Feijoa
Akka, or feijoa, is a member of the myrtle family., the tree is an evergreen. The fruits of the plant can be purchased at supermarkets or at the market. They contain many useful substances; this product is especially valued for its high iodine content.
Is it possible to grow feijoa in open ground?
Although the plant is found in the wild only in the subtropical zone, the question often arises of how to grow feijoa in the country. You can consider this issue positively if your place of residence is Crimea or the Caucasus. Growing feijoa is also practiced in the Krasnodar region; warm, mild winters allow it to be planted in open ground.
For more northern regions, the option of growing feijoa on a windowsill is acceptable:
- in summer - in the open-air garden;
- in winter - in a heated room.
For normal development of the plant, it will require heat; it can easily withstand temperatures of + 30 C and above, of course, provided there is sufficient soil and air moisture.
In winter, the optimal temperature will be from +10 C to + 12 C.
Feijoa pruning
The correctness of this procedure is extremely important for the tree. It grows extremely actively, at the end of the first year of life it can reach half a meter in height.
To properly form a fruit-bearing plant, it is recommended:
- at the end of winter, cut the tree trunk in half; this activates branching;
- in a year you will need to shorten each long branch by half;
- after another year, shoots of the second order are shortened by half;
- in subsequent years, branches that give strong growth are pruned.
The plant can be shaped as a tree or bush.
How to grow feijoa from seeds
Since the difference in the beginning of fruiting between trees grown from seeds and cuttings is insignificant, then the option of propagating feijoa from seeds can be considered optimal.
It’s easy to get seeds; they can be taken from a purchased fruit. They are sown in the ground immediately, or after drying. But with long-term storage, throughout the year, the percentage of germination may decrease.
Light soil should be used for planting feijoas.
With careful care, flowering and fruiting of the plant begins at about 4-5 years of age.
Important conditions for the onset of early fruiting are:
- ensuring certain wintering conditions
- correctly formed crown
Although the plant tolerates negative temperatures, even frosts, above-zero temperatures are still considered the optimal wintering temperature. The plant should not be allowed to remain in the cold for more than 3-4 days.
