How to grow feijoas
Feijoas are a hardy fruiting tree that are really easy to grow and look after. They can give you abundant fruit, which you’ll be sharing around in no time. Here’s how to get yours growing.
Timing
Feijoas can be planted at any time, but autumn is best as this allows the roots to establish over winter, ready for a growth spurt in spring. However, in cold and snowy areas it’s best to hold off planting until spring when the soil warms and the frosts weaken.
Location
Feijoas are pretty hardy and can be grown in most soils. However, they do prefer a sunny, well-drained position in the garden.
They are generally frost hardy and will handle temperatures as low as -8 to -10 degrees once established.
Feijoas will also grow well in a container for many years with regular watering and feeding. The Bambina variety grows particularly well in a container.
Plant Types
There are a number of different varieties, all with different fruit qualities. Here’s a few:
- Apollo - Apollo fruit are medium to large with excellent flavour. Partially self-fertile, they will produce some fruit if planted alone. However they’ll produce larger crops of bigger fruit if planted with another variety nearby.
- Bambina - A self-fertile dwarf variety, with thin edible skin and a sweet pulp. It’s a good choice when planting in a pot.
- Kakapo - A mid-season variety with a pleasant mild sweet flavour. It’s a slow growing tree, so needs little pruning.
- Mammoth - Produces large, soft fruit, with thick wrinkled skin. The flesh is slightly gritty, and the quality and flavour are very good. It’s a strong upright growing tree, and will grow up to 3 metres tall. If planted with a pollinator it will bear larger fruit.
- Pounamu - An early season feijoa with very dark colour skin. It bears medium size fruit with rich, smooth, aromatic taste.
- Unique - This is a prolific bearer of fruit from a young age. The fruit is medium size with smooth, soft, and juicy flesh. If you only have room for one Feijoa tree, then plant Unique as it’s the only truly self-fertile variety.
Pollination
Some varieties of feijoa are self-fertile, but they’ll produce bigger and more regular fruit if they’re pollinated. So, plant at least two varieties to ensure cross pollination and good fruiting.
Planting
- Soak your tree in a bucket of seaweed tonic. This helps prevent transplant shock.
- Dig a hole that’s about twice as wide and twice as deep as the rootball of your plant.
- Partly fill the hole with garden mix. This is packed full of essential nutrients that’ll give your tree the best start.
- Remove your tree from its container, and gently place it in the hole. If your plant is root-bound, then carefully loosen the roots.
- Stake the tree, especially in windy areas, this helps give the roots time to secure the plant into the soil. Place the stake to the side of the rootball before backfilling the hole. This will help you avoid disturbing the young roots of the plant.
- Backfill with a mix of garden mix and sheep pellets, making sure the tree is no deeper than it was in the container or bag.
- Drive your stake firmly into the ground, and tie it to the tree about ¾ up the plant. Don’t tie it too tightly, as you want to leave room for the tree to grow.
- Water-in well after planting.
- Spread a layer of mulch & feed around the base of your tree.
