It takes 3 years for a coconut tree to bear fruit especially if it’s a hybrid variety. However, it can take an open pollinated coconut variety 5 – 8 years to bear fruits. The open pollinated coconut variety grows very tall and has a delayed fruiting habit.
The hybrid coconut variety does not only have an early fruiting habit. It also produces coconuts profusely. One hybrid coconut tree can produce 200 coconuts. The hybrid coconut variety also resists a lot of pests and disease.
The Malaysian Hybrid Coconut Variety bears fruits in 3 -4 years. For those who use drip irrigation with Fertigation equipment, fruiting can start in 2.5 years.
Factors that can affect how long it takes for an coconut tree to bear fruits
The following factors can impact how long it takes for a coconut to bear fruits:
The Fertility of the Soil
Soils that are rich in nutrients and beneficial microbes can support early fruiting in coconut trees. A soil rich in nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and other nutrients can speed up the growth of coconut trees and cut down the time to fruiting.
A poor soil may delay the time to fruiting of coconut trees.
Climatic Conditions
It will naturally take a longer time for a coconut to fruit in dry areas like the savannah and sahel belt of Nigeria while in a wet area like the rain forest belt, the coconut tree can reach the fruiting stage in a short time.
In areas with abundant rainfall, the coconut will fruit within a short time while in areas that are dry, the coconut will take a longer time to fruit.
Pests and Diseases
The effects of pests and diseases can slow down the growth of coconut trees, this can also affect how long it takes a coconut tree to bear fruits.
A coconut tree infected with diseases may likely delay the production of coconuts, the diseases may also lead to the death of the coconut tree.
Pests and diseases should be controlled with pesticides in order to assure success in your coconut farming business.
Irrigation
Irrigated coconut trees often fruit earlier than those that rely on rainfall. Rain falls for just a few months in tropical areas, coconut trees relying on rains may fruit later than those who use irrigation systems like sprinklers centre pivots and drip irrigation system.
Do you have a coconut plantation? If yes, kindly share with us how long it took your coconut trees to fruit.