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We may not love the end of summer, but with autumn brings the arrival of feijoa season, and there’s always plenty to go around. Those lucky enough to have a feijoa tree on their property seem to constantly be giving them away as gifts or baking them into sweet cakes, muffins and scones to share with a crowd.
In addition to their flavoursome fruit, feijoa trees are hardy, robust trees that’ll add appeal to your garden all year round. Their bright red flowers start to appear at Christmas, providing a festive look, and they provide an abundance of fruit from the beginning of autumn through to early winter.
Feijoas are an ideal source of Vitamin C and potassium and are known to help improve digestion, circulation and cognitive function.
So, they’re good for you and good for your garden. We can’t think of any reason not to plant a feijoa plant in your backyard.
When to plant: March to October
Maturity size: 2 – 5 metres tall, 2 metres wide
Position: Part to full sun, wind tolerant
Soil type: best to grow in rich, free-draining soil but will tolerate clay and dry soils
Harvest: Once planted, fruit will appear after 2 – 3 years
Top tips for planting a feijoa tree
How to grow a feijoa plant from seed
Next time you bite into a sweet feijoa, save the seeds. These (plus some nutritious, free-draining soil) will be all you need to start your feijoa tree.
Wash and dry the seeds ahead of sowing them into a seed-raising soil mix. Keep the seeds warm and moist. Once the seedling is 10cm high or more, it can be planted into fertile soil either in a pot or in the ground.
If you choose to grow your tree in a pot, the size will be limited and require plenty of water and fertiliser. However, this option is renter-friendly, and the tree can later be removed from the pot and put into the ground.
When planting into the ground, dig a hole twice the width and depth of the root ball, and combine half the soil you’ve removed with good-quality compost. While young, the plant may require a stake for support.
Plenty of feijoa varieties are available in New Zealand. Some are self-fertile, but these still benefit from pollination from other varieties. Consider planting two different varieties to ensure a harvest and extend your fruiting season.
Choose your feijoa variety
How to take care of your feijoa tree
As hardy as they are, feijoa trees still love a good, regular feed from spring until harvest. Water deeply throughout summer as the fruit is developing, to be sure your fruit is as delicious as can be.
Feijoa trees can grow as wide as they are tall and will benefit from an annual pruning. A trim in autumn (once all the fruit is harvested) will ensure the tree remains in its ideal shape and encourage new growth for the following year. Pruning also allows for more sunlight and wind movement through the tree, benefiting fruit pollination and ripening.
How to harvest your feijoa
Your patience will be rewarded with a plentiful harvest, no doubt, as feijoa trees typically fruit two years after planting. The fruit is best to ripen on the tree and only be picked once they can easily be removed from the stem. Wind will also remove fruit from the tree once it’s ready, so wait until it falls and harvest it as soon as possible.
More gardening guides:
- How to grow a mandarin tree
- How to grow hydrangeas
- How to grow raspberries
- How to grow lavender
- How to grow passionfruit
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