they are dormant.
Thai mangos can be added? Does it grow in Melbourne weather?
Can you please mention which fruit species gives much yield and if possible all year around like Tahitian lime gives limes all year around?
Hi Manish,
I don’t think that mangoes can easily be grown in Melbourne.
I’ll have a think about your other suggestion.
Is there a chart for the best time in the year to plant these? cheers
Hi Kate,
No there isn’t such a chart but most fruit trees, and certainly all the deciduous ones, are best planted in Winter.
Wonderful information, very handy.
Great chart summary. Would be good to know which custard apples grow well in Melbourne.
Hi Kon Wong,
The answer to your question is that the true custard apple, the cherimoya, can be grown by Melbourne (I have two) whilst the hybrid atemoya, which is what we normally buy in shops, can only be grown in tropical areas.
Hi,
I’m looking to plant cherimoya but cannot find it in nurseries. Can you please tell me where you bought it from in Melbourne?
Online at Daleys Nursery (https://www.daleysfruit.com.au/).
Really great chart, thank you. I’m in California and the months obviously are different, but the other information is great, super helpful.
Thanks, Escondido.
Guy
I’m not very up with plants, but should figs be there too? Great site, thank you!
Hi Anner,
Yes, figs should be there. I will include.
Figs now added.
Thank you! I’ve just spent hours putting together my own calendar of what veggies to grown when and then realised I hadn’t included fruit! So then I came across your site and saw this list already done, and the veggie one too! Also you had a pdf of it. I’ll just use your list, it’s much better then mine.
Thanks, Vicky, your kind words are much appreciated.