When to plant Stock in Tropical Australia
Tropical zone — applies to Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, Broome, Mackay and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Cool · Subtropical · Arid.
Raise stock seedlings and transplant from February to June, the tail of the wet season into the dry, when nights finally cool enough for this fragrant cottage flower to settle. Sow seed just 3 mm deep in trays and expect germination in 10–20 days with steady warmth. Move seedlings out once they have a few true leaves, spacing them 20–40 cm apart with 20–30 cm between rows. Stock is slow, taking around 140 days to flower, so an early-dry-season start in Darwin, Cairns or Townsville gives it the longest run before humidity returns.
Sowing calendar — tropical zone
Green months are your sowing window: February to June.
Growing notes
Stock is a cool-preference annual pushed to its edge in the tropics, so treat the dry season as your only real window. Plant into free-draining, slightly limed beds in full sun with morning light and some afternoon relief through the hottest weeks. Water at the base and keep foliage dry where you can.
The main failure mode here is humidity-driven rot and botrytis: dense, double-flowered spikes trap moisture and collapse into grey mould, especially if the wet lingers or an early build-up storm arrives. Space plants generously for airflow, avoid overhead watering, and remove any blackening lower leaves promptly. If a spike starts to grey off, cut it out rather than hoping it recovers.
Slugs and snails target soft new seedlings after rain, so check at dusk in the first fortnight. Stock also bolts and flowers poorly if planted late into building heat, so once October approaches, pull tired plants rather than nursing them. In Cairns and Townsville gardens, a raised bed or large pot lets you control drainage far better than heavy in-ground clay.
Stock at a glance
| Sowing depth | 3 mm |
|---|---|
| Plant spacing | 20-40 cm |
| Row spacing | 20-30 cm |
| Germination | 10-20 days |
| Days to maturity | 140 days |
| Frost tolerance | Hardy |
| Method | Plant Seedlings |
Common questions
- Can you grow stock in Darwin?
- Yes, but only through the dry season. Raise seedlings from February to June so plants flower in the cooler, less humid months. Attempting stock into the November wet almost always ends in rot.
- Why is my stock going mouldy?
- Grey mould (botrytis) thrives in tropical humidity, particularly on crowded double spikes. Improve spacing for airflow, water only at the base, and cut out any greying flower stems as soon as you see them.
- How long does stock take to flower?
- Around 140 days from sowing, which is slow. Start early in the dry season so the plants reach full bloom before humidity and heat return.
- How deep do I sow stock seed?
- Just 3 mm deep in seed trays. The seed is small, so cover lightly and keep the mix moist until germination in 10–20 days.
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