All about the secrets of growing feijoa at home

Feijoa belongs to the typical representatives of the subtropical climate, which did not prevent its successful cultivation in the collections of Russian flower growers. Acclimatization was not easy: the southern plant turned out to be demanding for high air humidity, did not want to bear fruit for a long time, and there were certain difficulties with reproduction. And yet, breeders managed to get feijoa varieties that can be grown without much difficulty in greenhouses, on window sills, and in the southern regions and in open ground.

Characteristics

The plant belongs to the myrtle family, it can grow in the form of a miniature, not very sprawling tree or lush shrub. Feijoa is valued not only for its decorative effect - every summer flower growers and gardeners collect several kilograms of tasty and healthy fruits. Berries are used to make jams, preserves and juices. But fresh feijoa fruits are especially useful. They have a specific flavor that combines the fruity notes of pineapple and strawberry.

Eating several berries a day helps:

• improve immunity;
• replenish the supply of vitamins and minerals;
• improve memory.

In the wild, there are trees up to 4 meters high. Domesticated specimens in open ground are capable of growing up to 1 m. The bark of a plant, regardless of species and varietal affiliation, is always light brown, rough to the touch. The arrangement of silvery-green leaves is opposite. In early summer, many large light pink flowers with a delicate aroma appear on a tree or shrub.

Reproduction

Feijoa varieties bred by breeders reproduce well at home by seeds and cuttings. Gardeners who grow a plant in the form of a shrub practice dividing it into several parts. But this method is possible if the feijoa has formed several young, non-lignified shoots. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the plant is grown as a compact tree, therefore this method of propagation is not considered.

Feijoa seeds are not highly germinated. But each fruit contains a huge amount of them, so there will be enough seedlings for growing. The berry for collecting seeds is chosen ripe, but strong. To obtain high-quality material, the fruit is cut and the pulp is carefully removed. After extraction, the seeds are evenly distributed on the soil surface, without deepening. Before planting the seeds, the soil is calcined to kill the larvae and eggs of garden pests.

For growing feijoa at home, soil with the following composition is suitable:

• leaf land - 2 parts;
• high-moor peat - 2 parts;
• river sand - 1 part.

The seeds are sprinkled with earth a little, the containers are covered with glass and placed in a warm (22-25 ° C) place for growing. The earth is moistened daily, while airing the planting. Green shoots will appear in 1-2 months, after which the seedlings dive into separate pots.

Advice

Feijoa seeds are planted in late February or early March. At this time of year, the plant may not have enough sunlight to form roots and green mass. Fluorescent lamps installed at a height of 30-40 cm above the seed containers are an excellent solution.

In the fall, cuttings 8-10 cm long are cut from an adult plant. All leaves, except for the top two, are pinched to accelerate root formation. The cuttings are buried at a slight angle into the ground and a mini-greenhouse is built using an ordinary plastic bag. When grown in a warm and well-lit place, young leaves will appear in 4-5 weeks.

Plant care

Despite the fact that the bred varieties are highly resistant, feijoa still belongs to subtropical fruit crops. The plant requires additional lighting in the cold season, but in summer it is shaded from active sunlight. Air humidity is of great importance for feijoa. When growing it at home, regular water procedures are carried out using a spray bottle.

Feijoa is a moisture-loving plant. Water for irrigation is used with settled tap water or soft rainwater. The soil in the pot should always be moist and breathable. But excessive watering is destructive for a miniature tree. The accumulation of water near the roots will provoke their rotting, will cause the death of the plant.

Advice

The water accumulated in the pan is drained only with excessive watering. If the soil is porous and loose, then the earthen lump will quickly absorb moisture from the pallet through the drainage holes.

Feijoa quickly grows green mass and root system, therefore it needs frequent feeding. In order for the fertilizers to be completely absorbed, they are introduced in stages.

• The soil is enriched with organic fertilizing twice a month. It can be bird droppings diluted with water in a 1/15 ratio, or a 10% solution of cow dung.
• A week after organic fertilizing, potash fertilizers are applied, diluted in accordance with the instructions.
• Feijoa is fed monthly with superphosphate - a teaspoon of the dry mixture is diluted in 3 liters of water.

Top dressing is introduced when the plant reaches two years of age. Until this time, the feijoa has accumulated enough nutrients for optimal growth and development.

Advice

For this plant, a combination of fertilizing with watering is unacceptable. The soil under the tree is fertilized after all water procedures to prevent root burn.

The scabbard and red spider mite love to settle on the delicate leaves of the feijoa. The presence of pests is indicated by transparent thin cobwebs between the branches and the sudden drying of young shoots. For pest control at home, herbicides are used ("Karbofos", "Keltan"). The plant and the soil under it are abundantly sprayed with an interval of 3-4 days.

Crown formation

Feijoa can be grown as a compact tree or bush. To make the crown shape neat and attractive, at the beginning of spring, the shoots are trimmed by 1/3 of the length. In a few days, increased growth of lateral branches begins. It is on them that large and juicy fruits are formed at the end of summer.

To grow a tree, the seedling is cut at a height of 30-40 cm, and the young shoots that appear at the roots are removed. Follow-up care consists of pruning dry or damaged branches. Experts also recommend removing weak and elongated shoots. They unnecessarily thicken the crown and cause poor fruiting.

Many lovers of exotic plants grow at home Garnet, lemon, a pineapple... But delicious fruits rarely appear on them. But the harvest of feijoa from one tree is enough for cooking several jars of vitamin jam. Dried berries add tea and are even used to make homemade liqueurs and liqueurs.

Feijoa begins to bear fruit at the age of 5-6 years. Before replenishing your collection of exotic plants, you should learn about the features of pollination of this species. In nature, the resulting pollen is transferred from flower to flower bee. At home, this should be done by a florist using cotton wool or a soft brush. To make life easier for plant lovers, breeders have bred self-pollinating feijoa varieties.