How To Grow Guava

Guava is a fruit that flourishes in hot climates. The tree can grow as tall as two to eight meters, but once pruned, it can be a manageable height of around two to three meters. If the tree is not pruned, it will get flowers in the month of October. However, if you prune the tree, the flowers appear around ten to twelve weeks after the trimming. This amazing tree is able to pollinate itself or use bees for pollination. It is a fantastic fruit tree to grow in your garden.

The tree requires a temperature between 15 and 28 degrees Celsius to flourish. While it can grow in higher or lower temperatures, in order to flower, the average temperature in summer should be more than 16 degrees Celsius. The best part about this fruit tree is that it is not very particular about the soil it grows in. It can even grow in water logged soil with poor nutrients. However, in order to get a good crop of fruits, it is best to plant your guava tree in a well draining soil.

There are many types of cultivars available. So, check in your local nursery what type of cultivar is best suited for your region and plant that. However, before planting, prepare the location. Select an area in your garden where the soil is loose and drains easily. The depth of the soil should be a minimum of 800 mm. If the soil is acidic, add lime to reduce the acidity. This can take around 12 months, as lime works rather slowly.

Plant the sapling where it gets sufficient space to grow in the initial stages. Do not fertilize after planting. Wait until the sapling gets established in the soil. If you are planting two trees, ensure that you space them two meters apart. Once the sapling is established, spread a balanced fertilizer around 500mm from the plant. Then water the plant. Once you notice growth, make sure that you apply the fertilizer very four to six weeks to facilitate it.

Prune the tree in the first two years to get the desired shape and height. Thereafter, prune to remove old and weak branches or the dead ones. Do the pruning in September or October to ensure that you get fruits the following season.

Guava tree is prone to certain diseases, such as guava wilt disease, fungal infections and blossom rot. Check with your nursery what measures you can take to protect the tree and also eliminate the disease.
Once your tree produces flowers, the fruit should be ready for harvesting twenty to twenty-eight weeks later. You can pluck the ripe guavas from the tree and eat them or use them to make jam or jelly. Pluck the guava with care, as the skin can get damaged quite easily. Unripe guavas are usually green in color, while ripe guavas have a yellow color. Also, if you want, you can pluck unripe fruits and store them in a basket and allow them to ripen. If you want to store them for long term, then refrigerate at 5 degrees Celsius.

Guava is a highly nutritious fruit, rich in several vitamins and minerals. You can eat it as a fruit or make delicious tasting jellies and jams. You can also make a juice with guava, as long as you strain the juice to get rid of the tiny seeds. The juice can give you all your nutrient requirement for the day.

Guava is not a difficult tree to grow, as long as you water it well and provide sufficient sunlight. It loves the sun and hence, thrives in tropical and sub-tropical climates. The fruit is very popular in Asia and West Indies, but you can enjoy the delicious taste and flavor of guava even in the US.

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• Best Way To Eat Guava
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• Vitamins In Guava
• What Does A Guava Tree Look Like ?
• Where Does Guava Grow ?

SA Fruit Farms: How To Grow Guavas
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