How to Grow Guava

Guava trees (Psidium guajava) are known by several names, including apple, lemon, and yellow guavas, or simply common guavas. There are multiple varieties of Psidium guajava, such as 'Mexican Cream' with yellow skin and cream-colored flesh, and 'Hawaiian' with yellow-green skin and pink flesh. The fruit size and the number of seeds inside can also vary.

There are also different species of Guavas, such as the Yellow Cherry (Psidium cattleyanum var. littorale) and Strawberry Guava (Psidium cattleyanum) and there's also the Chilean guava, which is in a different plant genus altogether (Ugni molinae). Please note that Cherry Guavas have become weeds in some areas around Australia.  

Feijoas (Acca sellowiana), which are also known as pineapple guavas, are not in-fact guavas. They have green and oval shaped fruit with soft creamy yellow coloured sweet and fragrant flesh.  

So, it's important to know which Guava you're talking about and confirm the botanic name on the tag of your chosen plant.

Choose a spot in your garden that's in full sun or part shade (at least six hours of sun is ideal) and has good drainage. Guavas are frost tender and require a frost-free, warm temperate to tropical climate.   

Prior to planting, improve and enrich the soil with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser. 

Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root ball. Remove the shrub from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots. Place the plant in the hole and backfill around the roots with soil. The final level of soil should be at the same level as the original potting mix around the plant. Water in well to settle the soil around the roots.

Keep the soil moist as the plants establish. Applying an organic mulch, such as sugarcane or bark chips, around the root zone will help keep the soil moist. 

Once established, Guavas are moderately drought tolerant, however will be much healthier and more productive if watered regularly. In extended periods of hot and dry weather, Guavas will benefit from a good deep watering once or twice a week. 

Once plants are established, feed regularly from spring to autumn with Yates Thrive Natural Citrus & Fruit Organic Based Pelletised Plant Food to promote healthy growth and lots of flowers and fruit. 

It can take up to four years for Guavas to start to produce fruit. Fruit takes a long time to mature (up to six months) and is best picked once ripe. Fruiting time can vary based on the climate, however many varieties are harvested in late spring or autumn. Guavas are ready to eat once the skin starts to change colour and the fruit has a strong sweet aroma. The fruit should also be very slightly soft when pressed. Handle carefully, as the fruit is easily bruised.  

Guavas can be eaten fresh or used in jams, juices, smoothies and cakes. The small hard seeds in the fruit are edible.  

Guavas can grow up to 6 m tall in ideal conditions, however growing in pots will help restrict their size, as will regular pruning. 

Choose a well-drained pot at least 600mm wide. Position in full sun or part shade (at least six hours of sun is ideal) in a warm, frost-free location.

Choose a good quality premium potting mix, like Yates Premium Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter.  

Part fill your chosen pot with potting mix. Remove the plant from its container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots. Place the root ball on the potting mix and backfill around the roots with more potting mix. The final level of mix should be the same as the level currently around the plant. Water in well to settle the potting mix around the roots.  

Keep the potting mix moist as the plant establishes. Applying an organic mulch, such as bark chips, will help keep the pot moist. 

Once established, Guavas are moderately drought tolerant, however will be much healthier and more productive if watered regularly. In extended periods of hot and dry weather, potted Guavas will benefit from a good deep watering at least once or twice a week. 

Feed regularly from spring to autumn with Yates Thrive Natural Citrus & Fruit Organic Based Pelletised Plant Food to promote healthy growth and lots of flowers and fruit. 

It can take up to four years for Guavas to start to produce fruit. Fruit takes a long time to mature (up to six months) and is best picked once ripe. Fruiting time can vary based on the climate, however many varieties are harvested in late spring or autumn. Guavas are ready to eat once the skin starts to change colour and the fruit has a strong sweet aroma. The fruit should also be very slightly soft when pressed.   

While the plant is still young, pinch out the tips of the stems, to promote bushier growth. Also remove lower stems or branches on the trunk to create more a tree (rather than a shrub) shape if desired.  

Prune mature plants immediately after harvest to help keep the plant tidy and more compact. 

Guavas are self-pollinating, so they only require one tree to produce fruit. Flowers still need to be pollinated, so encourage pollinators, like bees, into your garden by planting lots of flowering plants. For more ideas on how to encourage bees to your garden, see Creating a Bee-Friendly Garden.

Sometimes plants can produce too much fruit, resulting in individual fruit being small and putting stress on the tree. Remove excess fruit so that each branch has no more than four fruit.  

Guavas can be affected by several pests, including Fruit Fly, Thrips and Leafhoppers. 

Fruit fly is a pest that needs to be prevented. Apply a bait spray like Yates Nature's Way Fruit Fly Spray onto the trunk and leaves of plants each week from when the fruit is still young up until harvest.

Thrips can attack tropical fruit trees like Guavas, causing leaves to develop a silvery sheen and fruit to be covered in dark brown spots (thrip's excrement).

Leafhoppers are sap sucking pests that can cause leaves to curl, yellow and fall. Control Thrips and Leafhoppers with regular sprays of Yates Nature's way Citrus & Ornamental Spray.  

Guavas can be prone to several diseases, including Phytophthora and Anthracnose. 

Phytophthora is a group of diseases that can cause Cankers on stems, particularly if the plant has been wounded. Apply Yates Liquid Copper Fungicide onto stems where cankers appear and repeat up to five times per season.  

Anthracnose is a fungal disease that results in spots developing on stems, leaves and fruit. There is no registered treatment for home garden control on Guavas. However, disease incidence can be reduced by growing plants in well-drained soil, in a sunny position with good air flow, watering plants at their base rather than other the leaves and thinning overcrowded stems, to allow more air and sunshine into the centre of the plant.  

Leaf drop can be caused by several factors, including drought and cold temperatures. Water plants thoroughly once or twice a week, particularly during hot and dry conditions, and grow in warm, frost-free climates.