can someone post a picture of what the start of the fruit looks like…Thinking I might actually have a few.
You have the start of a fruit anywhere there is a blossom. For feijoa, it is the slight swelling between the stem and the base of the blossom, this area can be 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. When these ovules swell and enlarge, a sizeable fruit is eventually possible. Noticeable swelling occurs weeks after the petals and stamens have dropped. I would give it a month before getting excited. If conditions are dry during this fruit-forming period, keep the plant watered.
Successful fruits will continue enlarging for 3 or 4 months. Any one fruit can stop progressing at any time. I pinch off mid-to-late-season fruits that are way behind others in size. Fruit need to attain 1.5" or more in length to be a reasonable morsel.
2 Likes
Note the ovules are obvious below the unopened buds; drooping petals of opened flowers make them difficult to photograph.
4 Likes
Has anyone ordered/received Feijoa from Raintree or One Green World?
Anyone tried the fruit from the ones they sell; Robert, Apollo, Mammoth, Nikitia?
Looking to purchase some named varieties only finding seedlings around here in GA.
2 Likes
Ordered from raintree. They arrive as a 12inch stick… but the only place I could find the cultivars… overall I am happy.
1 Like
I’ve ordered three feijoa seedlings from Raintree several years ago. Last year two of them produced pretty good fruit. I have Apollo, Mammoth, Nikita from other sources. Nikita is one of the best, Apollo is quite good, Mammoth can be very good, but needs to be thinned when the crop is heavy. I had issues with mislabeled plants (pomegranates and olives) from Raintree, but it was under previous ownership.
1 Like
I’m in a similar situation, interested in buying named varieties on the East Coast. I got my first small crop from a couple potted seedling bushes last year, and I’m ready to take the next step up (and probably try my seedlings in the ground.) I’m not ready to go to extraordinary lengths or pay bigger prices yet, though. Rolling River seems to be another potential source for named feijoa varieties.
I have a few named cultivars from OGW, about 12 inches, all grafted.
1 Like
A house down the street from me has three large Feijoa shade trees in the front yard. The homeowner is overwhelmed with the amount of fruit that is dropping on his lawn and driveway. He tossed hundreds of pounds in the trash over the past few weeks. I stopped by this weekend and picked up 40 lbs. These old trees are certainly seedlings which have differences in fruit size and flavor.
What to do with all this fruit?
14 Likes
I am overwhelmed with jealously
6 Likes
It’s time to get a hog. They are very smart and always so grateful.
2 Likes
Hard to believe those feijoa on the lower left are from a seedling. They look huge. Is it because of the framing?
Perhaps more of a pity than a jealousy factor, as these plants are not typical of those maintained for fruit production. “Shade tree” is right!
My largish bush with its nearly 100-pound crop is quite a chore.
Dan, did you find much bruising among fruits that have fallen from such a height?
1 Like
Size was quite variable. The tree on the left produced large, middle tree medium, right tree small. Here is a picture of some with a tape measure.
3 Likes
A lot of bruising, especially on the ones that landed on the hard clay. Most of the ones that landed on the English ivy were unblemished. The bruising makes the flesh turn brown rather quickly. Although it tastes fine it is unsightly.
I see most posts on this thread are from the west coast.
I wonder if any one has a good report from colder areas. ?
I am in Wv. ,have 2 pineapple guava in a un heated high tunnel ,
Had 2 fruit last year that disappeared when the size of an egg.
No bloom this year. No dieback of plant, looks good ,just no fruit yet ,they are about 3-4 yrs old
Anyone growing these in a cooler place back east ?
Size can be highly variable on one plant–mine range from under an ounce to 5 ounces. Bruised fruit does not store well.
I’m on the apparent northern fringe of feijoa production out West (Portland). Below +15 degrees affects next year’s bloom, and that eliminates much of the East for unprotected plantings.
1 Like
Cold front just passed through, and my very first pineapple guava fruits were ready (read fell to the ground)! I gave spoonfuls to wife and son, asking them to name what it tastes like, it was hilarious!
3 Likes
Did their responses include pineapple or guava?
1 Like
Pineapple was actually first, followed by strawberry, bananas, and lime!
1 Like