Feijoa

Growing Guide

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Where to plant

Full sun/Part shade, well drained soil.

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Sow depth

5cm

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Space between seeds / seedlings

300-500cm

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Row space

300-500cm

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Size of pot needed (width / depth)

20cm2

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Seedling Sow Depth

5cm

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Best practice

Transplant

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Germination (days)

7-28

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Maturity (days)

730-1095

How to Grow

From seed

Plant your feijoa seeds 1cm deep in nutrient-rich soil or sprout them right on a moist paper towel.

Start the seeds indoors in a warm, sunny area.

Moisten the soil a bit and cover the top of the planting container with plastic wrap to aid in heat and moisture retention.

Continue to keep the soil moist, not sodden.

Be sure the container has drainage holes to let the excess water drain away

From seedling

Plant when seedling is 10cm high or more.

Plant in fertile soil and follow 'how to grow from plant' instructions.

In a pot

Feijoa grow well in pots.

The size will be limited, and they will require plenty of water and fertilizer.

From Plant

Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball and around 10-100cm deep.

Place the tree in and backfill with half of the soil you removed and half good quality compost.

Compress with your foot gently and add a bit more compost to make the hole level with the ground.

Ready to harvest

Feijoas will ripen a little once picked but are best left on the tree to ripen naturally.

The fruit will fall from the tree when completely ripe, and can be picked up off the ground, though don’t leave them too long.

For best results, ‘touch pick’ from the tree which means cupping the fruit with your hand, and pull very gently.

If the fruit comes away from the stem easily, it’s ready.

If the fruit remains attached to the tree, it’s not ready just yet.

If ‘touch picked’ the fruit should last for a week in the fruit bowl.

Fruit picked up off the ground might only last a few days.

Collect seed

Squeeze the pulp of the feijoa into a container and cover in water.

Leave it for about four days to ferment before rinsing in a sieve to expose the seeds.

Pick them out and allow them to dry.

You can keep these seeds for up to a year before planting.

When to Grow

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Zone 1 - Cool

September , October

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Zone 2 - Temperate

March , April , May , June , September , October

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Zone 3 - Subtropical

March , April , May , June , September , October

Companion Planting

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Chives
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Marigold
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Borage

Tips for Care

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For good quality fruit, water deeply and regularly, especially when your tree is flowering and fruiting.

Lack of water will cause the fruit to drop prematurely and be bitter and dry.

You’ll appreciate the difference in quality if you maintain a good watering regime during this time
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Feijoa grow slowly, so they don’t require too much feeding.

If you choose to feed, use a complete fertilizer every two months.

Be sure to fertilize container-grown plants, especially after fruiting.
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Prune plants lightly in the summer after you’ve harvested the fruit to encourage new growth.

Feijoa doesn’t require pruning, but if you want, you can grow it as a hedge and keep it trimmed back.
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Feijoa grows in zones 8 to 11 and prefers a temperate to sub-tropical climate.

They don’t like high humidity and can withstand winter temperatures as low as 15°F.
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Feijoa trees will struggle during long dry periods if not supplemented with watering.

It is especially important to water deeply and regularly from mid to late summer when the fruit is developing and ripening.

Don’t overwater as it will plump up the fruit but lose the flavour.

Pests & Problems

Pests


Mealy bugs

Fruit Fly

Leafroller

Scale insects

Whitefly

Problems


Collar rot

Sooty Mould
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