Durian Soil and Climatic Requirements

 Durian Soil and Climatic Requirements

Durian inter-cropped with mangosteen and dokong

Soils:
Durian prefers deep, well-drained loamy soils not less than 1.5m deep. Soil pH about 5.0-6.5.  It grows very well on gently sloping land (slope 6-12°) and foothills. Durian does not perform well if elevation is higher than 600-900m above sea level. The durian cannot stand waterlogged conditions and is vulnerable to wind damage during storms and typhoons and requires protection.

Temperature:
Durian is native to the tropics, and needs an environment that is hot (24-32°C) and moist with 75-80% humidity. It will not grow when mean daily temperatures drop below 22°C.

Anywhere within the red areas will be fine for durian

Rainfall:
It requires an annual rainfall of 1500mm or more. Because the durian root system is very shallow (< 30cm), supplementary irrigation is very necessary for all stages of plant growth.

Dry Weather:
For matured trees, durian requires a dry spell of about 1 to 2 months for flowers to initiate and develop fully. Four weeks after the flowers bloomed, the tree must receive just enough water for proper fruit development. Too much water will cause the tree to bear new leaves at the expense of the fruits.

Irrigation:
Young durian trees are very susceptable to drought and high mortality can be avoided with proper irrigation. Trees that received irrigation are more vigorous and will begin to bear fruits much earlier usually at 5-6 years.