🌱 South African Harvest Guide: Dragon Fruit, Macadamia & Avocado Tips from Politsi

Looking to boost your harvest quality this season? Whether you’re growing Dragon Fruit, Macadamias, or Avocados, the right harvest timing and handling techniques can make all the difference. This practical guide is tailored for South African growers, with expert input from Amorentia Estate in Politsi, Limpopo.

🌵 Dragon Fruit Harvest Tips – By Amorentia Sweet Dragon Fruit

Season: December to May (South Africa)
Varieties: Hylocereus undatus, H. guatamalensis, H. monocanthus, H. costaricensis.

ASDF Trademark names: Sweet Snow, Sweet Ballet, Sweet India, Sweet Coral, Sweet Fuchsia, Sweet Blood, Sweet Fiery Kiss, Sweet Flamingo

Key Harvest Tips:

1. Time of harvest: Each variety has a slightly different optimal ripeness window, ranging from 33 to 40 days, influenced by weather conditions and temperatures.
   • Look for colour changes in the peel, slight shrivelling of fins, and looseness of the fruit at the node.
2. Harvest in cool times of the day: Early morning after rain or irrigation is best.
3. Handle with care: Avoid bruising by cutting the fruit with the node (small branch flesh), which increases shelf life.
4. Storage: Pack fruit securely after harvest. Store at 10°C for ideal conditions. Cold damage occurs below 6°C.

Trusted by: Amorentia Sweet Dragon Fruit, pioneers in premium-quality dragon fruit grown in Limpopo.

🥜 Macadamia Nut Harvest Tips – According to Amorentia and SAMAC

Season:

• Beaumont: Late season
• A4: Early season
• A16: Mid-season
• N2: Generally mid-season
• 814: Mid-season
• 816: Early to mid-season
• 788: Early season
• 344: Early season
• 791: Early, mid, and late season
• 842: Early to mid-season
• 849: Early to mid-season

Key Harvest Tips:

• Use maturity indicators: Look for brown husks and rattling kernels.
• Harvest regularly: Every 2–4 weeks to minimize nut loss, damage, and fungal growth.
• Dehusk quickly: Remove husks and dry nuts as soon as possible to preserve quality.
• Monitor moisture content: Aim for 1.5% or less kernel moisture for long-term storage.

Source: Amorentia Estate and Nursery, SAMAC – South African Macadamia Growers’ Association

🥑 Avocado Harvest Tips – From Amorentia, Greenvalley Packers, The Fruit Farm Group and Subtrop

Season:

• Fuerte: February to May
• Hass: May to August
• Maluma: March to September
• Ryan: May to September
• Pinkerton: May to September

Key Harvest Tips:

• Test moisture content: Refer to the table below to determine the optimal harvest time based on moisture percentages. Lower moisture indicates higher maturity.
• Clip with a short stem: Leaving a small portion of the stem reduces stem-end rot.
• Minimize bruising: Use padded picking bags and handle gently throughout the supply chain.
• Cool fruit within 6–8 hours: Rapid cooling preserves fruit quality for both local and export markets.

Cultivar-Specific Harvesting Info:

Source: Subtrop – South African Avocado Growers’ Association

📍 Grown in Politsi, Shared with South Africa

This harvest guide is brought to you by Amorentia Estate, based in Politsi, Limpopo – home to Amorentia Sweet Dragon Fruit, premium macadamias, and avocados grown with sustainability and quality in mind.