Then Varikka (തേൻ വരിക്ക) Jackfruit

 1. Description

• Common Name: Then Varikka (തേൻ വരിക്ക)
• Type: Grafted Jackfruit Variety
• Specialty:
  • Famous Kerala variety known for honey-sweet taste
  • Less fibrous, firm flesh with golden-yellow bulbs
  • Grafted variety ensures early fruiting and true-to-type taste
  • Suitable for both home gardens and farms

 2. How to Plant

• Method: Plant grafted sapling directly in prepared pit
• Soil Type: Well-drained red loamy soil enriched with compost
• Planting Steps:
  1. Dig a 2.5×2.5 feet pit
  2. Mix red soil, compost, sand, cow dung, and bone meal
  3. Place the grafted sapling upright and gently cover roots
  4. Water thoroughly after planting
• Spacing: Minimum 8–10 feet between trees

 3. Plant Size

• At Purchase: 2–3 feet tall grafted plant
• Full Growth: Up to 30–40 feet tall tree with wide canopy

 4. Fruiting Time

• First Fruiting: Within 3–4 years (grafted ensures faster fruiting)
• Fruiting Season: Mostly summer, sometimes twice a year
• Fruit Color: Green to yellowish outside when ripe
• Fruit Taste: Intensely sweet with honey-like flavor
• Fruit Texture: Firm, low fiber, easy to clean

 5. Plant Type

• Type: Perennial, large tropical tree
• Propagation: Grafted (not from seed)
• Suitable for Pots: No – requires ground space
• Ideal For: Home gardens, orchards, farm cultivation

 6. Caring Tips

 Sunlight:

• Needs full sunlight (6–8 hours daily)

 Watering:

• Water weekly in dry seasons
• Young plants need more frequent watering
• Avoid water stagnation

 Fertilizer:

• Apply organic compost/cow dung every 2 months
• Add bone meal/neem cake/bio-fertilizers for better fruit yield

 Pruning:

• Prune lower branches and suckers yearly
• Shape the tree canopy during early years

 Pests/Diseases:

• Watch for mealybugs, fruit borers
• Use neem oil or organic pesticide spray as needed

 Protection Tip:

• Mulch base with dry leaves to retain moisture and suppress weeds