Jaboticaba growing conditions and techniques: how many years until it bears fruit?

Jaboticaba is a “tree grape” that looks like a black pearl and grows on tree branches. It mostly grows in tropical regions, and because its fruit shape and flavor resemble grapes, it enjoys the name of delicious “tropical grape”. Because it was introduced directly from Brazil and the growing cost is high, the fruit price is also high, selling at around 300 yuan/jin. So what are the growing conditions, methods and techniques for jaboticaba? How many years until it bears fruit?

I. Growing conditions for jaboticaba

Jaboticaba is suitable for growing in cool tropical and subtropical climates with medium to high rainfall. It is a sun-loving tree species and needs full sun or tolerates slight shade. It requires moist soil but dislikes waterlogging, and can withstand short-term drought.

It has strong adaptability to soil, but the best is slightly acidic (pH5.5-6.5) sandy loam with deep, fertile soil and good drainage. It grows poorly on calcareous soil and is not tolerant of saline-alkaline conditions.

II. Growing methods and techniques for jaboticaba

1. Site selection and orchard establishment

When cultivating jaboticaba in flat paddy fields, drainage and irrigation ditches should be well built, with a bed height of 30 cm, and the groundwater level should be below 100 cm. For sloping land cultivation, reclaim along contour lines into terraces 3-4 m wide, with the terrace surface sloping inward 3-5 degrees. For planting varieties, select the native tree grape variety. Planting can be done in holes or trenches, with specifications depending on the seedlings or cultivation mode, generally 60×60 cm or 80×80 cm.

2. Planting spacing

Jaboticaba planting spacings include short-term, long-term and short-term-supporting-long-term models. The short-term model has a row spacing of 0.5×0.5 m, 2666 plants/mu, with one year as one planting cycle. The long-term model has a row spacing of 4×4 m, 88 plants/mu, with 15 years or longer as one cycle. The short-term-supporting-long-term model has a row spacing of 1×0.5 m, 1333 plants/mu, and after planting, half are thinned and removed from the nursery each year starting from the second year.

3. Bud removal and shoot setting

After jaboticaba sprouts, remove double buds, multiple-head buds and overly weak buds. After new shoots form, tie them to the wire on both sides, set shoots at 15-20 cm intervals and promptly spray Cuihuawang No. 3, which can effectively control excessive shoot growth, promote more flowering branches and promote flower bud differentiation. It can effectively balance large and small flower clusters and save the trouble of flower and fruit thinning.

4. Fertilizer and water management

Jaboticaba cultivation should attach importance to the use of organic fertilizer, advocate the combined use of organic fertilizer, microbial fertilizer and chemical fertilizer, with a nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilization ratio of 1:2:1. Promote plant nutrient diagnosis and formula fertilization, which can be applied in holes or trenches, using water-soluble fertilizer or slow-release fertilizer, with organic fertilizer, microbial fertilizer and chemical fertilizer used together in small amounts multiple times. Jaboticaba is a moisture-loving species and should keep the soil moist, but dislikes waterlogging.

5. Pruning and training

Jaboticaba grows slowly, and normally does not need heavy pruning, but to control plant height and potted tree shape, it is advisable to timely prune the vigorously growing top branches. In cultivation it is usually recommended to prune low and internal thin short branches to create a ventilated tree shape with graceful branches and trunk. In autumn and winter, dense or leggy branches can be pruned.

6. Pest and disease control

Jaboticaba has few pests and diseases in domestic cultivation, and pesticides are rarely used in management, making it an extremely easy tree species to grow. However, during the fruiting period it is easily damaged by birds. If toxic moth larvae harm the leaves, pesticides recommended in the plant protection manual can be applied for control. In addition, aphids, fruit flies, scale insects and beetles have all been recorded, and these pests and diseases should also be noted during cultivation.

III. How many years until jaboticaba bears fruit?

Although the returns from jaboticaba are attractive, the tree grows slowly, and to meet the conditions for fruiting it needs at least 6-7 years of planting. Friends who want to engage in jaboticaba cultivation should still be mentally prepared to invest a large amount of time in the early stage.

But once it begins to bear fruit, jaboticaba can flower and fruit all year round, with both flowers and fruits growing on the branches and trunk. The ripe fruit is round and full, with a firm and smooth skin, and the flesh is juicy and semi-transparent, extremely sweet, with a flavor resembling mangosteen, guava, sugar apple, pineapple, grape and many other flavors. The taste is unique, and after eating it you will experience 5 different distinctive flavors. Its nutritional value is extremely high.

In addition, the jaboticaba fruit fits the meaning of the traditional Chinese culture of “many children, many blessings” and “rolling in wealth”. Nowadays many villa gardens and farm courtyards have also planted jaboticaba one after another, and market demand for jaboticaba seedlings and fruit has increased sharply, causing the prices of jaboticaba seedlings and fruit to keep rising.