Step-by-Step Growing Guide
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a strictly tropical canopy tree requiring a frost-free climate (minimum 15°C year-round) and deep, well-drained loamy soil at pH 6.0–7.5. It cannot tolerate waterlogging — plant on raised ground or mounds in flood-prone areas. Prepare large planting holes (1 m wide, 60 cm deep) filled with a mixture of topsoil, aged compost, and coarse sand. Space trees 8–10 m apart as they spread widely. Newly planted trees require regular watering (2–3 times weekly) for the first year; established trees are moderately drought-tolerant. Fertilize monthly with a balanced tropical fruit fertilizer containing micronutrients during the growing season. Jackfruit trees bear fruit on their trunk and main branches (cauliflory) — do not remove these thick, productive branches. Prune only to remove dead wood and maintain a manageable canopy height for harvesting. Trees begin producing at 3–7 years and may yield 100–200 fruits annually at maturity.