Crop Rotation Group
Miscellaneous ●
Soil
Fertile, well-drained soil.
Position
Full sun.
Frost tolerant
No. Guavas are tropical evergreen trees with little tolerance for cold. They are hardy only to about -1°C (30°F).
Feeding
Feed with a balanced organic fertiliser every two months to maintain good productivity.
Spacing
Single Plants: 2.00m (6' 6") each way (minimum)
Rows: 2.00m (6' 6") with 2.00m (6' 6") row gap (minimum)
Sow and Plant
Set out container-grown trees at any time of year in tropical climates. Young plants need regular water their first year, and become more drought tolerant after they are well rooted. Guavas can grow to 6m (20 feet) tall, but are at their best when kept pruned to 3m (10 feet) tall. In containers set one plant per 35 cm (14-inch) wide pot. Guavas can be grown in pots for a year or two, but will not reach their productive potential until after they are planted in the ground.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalised calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.
Notes
Native to the Caribbean and Central America, guavas are tropical trees that grow best where the weather stays warm year-round. Temperatures from 23–28°C (73 to 82°F) are ideal. Guavas start producing three years or so after planting. Keep trees pruned to less than 3m (10 feet ) to keep fruit accessible and to reduce risk of wind damage. Guavas are not recommended for planting in some areas because of their tendency to become invasive. Guavas benefit from pruning once or twice a year to remove crowded branches and control the size of the trees.
Harvesting
Most guavas fruit during Autumn and the start of Winter but some areas such as Darwin can have a mid Spring to late Spring fruiting season as well. Guavas are ready to harvest when the colour of the fruits lightens from green to yellow-green or yellow. Allow fruits to soften at room temperature for a few days, or refrigerate guavas for longer term storage. Guavas benefit from pruning once or twice a year to remove crowded branches and control the size of the trees.
Troubleshooting
Covering ripening fruits with mesh bags provides protection from animals and insects such as fruit fly. Plants that appear stunted may be infected with soil-borne nematodes. In Australia fruit fly are a pest of guava, make sure to take appropriate control measures in areas where they are present. It is important to dispose of any infected fruit and fruit has fallen to the ground by placing them in a sealed plastic bag in the sun for at least 7 days to kill the eggs and larvae. Do not compost fruit as this will lead to the fruit fly completing their life cycle and lead to the problem recurring.
Planting and Harvesting Calendar
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