Planting guide
When to plant grapefruit
Big, tangy-sweet citrus; needs more summer heat than a lemon. In Melbourne it goes in Sep–Nov.
- Start as
- Potted plant
- Ready in
- 4+ years to the first crop
- Spacing
- 500 cm
- Depth
- 0 cm
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- Regular
- Effort
- Some care
- Frost-tender
- Yes, plant after the last frost
When it goes in
● means grapefruit can go in that month, ○ means wait. Worked out from each town's climate zone and season, the way planting guides do it. Pick your town for the full list for that month.
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Melbourne | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Brisbane | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Perth | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Adelaide | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Gold Coast | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Newcastle | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Sunshine Coast | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Canberra | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Central Coast | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Geelong | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Wollongong | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Hobart | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Townsville | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Cairns | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ |
| Toowoomba | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Darwin | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ |
| Ballarat | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Mandurah | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Bendigo | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Launceston | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Mackay | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Rockhampton | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Coffs Harbour | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Blue Mountains | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Bunbury | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Bundaberg | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Alice Springs | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Mildura | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Port Macquarie | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Wellington | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Christchurch | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| London | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Manchester | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Edinburgh | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Dublin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| New York City | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Los Angeles | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Chicago | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Seattle | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Austin | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toronto | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Vancouver | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Cape Town | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Johannesburg | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Singapore | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Mumbai | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Paris | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Berlin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
How to plant grapefruit
- Plant in full sun with room to grow.
- Water deeply in summer.
- Feed in spring and autumn.
- Let fruit hang until sweet; taste before picking.
Grapefruit varieties
Classic varieties are the reliable, widely grown ones. Adventurous ones are heirlooms, odd colours and rarities.
- Marsh Classicsweet · 34–51 wksWhite-fleshed, seedless
- Ruby Red Classiccolourful · sweet · 34–51 wksPink-fleshed, sweeter
- Star Ruby Adventurouscolourful · 34–51 wksDeep red flesh, seeds few
- Oro Blanco Adventuroussweet · 34–51 wksSweetie-like white grapefruit hybrid
Where to buy seedlings
Shop links may earn us a commission. It never changes what we recommend.
Shops shown are for Australia. The chooser picks shops for your country.
Good companions
Chive, Nasturtium, Marigold
Grapefruit by month
Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
More to plant
Not sure grapefruit is right for your space? Answer a few taps and see everything that can go in this week.
Find what else you can plant now