Do you tip a Jackfruit tree?

[Felipe]

I tip-prune my young artocarpus trees to encourage lateral and control vertical growth (I also do this to most other fruit trees):

[Mike T]

I reckon you'll get better service if you're a heavy tipper and it doesn't matter what time of the year.Short and thick,does the trick with jackfruit so my tip is also to take out central leaders at about 5 feet to begin an open wineglass shape with about 5 main branches.You will get more fruit/ft2 if it is kept at 8 to 10ft tall and in hurricane weather is less likely tp tip over.

[jcaldeira]

Please allow me to highjack this thread to ask a related a question:

I have a seedling jackfruit that is now approximately 2 meters (6') high. (Photo below)  It has a very vertical growth habit.  Last month I did some light pruning to encourage a broader shape.  My ultimate goal is to control the maximum tree height to 6 meters (20').  I'm torn between letting the tree manage its own natural growth for now, verus creating a broader shape now.  What is your thinking?  How to do it?



An earlier reply (quoted below) was valuable.   I'm trying for 20 foot, not 8 foot, so don't know if I should do much now.

. . .
A seedling jackfruit has a very different growth habit from a grafted tree.  The seedling is a faster grower and the habit will be more upright and leggy with much less natural branching.  A grafted tree grows slower and will have more natural branching.  If your tree is at five feet and its a seedling, you should cut it back to force branching at a lower height/  If not, you wont have much luck at keeping it at eight feet.  If it grafted, it SHOULD have significant branching already.  Based on it being a Cristela and at five feet already, I am hedging it is a seedling.  I dont believe I have seen any of the grafted Cristelas near five feet in height yet.

Thanks, John

[Jackfruitwhisperer69]

Come, Spring...I am definitely going to tip prune my Jackfruit trees.  I can see the positive aspect of tip pruning

[bsbullie]

Please allow me to highjack this thread to ask a related a question:

I have a seedling jackfruit that is now approximately 2 meters (6') high. (Photo below)  It has a very vertical growth habit.  Last month I did some light pruning to encourage a broader shape.  My ultimate goal is to control the maximum tree height to 6 meters (20').  I'm torn between letting the tree manage its own natural growth for now, verus creating a broader shape now.  What is your thinking?  How to do it?



An earlier reply (quoted below) was valuable.   I'm trying for 20 foot, not 8 foot, so don't know if I should do much now.

. . .
A seedling jackfruit has a very different growth habit from a grafted tree.  The seedling is a faster grower and the habit will be more upright and leggy with much less natural branching.  A grafted tree grows slower and will have more natural branching.  If your tree is at five feet and its a seedling, you should cut it back to force branching at a lower height/  If not, you wont have much luck at keeping it at eight feet.  If it grafted, it SHOULD have significant branching already.  Based on it being a Cristela and at five feet already, I am hedging it is a seedling.  I dont believe I have seen any of the grafted Cristelas near five feet in height yet.

Thanks, John

20 feet or 8 feet, you will have the same issues with a seedling.  It is a more upright grower naturally.  If it were me, I would start a pruning regiment now on those leaders and start to force the horizontal branching before it gets too tall.  If you wait till its too tall, you will wind up with a top heavy tree and defeat the purpose of what you are trying to achieve.

[nullzero]

I usually tip prune all my plants. Mostly to get the plants bushier, however I do appreciate vertical dense growth for the container garden.

[DRFixembones]

I am curious to this question as well. My Jackfruit tree was planted in the ground 6 months ago, and was in a 25 gallon container, but was quite large and possibly rootbound(I don't remember because I was very new and that was the first tree I ever planted). I know I cant change the shape but I'm wondering what I can do to make it as Vigorous as possible, in case it was rootbound when I planted it

[murahilin]

I am curious to this question as well. My Jackfruit tree was planted in the ground 6 months ago, and was in a 25 gallon container, but was quite large and possibly rootbound(I don't remember because I was very new and that was the first tree I ever planted). I know I cant change the shape but I'm wondering what I can do to make it as Vigorous as possible, in case it was rootbound when I planted it

To increase vigor, fertilize regularly both on the soil and foliar. Mulching may also help if you have not mulched it already.

[Hollywood]

Update on Excalibur's Cristela variety: it tends to get chlorotic. I purchased a Mai-3 and Bangkok Lemon from Excalibur at the same time and they do not have this problem.

I imagine that it will improve as it grows and the roots spread out. Perhaps part of the problem is that it is probably one year younger than the other two jackfruits.

I have to give it iron drenches and foliar feedings to keep it dark green. Otherwise the leaves turn a lovely, but unhealthy, chartreuse.

[nullzero]

Update on Excalibur's Cristela variety: it tends to get chlorotic. I purchased a Mai-3 and Bangkok Lemon from Excalibur at the same time and they do not have this problem.

I imagine that it will improve as it grows and the roots spread out. Perhaps part of the problem is that it is probably one year younger than the other two jackfruits.

I have to give it iron drenches and foliar feedings to keep it dark green. Otherwise the leaves turn a lovely, but unhealthy, chartreuse.

Funny you mention this, I have two Mai-3 seedlings. One of them is chartreuse color, the other is a perfectly green color. They are both treated with the same fertilizing routine. Perhaps one of them is more sensitive to the water or is more demanding on nutrients and iron supplements. I have since added some more kelp fertilizer. Also intend to drench with chelated iron and magnesium sulfate soon.

[DRFixembones]

Murahilin: I have been fertilizing thr soil once a month, should I continue through the winter or stop? I live in Miami. Also, I never did anything foliar. Can I buy some sort of spray? What should I do to fertilize the foliage?  The tree is mulched very well

[murahilin]

Murahilin: I have been fertilizing thr soil once a month, should I continue through the winter or stop? I live in Miami. Also, I never did anything foliar. Can I buy some sort of spray? What should I do to fertilize the foliage?  The tree is mulched very well

I usually continue throughout winter with a young tree that I am pushing growth with. Foliar isn't required but it helps. This the foliar I use: http://www.neptunesharvest.com/fs-136.html You can probably find it cheaper on other websites. If your plans looks like it is deficient in iron you should probably do a drench. The type of drench depends on the soil ph.