Guava / Perakka (Chinese Violet, Layer) Fruit Plant

If you have eaten guava before, look for guavas that smell like they taste!!

Guavas/Psidium guajava are common tropical fruits cultivated and enjoyed in many tropical and subtropical regions.Psidium guajava (common guava, lemon guava) is a small tree in the Myrtle family (Myrtaceae), native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.. Guava fruits, usually 4 to 12 centimetres long, are round or oval depending on the species. They have a pronounced and typical fragrance, similar to lemon rind but less sharp. The outer skin may be rough, often with a bitter taste, or soft and sweet. Varying between species, the skin can be any thickness, is usually green before maturity, but becomes yellow, maroon, or green when ripe. The pulp inside may be sweet or sour and off-white (white guavas) to deep pink (red guavas). The seeds in the central pulp vary in number and hardness, depending on species. The guava tree, if grown in ground will grow to a height up to 12 feet in tropical regions. The tree will grow to a smaller size in a container. The guava plants thrive in any soil with good drainage and full sun for best flowering and fruit production.

MAINTENANCE OF THE PLANTATION
Once a plantation has been established, the work should not be considered finished. It will be necessary, for example, to protect the plantation against weather, fire, insects and fungi, and animals. A variety of cultural treatments also may be required to meet the purpose of the plantation. Guava plant needs full sun to part shade to grow, however, it cannot withstand too much heat.The guava plants have very little tolerance for cold. The plant is very frost tender and the matured tree will drop all the leaves in winter, while the young may die. The new leaves start to grow from the beginning of spring.

FERTILIZING
Fertilizers in small quantity (generally below 100gm) after two to three months of planting with sufficient irrigation. Fertilize growing guavas every one to two months while young and then three to four times per year as the tree matures. Guava trees need a high amount of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash, along with some magnesium for maximum fruit production. An example is a formula of 6-6-6-2, worked into soils just prior to the onset of the growing season and then evenly spaced out three times during the growth period. Water frequently after planting and then keep mature trees moderately moist during the blooming and fruiting seasons. Once established, caring for a guava fruit tree is similar to any fruiting tree care.Young trees benefit from fertilizer application with the type an amount varying with area and soil type.

WATERING AND WEED CONTROL
Guavas prefer regular deep root watering, allow the soil to dry out somewhat between waterings. Provide regular water during the growing season, and reduce watering during the winter. Apply water at the base of the tree, avoiding its foliage getting wet to prevent fungal disease. The older branches of the guava tree produce larger size guava fruit. So to promote branch growth, the tree must receive regular water. Guava tree is heavy feeder, so it should be fertilized every 1-2 months when it is young; thereafter 3-4 times a year. Guava trees need a fertilizer high in nitrogen, phosphorus, potash and some magnesium for maximum fruit production. Mix 6-6-6-2 fertilizer into soils beginning of the growing season and then 3-4 times during the growth period. Apply a fertilizer high in potassium to increase fruit production. I feed my guava plant with a liquid fertilizer throughout the growing season.Guava trees become iron deficient in alkaline and high pH soil. Fertilize 1-2 times with iron sulphate each year. Always water your guava plant after fertilizing to minimize the risk of burns.

PRUNING AND SHAPE OF GUAVA TREE
Prune the new plant at 1-2 feet length to produce new lateral branches. Allow such 3-4 branches to grow to 2-3 feet. Then cut the tips of these branches to grow more branches. Remove the weak branches. The tree in this way will become dense with a good canopy.

PEST & DISEASE FOR GUAVA TREE
Every fruit tree has the future potential for disease and insect damage. Factors such as location and weather will play a part in which issues your tree encounters. If available, disease-resistant trees are the best option for easy care; and for all trees, proper maintenance (such as watering, fertilizing, pruning, spraying, weeding, and fall cleanup) can help keep most insects and diseases at bay.

HARVESTING YOUR GUAVA TREE
The guava fruit matures in 2-4 months after the flowers bloom. The fruit remain hard and green but changes color and becomes softer when it is ripe. Fruits picked green will ripen when stored at room temperature. (Fruit Ripening with Ethylene)

PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prioritize your tree planting with the sun’s direction to maximize shade by planting on the southwestern and western sides of your home
2. Guava is very hardy. It can thrive on all types of soil from alluvial to lateric. However, it is sensitive to water logging. It can be grown on heavier but well drained soil. Deep friable and well-drained soils are the best. The top soil should be rich for better stand. Soil pH range of 4.5 to 8.2 is congenial for guava but saline or alkaline soils are unsuitable.
3. For Commercial Plantation, standard spacing for guava is , 6m x 6m, accommodating 112 plants /acre. However, it is commonly planted at a distance of 3.6 m to 5.4m (12′ to 18′). Traditional planting spaces in some parts of country range even upto 5.4 to 7.0m (18’o 23′). By increasing the plant density, productivity can be increased. Although there would be reduction in size of fruits, the number of fruits per plant remains more or less similar.
4. In a home garden generally we are planting one or two guava fruit along with other species of fruit plants. So it is better to keep minimum 7 meter distance from other plants to plant a guava
5. 100% sunlight is best but can grow up to 50 % shade
6. During dry weather, initially water the plant once in two days and after one month of planting water every 7 to 10 days during the first year.
7. Do not use chemical fertilizer or any other chemicals on your newly planted trees. Such products will kill your young trees. If needed you can add chemical fertilizers in small quantity (generally below 100gm) after two to three months of planting with sufficient irrigation.
8. Do not overwater or allow rainwater so much that you see standing water in the pit area of the plant. It will damage the plant’s roots and results in the die of your plant.