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Growing in a Warm Climate

Auckland's warm and humid climate, particularly here in the Waitakere Ranges presents a range of challenges but also advantages. Most people probably aren't aware that with Auckland being mostly a coastal area, is horticulturally as warm as parts of Australia and California in the US.

We are mostly in plant hardiness zone 10B, which is fairly high for growing most crops and fruit trees. An advantages that can provide, is being able to grow cold sensitive crops and trees. The disadvantage are things such a blight caused by the high humidity. And European fruit trees with grow but won't fruit that well, since our weather is too warm for them.

Chill Factor

The "chill factor" or chill hours refer to the total cumulative hours (typically between 0°C and 7°C or 32°F to 45°F) that a deciduous fruit tree needs during winter dormancy to break bud, flower, and set a healthy crop of fruit in spring.

Why Chill Hours Matter

  • Dormancy Break: Cold temperatures signal the tree that winter is here and it is safe to sleep.

  • Uniform Blooming: Meeting the required chill hours ensures flowers open evenly and at the same time.

  • Preventing Failure: If a tree does not get enough cold hours, it will leaf out late, bloom poorly, or fail to set fruit entirely.

Best Crops for Warm Climates

  • Vegetables: Okra, eggplant, sweet potatoes, hot peppers, and yard long beans.

  • Greens: Malabar spinach and amaranth instead of traditional lettuce.

  • Fruits: Feijoa, mulberry, citrus, figs, pomegranates, passion fruit and other sub tropical fruits such as Kiacot.

  • Herbs: Thai basil, rosemary, and oregano

Go Sub Tropical!

Oranges and pineapples aren't the only sub tropical fruits that will grow in Auckland. Advantages of growing sub tropical fruit trees; they are generally rich in anti cancer and anti oxidants, providing lots of health benefits. Most commercial fruit and veg has been breed for extended shelf life, which can often limit their health benefits.

If you are trying to grow European fruits, we would advise growing dwarf varieties as the dwarf root stock allows the tree to mature more quickly to produce fruits.

Also Asian varieties are more likely to be successful fruiting such as; Japanese Plum trees, asian pears, persimmons and of course sub tropical fruit trees. Since they evolved in warmer climates.

Citrus are also not dependent on Winter chill so fruit well in our climate.

Goodness Gardens Fruits

Here's a list of warmer climate fruit trees that we are growing at our garden.

  • Lucama - Gold of the Incas, Tastes of maple and butterscotch and is very high in betacarotene, with anti cancer properties.

  • Shatoot Mulberry - king mulberry, has large very sweet fruit, it's leaves have lots of medicinal properties and can be used to make tea.

  • White Sapote - Also know as Casimioas, tastes of peach, pear and banana. It is highly nutritious and rich in vitamins, including A and C. There are quite a few varieties that have been cultivated in NZ.

  • Black Sapote - Close relative of persimmon fruits, and has a taste similar to chocolate pudding.

  • Feijoa - Very easy to grow and fruit, loves warmer climates. Producing tangy sweet fruits, you can even eat the sweet flowering petals. Common in most Auckland gardens.

  • Ice cream bean - Inga Bean, It's pods grow up to 1 meter long and contain sweet, juicy candy floss with a soft cotton wool texture and the taste of vanilla ice cream. It is part of the legume family, which means they have nitrogen-fixing bacteria that form nodules on the plant's roots, providing the plant with nitrogen.

  • Kiacot, tropical apricot - Tangy, seedless fruit, rich in vitamin C.

  • Mable Nectarine - Thrives in our warm climate and is a very beautiful tree with bright burgundy leaves an pink blossom. The fruit is the same colour as the leaves when ripening, so it more difficult for the birds to find it.

  • Passion Fruit - Has vitamins A, B, C, protein, carbohydrates, iron & flavonoids. One of the healthiest fruits you could eat.

  • Cherimoyas - Are rich in sugars and protein. They are also a good source of vitamins B6 and C. Serve chilled slices as fresh fruit, also known as custard apple due to their flavor.

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