When to plant Arrowroot in Temperate Australia
Temperate zone — applies to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Cool · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.
Plant arrowroot direct from October to December, setting the rhizome pieces deep at 50–100 mm into warm, moisture-retentive soil. New shoots emerge over 21–30 days, and the crop needs a long, warm growing season of around 300–365 days to build worthwhile starchy roots. Space plants 60–90 cm apart with 90–120 cm between rows, as the clumps spread wide. Arrowroot is frost tender, so plant only once frost risk has passed in mid-October and lift or mulch heavily before the first frosts return around May. It performs best in the warmer, more humid temperate pockets near Sydney, Newcastle and coastal Perth.
Sowing calendar — temperate zone
Green months are your sowing window: October to December.
Growing notes
Arrowroot is a leafy, cane-like perennial grown for the starchy rhizomes at its base, harvested after a full season of growth. It is essentially a warm-season crop being grown at the cooler edge of its range in a temperate garden, so success comes down to giving it as long and warm a run as possible.
The main failure here is frost. A frost cuts the top growth to mush and, if the ground freezes, can rot the rhizomes before harvest. Plant only after mid-October when frost has passed, choose a warm, sheltered north-facing bed, and in cooler temperate spots like Melbourne mulch the crowns heavily through winter or lift the rhizomes before May.
The second issue is water and heat. Arrowroot demands consistent moisture to bulk up; let it dry out through a hot Sydney summer and the roots stay thin and stringy. Water deeply and mulch to hold moisture, and feed with a balanced fertiliser through the growing months. Give it the full 60–90 cm spacing, as crowded clumps compete and yield poorly. Harvest from autumn once the leaves begin to die back, digging the whole clump and replanting a few rhizomes to carry the patch forward.
Arrowroot at a glance
| Sowing depth | 50-100 mm |
|---|---|
| Plant spacing | 60-90 cm |
| Row spacing | 90-120 cm |
| Germination | 21-30 days |
| Days to maturity | 300-365 days |
| Frost tolerance | Frost Tender |
| Method | Sow Direct |
Common questions
- how long does arrowroot take to grow
- Arrowroot needs a long season of around 300–365 days to develop worthwhile rhizomes. Plant in late spring from October and harvest the following autumn once the foliage begins to die back.
- will arrowroot survive frost
- No, arrowroot is frost tender. Frost kills the top growth and can rot the rhizomes, so plant only after frost has passed in mid-October and mulch the crowns heavily or lift the rhizomes before frosts return in autumn.
- how deep do you plant arrowroot
- Set the rhizome pieces 50–100 mm deep into warm, moist soil. Space clumps 60–90 cm apart with 90–120 cm between rows, as the plants grow tall and spread wide as they establish.
- can you grow arrowroot in Sydney
- Yes, warmer coastal temperate areas like Sydney and Newcastle suit arrowroot well because they offer a long, warm, humid season. Give it deep, consistent watering and a sheltered spot, and mulch through the cooler months.
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