5 Steps to Feijoa Success
- Autumn and spring are an ideal time to plant feijoas in most areas of New Zealand. Plant at least two different varieties. Even self-fertile varieties will produce a better crop if pollinated by other varieties.
- Prepare your soil with organic matter like compost and sheep pellets.
- Add a layer of citrus & fruit mix to plant into.
- Feed fejioas regularly from spring to harvest.
- Water deeply and regularly from mid to late summer when the fruit is developing and ripening.
Follow our full guide below to a bumper crop of homegrown feijoas.
You can't beat the aroma and flavour of fresh feijoas! This hardy and robust fruit is easy to grow and provides you with an abundance of fruit from autumn to early winter each year. Their delightful bright red flowers, which appear at Christmas, add to their appeal. Feijoas are also an excellent source of hydration for the body and provide soluble fibre to combat a build up of toxins in the digestive system.
Prepare
Although feijoas can be planted all year round, autumn is an ideal time in most areas of the country to plant as this allows the roots to establish over winter in preparation for a growth spurt over spring. However if your area can get quite cold and be affected by snow over winter it is best to hold off planting until the soil warms and frosts weaken in spring.
Feijoas are on our minds in summer – so it’s also tempting to plant them then – just be sure to keep up with watering.
Feijoas are a versatile fruit
- They make a fantastic hedge that will tolerate wind and coastal conditions. When planting a feijoa hedge space your feijoa plants approximately 1-1.5m apart depending on the variety. Read our Edible Hedging Guide here >
- Feijoas can also be planted in containers, in groups in an orchard, or blended into ornamental garden plantings.
- Feijoas thrive in many locations around the country. They cope with some frost and coastal conditions, and enjoy a sunny aspect.
- Trees will mature to 2m-3m high and approx 1.5-2m wide.
Choose a variety
A wide range of feijoas are available. Some varieties are self fertile, but even self-fertile varieties will produce heavier and more regular crops if they are pollinated by other varieties. Plant at least two different varieties to extend your season and ensure a better harvest. Discover feijoa varieties here >
Once you have selected your plants, it is time to get the soil prepared – the better the soil, the better your fruit plants will grow. Dig in organic matter like Tui Sheep Pellets and compost to the area before planting.
Plant
If you have a smaller space, feijoas can be planted in large pots or containers. Choose a dwarf variety such as Bambina and fill your pot or container with Tui Citrus & Fruit Mix.
The best times to plant are early in the morning or late in the day, so the plants aren’t exposed to the hot sun straight away.
Planting feijoas in the garden:
- Choose a sunny position with free draining soil.
- Soak your tree in a bucket of Tui Organic Seaweed Plant Tonic before planting and allow to drain. This will help prevent transplant shock and give your feijoa a healthy start.
- Add a layer of Tui Citrus & Fruit Mix to the planting area.
- Dig a hole, approximately twice the depth and width of the root ball of your plant.
- Gently loosen the root ball of your plant and position the plant in the centre of the hole.
- Fill in with Tui Citrus & Fruit Mix. Press mix gently around the base of the plant.
- Water your plant well and continue to water regularly.
- In windy areas stake the tree, to give the root zone time to secure itself into the soil.
- Apply a layer of Tui Mulch & Feed around the base of the plant.
- Water well after planting.
Planting feijoas in pots and containers:
- Soak your tree in a bucket of Tui Organic Seaweed Plant Tonic before planting and allow to drain. This will help prevent transplant shock and give your feijoa a healthy start.
- Half fill your container with Tui Citrus & Fruit Mix.
- Gently take the plant from the current container, loosen the root ball and remove any loose or dead plant material and roots.
- Position the plant in the centre of the new container and fill with Tui Citrus & Fruit Mix up to 3cm from the top.
- Gently firm the mix around the base of the plant. The mix should be at the same level on the plant as it was in the previous container.
- Water well after planting.
Nourish
Feed your plants and they will reward you. Plants use nutrients from the soil as they grow, so replenishing the nutrients ensures your plants grow to their full potential.
Feijoa trees usually fruit two years after planting, and should be fed regularly from spring to late summer to ensure a healthy tree and bumper harvest.
Use Tui NovaTec Premium fertiliser for best results in both garden beds and pots and containers.
Watering
Feijoas are fairly hardy plants once established however they 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 over water though as it will plump up the fruit but lose the flavour.
Apply SaturAid to enable the soil to hold onto more moisture, this will prevent the plant shedding its fruit prematurely.
Well watered, well nourished feijoas will also have a better chance of keeping insect pests and diseases at bay.
Tui Tips
- New trees should be supported with double bamboo or pine stakes, tied with soft ties to give upright support.
- Regularly mulch trees with Tui Mulch & Feed to protect against extremes in temperatures, keep roots moist, and suppress weed growth.
- Feijoas are occasionally attacked by scale which can cause sooty mould infestations. Leaf roller caterpillars can also be a problem and will invade lower leaves. Read more on common feijoa tree issues
- Pruning - a light trimming in autumn or winter (unless in a frost prone area) after fruit is harvested will encourage new growth and increase yields the following year. Thinning the plant also permits easier harvesting and allows bird pollination, wind movement and sunlight in for fruit ripening. When grown as a hedge, the feijoa responds well to heavy pruning or shearing, but this reduces flower and fruit production.
- Harvest when wind fallen fruit starts to appear on the ground.
- Feijoas will ripen a little once picked but are best left on the tree to ripen naturally. When picking, select fruit that is slightly soft to the touch.