feijoa (forum)

mags starts with ...
I have a feijoa tree which is about 5 years old. It is grown in a large pot, but has never fruited. It has flowered a few times I think but has never been abundant with flowers. What am I doing wrong? Could it be an ornamental feijoa? Do I need a second tree to cross pollinate? Would it do better grown in the ground (I am about to plant it out). What soil conditions does it require?
Thanks,

Mags

Time: 7th July 2010 11:59am

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About the Author mags
adelaide
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Michael says...
I used to have a 7 year old feijoa in a large pot which flowered heavily but no fruit set. 7 years was all the patience I had so now it's gone to plant heaven.

Time: 7th July 2010 12:59pm

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About the Author Michael
Wakeley
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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Unnamed seedling feijoas usually crop poorly in isolation, there are some improved varieties around but you need to seek them out. Maybe Perry's have them in SA, Bunnings often sells seedlings which could theoretically pollinate your tree.
See some info below

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/feijoa.html
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 7th July 2010 1:15pm

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About the Author TyalgumPhil
Murwillumbah
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Evo says...
Mine fruited this year for the first time. Very exciting! I have about 12 plants. I think it has taken around four years.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 7th July 2010 9:50pm

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About the Author lionfish
 
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epiphany says...
As Phil mentioned, most feijoas need a pollinator. There are a couple of self-fertile varieties (Unique, Mammoth, among others) but even the self-fertile ones bear better when cross-pollinated. When I lived in NZ, most people didn't bother with two trees as enough people in the neighbourhood would have a feijoa in the backyard, so they would all bear well. But here in Oz where it's not as commonly grown, you'll probably need two trees.

Feijoas also need anywhere from 50-200 chill hours of 7 degrees or less to set fruit. Just something to bear in mind for milder regions.

Feijoas usually take around 3 years to begin to fruit. Seedlings may take longer & I've read that some seedlings never seem to fruit well, so if you're having issues with a seedling, it may pay to get a named variety into your garden as well.

Time: 7th July 2010 10:12pm

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About the Author epiphany2
Melbourne
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amanda says...
I just don't get it with feijoas?! They are almost like a weed in NZ with their fruiting...(at least they were 30 odd yrs ago). Are we missing something here? A soil element? Climate? They are just a humble guava after all - and yet getting them to fruit seems difficult?
A friend in NZ laughs at this - he does folks gardening and turfs wheelbarrows full of fruit!

Time: 7th July 2010 10:12pm

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About the Author amanda19
Geraldton. WA
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Michael says...
They have feijoas at my local fruit store but at $3 each I wasn't game enough to try it.

Time: 7th July 2010 10:18pm

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About the Author Michael
Wakeley
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epiphany says...
Amanda...I know...it's silly, isn't it? We had the tiniest little Unique in our garden back in NZ. I did nothing to it & it produced lots of huge, gorgeous fruit every year. Mum & Dad had two trees & we were always inundated with fruit when I was a kid (we never turfed fruit, though - could always find a way to use them up!).

Time: 7th July 2010 10:38pm

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About the Author epiphany2
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allybanana says...
We have four 20 year old large fijoa trees fruiting well, i have noticed the honeyeaters and rainbow lorries visit the flowers, The figoa has a large red flower with a long stigma that extends beyond the stamins suggesting they have evolved for bird pollination. Somtimes bees bees dont reach the stigma and pollinate such flowers, perhaps even self pollination without birds is difficult. you could try hand pollinating? brush a bit of pollen on stigma or place the pot near a native tree birds love to visit. Getting a second pollinator i agree is a good option if it dosent come good,

When planting them out they love it rich and wet with a lot of sun i get the best fruiting results when i put the geese water near the stem and they have about a inch of goose manuare on the ground and get watered daily when i wash and change the water.

cheers ally

Time: 8th July 2010 12:06am

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mags says...
Thanks everyone for your suggestions and help. Looks like I'm off to buy a friend for my feijoa. I am planning to plant them together in the same hole. What do you think? I have a small garden so space is at a premium. But I really want feijoas! My mum grew them at home when I was growing up and I love them. Fresh, mmm..... and feijoa jam too!

Time: 12th July 2010 10:30am

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About the Author mags
adelaide
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BJ says...
Mags, I've four feijoa that are planted about a meter apart in the hope of creating a dense hedge. They can handle the competition (lots of leaves) - but all of mine are "Bunnings feijoas". I'm not sure if it is the proximity, or the seedling aspect but they've been in the ground about 12 months now and I've only got a few fruit and they are quite gritty (not that special). You either need to give them more care than 'set and forget' in a hole or you need something a bit more 'special' than a Bunnings feijoa! Why not spend a few more dollars and get something tasty and in its own hole?

Time: 12th July 2010 12:53pm

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About the Author BJ11
WA
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