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How To Grow Guava Tree Faster In Containers: Guava Tree Care

Read how to grow guava tree faster in containers and ground, guava varieties, guava tree fertilizer and how to look after your guava plant. Guava (Botanical name : Psidium guajava) is a tropical tree, producing sweet fruits which are eaten as a fruit or used as an ingredient in drinks, smoothies and desserts.

The common names are guava, amrood, amrud, jamphal, goiaba, guayaba, djamboe, djambu, goavier, etc.

Picture of Guava Fruit
Guava Fruit
The guava tree is a highly attractive tree. The leaves and flowers are both mildly fragrant and attractive. It can be grown from seeds taken from the fruit (how to grow guava from seeds).

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 tree produces white 1 inch size flowers.
The guava fruit has white, pink yellow flesh having seeds at its center. The taste of the fruit varies from sour to sweet, depending on its variety.

First I planted a Hawaiian type guava which produced several guava fruits with pink flesh, but the taste was slightly sour. So I removed that tree and planted an Indian type which is producing very sweet fruits.

Growing Guava in Containers Faster


The guava fruits are about 5 inches in diameter; either oval, round or pear shaped and the ripe fruit has a rich pungent smell which spreads quickly in the house.

The Guava Varieties

There are several varieties of guava. Popular guava varieties and types are:

Apple guava tree or white guava tree
Strawberry guava tree
Pineapple guava tree
Red guava tree
Pink guava tree
Mexican guava tree

  1. The common Apple guava (Psidium guajava) has white fruit that typically ripen as a yellow color. It is the most frequently eaten species.
  2. The Strawberry guava (Psidium littoral) has a red colored outer skin, and has strawberry-like flavor fruit, generally smaller than the common guava.
  3. The Pineapple Guava or Feijoa (F. sellowiana) has attractive flowers and larger sized fruits.

Position : Where To Plant Guava Tree

  1. Guava plant needs full sun to part shade to grow, however, it cannot withstand too much heat.
  2. 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.
  3. In the USA, guava trees can grow in US Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 9 through 11; in Hawaii, Florida, sheltered areas in California and Texas and the Virgin Islands.

Tips For Growing Guava in Containers

A guava tree can be grown in a container with proper care.
  1. Guavas can be planted in pots and ground as well. If you are planning in a container, then select a big pot, at least 30 cm (12 inch) pot, bigger is better. The potted guava plant can be pruned in early summer to keep the size compact. Transfer the young guava plant every spring into a larger pot. How to grow fruits in pots
  2. The pot should have good drainage holes at the bottom, which is important to protect the roots.
  3. The guavas planted in ground grows faster into big tree, up to 30 feet in height because its roots can spread widely. The fruits in these trees become difficult to pluck as they grow to very high branches. So I am growing guava in the container, it is quite easy. The pot bound root system of guava tree growing in containers produce small size of fruits.

Soil For Guava Tree

Plant your guava in a rich free-draining soil having a pH 4.5-7.0. Add lots of compost and manure to the soil and some river sand to make it free draining. This type of soil is best for growing guava tree faster.

How To Plant Guava

Guava can be propagated by seed, branch cutting, grafting and air layering. For commercial cultivation, it is best grafted onto a established root-stock. The guava seedlings grow very fast if proper care is taken.

Guava Propagation Method

Guava tree can be propagated form seeds, cuttings and layering method.

Guava Tree Care

Watering Guava Plant

  1. Guavas prefer regular deep root watering, allow the soil to dry out somewhat between watering. 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.
  2. The older branches of the guava tree produce larger size guava fruit. So to promote branch growth, the tree must receive regular water.

Mulch For Guava Tree

Mulch with 2-6 inch (5-15 cm) of wood chips, bark to retain soil moisture. Keep the mulch-10 inch away from trunk. Mulch can also reduce the growth of weeds and can help reduce the risk of certain pests.

Picture of Guavas growing on guava tree
Guava tree

Guava Fertilizer Recommendation

The guava tree fertilizer is very important if you wish to grow your guava tree fast.
  1. Guava tree is heavy feeder, so it should be fertilized every 1-2 months when it is young; thereafter 3-4 times a year.
  2. 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.
  3. A fertilizer high in potassium is the best fertilizer for guava trees to increase fruit production. I feed my guava plant with a liquid fertilizer throughout the growing season.
  4. Guava trees become iron deficient in alkaline and high pH soil. Fertilize 1-2 times with iron sulphate each year.
  5. Always water your guava plant after fertilizing to minimize the risk of burns.

Guava Tree Flowers and Pollination

The guava tree blooms in early spring, but may bloom all year in mild climates.

  1. Guava tree has perfect flowers with male and female parts in each flower.
  2. Honeybees pollinate the guava flowers.
  3. If there are no bees in your area, then you may hand pollinate the flowers. Use a very small paint brush and tickle the inside of flowers.
  4. Spray your guava tree a 5 % solution of urea mixed with a wetting agent just before flowering. When the urea spray dries, then water the plant. This will increase the duration of fruit production.

The Guava Fruit Harvest

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)

How to Make a Guava Tree Bear Fruit

A new guava tree can start bearing fruits when it is 2 year old. I grew my guava tree from a seed and it produced guavas in the second year.
Picture of Guava Flower on one year old guava tree
Guava Flower on one year
 old guava tree
If your guava tree has matured and not flowering then you can encourage the tree to flower as following:
  1. Allow the tree to dry out for 2-3 weeks and prune the tips of the branches to stimulate new growth. Guava will flower on the new growth.
  2. Water restriction causes the tree to begin reproduction defense mechanisms that result in flowering.

Pests and Diseases on Guava Tree

  1. Young guava are attacked by a number of pests including aphids, guava white fly, mealy bugs, moth, scale and thrips. Treat early. I cover the fruits with a paper bag to prevent fruit fly.
  2. The guava tree is attacked by a number of diseases like anthrcnose, red alga, and leaf spots. Pruning the tree to increase air circulation will be beneficial. Regular copper spray, pest oil spray or insecticidal soap can control the disease.
  3. Sometimes, ants crawling on the guavas may be problem. Use Boric Acid Ant Baits to control ants.

How Yo Prune of Guava Tree

Pruning a guava tree is important if you want your tree to produce pleanty of fruits. Prune the new guava 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.

How To Protect Guava Tree From Low Temperatures

To protect guavas from freezing temperatures, cover with a blanket at night or put Christmas lights on it when there is a threat of frost. If the guava tree is growing in a pot, then move the pot in shade or varandah.
References
  1. Guava Fruit Farming Info - Beginners Guide
  2. Jonathan Crane and Carlos Belerdi, Guava growing in Florida Home Landscape
  3. Boning, Charles R. (2006). Florida's Best Fruiting Plants: Native and Exotic Trees, Shrubs, and Vines. Sarasota, Florida: Pineapple Press, Inc. p. 99.
  4. California Rare Fruit Growers. Tropical Guava

how to grow guava tree from seed video
how to grow guava tree from seeds in Hindi Video

19 Comments

mohan1948 July 14, 2016 2:24 PM
Good blog with useful information. Nice photographs. The increase fruit production spray urea about 70 ppm solution a fortnight before Spring and feed well with Citrus fertilizer
Anonymous January 29, 2017 9:36 PM
I have a 3 year old guava tree and thanks to the environment condition it started flowering very soon. The problem now is I feel it has some problem. I discovered tiny bug type (probably I don't know what it is). It has a very net type texture. Its fully white on color with red spots in pattern over the sides. Its is fully oval yet tiny. And if pressed it has this kind of powder coming out of it. It lives on leaves or a stem. Sometimes on the fruit. But my tree still seems healthy. Please let me know if its an extra fertilizer excretion or an organism.
P. Mehta January 30, 2017 7:40 AM
Make a dilute solution of neem oil (about 1 ml oil in 1 liter water) and stray on the leaves, stems and trunk on both sides. Repeat after one week. if you don't get neem oil, then take a few cloves of garlic, crush them and add water. Filter and take 2-3 ml of this garlic solution and add to 1 liter water and spray. The problem of tiny bugs on the plant will go away. next time, please do not post as anonymous.
Tree Care Services April 18, 2017 4:38 AM
Great article here. Love it!
Mary May 30, 2017 1:41 PM
My 2 yrs old guava tree has now produced fruits, it is around 2 inch long, but remains in that size for a long time now, more than 2 months. It is not becoming bigger, not falling from the treas. It remains dark green, sturdy, and of the same size. Is it because of any deficiency, please advise.
P. Mehta May 30, 2017 8:04 PM
It is normal. Apply some fertilizer, top up the soil with cow manure and water regularly. Eventually they will grow larger. Cover the fruits with paper bags to protect from fruit flies.
Anonymous July 02, 2017 10:35 PM
I have 20 year old guava tree in my backyard, it gives ample fruits in Delhi weather but with insects inside. What should I do to have edible fruit.
P. Mehta July 03, 2017 1:45 AM
White insects like buga inside guava fruit are due to flies laying eggs inside the fruits. When the fruits are forming, Hang fruit fly traps on the tree. Also cover the fruits with paper You can make the traps at home.
Rosa July 18, 2017 7:00 AM
Can somebody help please. Our Guava tree stands at least 10 feet tall planted in ground. But with out a stick to support it, is weak and bends. What can we do, is this even normal?
P. Mehta July 18, 2017 12:42 PM
Supporting the huava yrer with a stick is OK. You should cut the growing branches to encourage growyth of new branches to make the tree denser.
Unknown August 17, 2017 7:35 PM
What should be the quantity of manure in each plant ? Recently planted.Also inform how to protect from pest.And quantity to be used in each plant. Ravi Shanker 9873843969
kishan's blog September 11, 2017 4:07 PM
I have 9 year old guava tree. its not flowered up to that extend which was in earlier season. Is there any solution for flowering soon
P. Mehta September 12, 2017 7:19 AM
Trim the end of all the branches of guava plant. Feed your guava tree with a fertilizer high in nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus 3 times a year. After a year, your guava tree should flower.
Chok WenXin September 17, 2017 12:42 PM
Must the seed be freshly taken from the fruit before boiling, because I had took it out few days ago
P. Mehta September 17, 2017 2:38 PM
Fresh seeds are not needed, however, they must be from fully a ripe fruit. Sow 4-5 seeds so that at lease one is germinated.
Mary September 25, 2017 2:35 PM
our guava tree produces plenty of fruits but the problem is fruits may have white worms inside.
What could possibly be the reason and what should I do about it? thanks
P. Mehta September 25, 2017 3:17 PM
White worm like bugs inside guava fruit are due to flies laying eggs inside the fruits. Hang fruit fly traps on the tree when the fruits are forming,. You may also cover the fruits with paper bags.
Anonymous October 19, 2017 10:41 PM
My guava tree is three years old flowering with fruits. Now my tree is shedding its leaves. Some red spots on leaves and dries and falls.
P. Mehta October 20, 2017 9:43 AM
May be insect problem. Spray a dilute solution of neem oil on guava leaves, stem and soil.