How to Grow Guava: Growing Environment Conditions and Key Planting Techniques

Guava, also known as bale and guava fruit, among other names. It originated in tropical America, was introduced to tropical and subtropical regions in the 16th-17th centuries, and reached China around the end of the 17th century. It is now cultivated in Taiwan, China, Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Jiangxi and other provinces. So specifically, how should guava be planted? Below, let us share with you the key points of guava's growing environment conditions and planting techniques.

I. Guava's Requirements for the Growing Environment

1. Temperature

Guava originated in the tropics and is sensitive to cold; at minus 1 to 2°C, young trees suffer freeze damage and die. Mature trees begin to show frost injury. Generally, its cold tolerance is weaker than that of sweet orange, but stronger than that of papaya and banana. For guava to grow suitably, the average temperature of the coldest winter month must be above 15°C; otherwise, even without frost, it will grow poorly or even die back due to insufficient heat. The optimum growing temperature is 23-28°C.

2. Light

With ample sunlight, the tree is vigorous, the fruit quality is excellent, and there are fewer pests and diseases.

3. Water

It is drought-tolerant and also fairly moisture-tolerant; in tropical and subtropical regions it can be planted in paddy fields, dry land or hillsides. However, during fruit growth and development, appropriate moisture is needed to obtain good-quality fruit. The most suitable rainfall is 1,000-2,000 mm.

Guava roots are shallow, making it easy for the tree to be blown over by wind, so the groundwater level at the planting site should be below 80 cm; this encourages deeper rooting and enhances wind resistance.

4. Soil

Guava is not strict about soil, but sandy soil with deep, fertile, loose and well-drained layers is preferable. Guava has quite strong salt tolerance. It can adapt to soil pH 4.5-8.2. Fertilization is an important measure for maintaining soil fertility and meeting the nutrient elements needed for fruit tree growth and development. Guava flowers and fruits multiple times a year, has a long fruiting period and high yield, and consumes a lot of nutrients; therefore, attention should be paid to strengthening fertilizer management to maintain growth vigor and improve soil fertility. Research shows that the nutrients removed in producing every 100 kg of fresh guava fruit are: nitrogen 1.83 kg, phosphorus 0.39 kg, and potassium 1.62 kg.

II. Guava Planting Techniques

1. Orchard Site Selection

Guava is a tropical fruit, so its frost resistance is relatively weak. When choosing a planting site, it is best to choose areas in temperate zones without frost or fog, so that guava can grow healthily.

2. Grafted Seedlings

Choose grafted seedlings with well-healed graft unions, plump-looking buds, and relatively well-developed root, stem and leaf branching for planting.

3. Water and Nutrient Management

Growing guava requires watering and fertilizing throughout all four seasons, especially during sprouting and growth periods when the demand is relatively large; therefore, ensure monthly fertilization and watering, and you can also add some trace-element fertilizers to improve the fruiting quality of guava.

4. Fruit Bagging

Bagging the fruit can reduce the probability of agrochemicals adhering to the fruit, ensure guava's health, and improve guava's fruiting quality; compared with fruits that are not bagged, bagged ones are simply a complete win.

5. Control of Major Diseases

(1) Rhizoctonia blight

[Symptoms] Once a plant is infected with rhizoctonia blight, symptoms first appear on the plant's new shoots; the new buds of the affected branches cannot unfold and gradually turn dark brown. Growth stops, the unfolded leaves near the new buds turn yellow, and the leaves lose their luster. If not controlled in time, it easily causes adjacent branches to become diseased, and ultimately spreads to the stem base, causing the whole plant to wither.

[Control Methods]

Since the invading rhizoctonia blight pathogen is currently known to exist near the vascular bundles, chemical control is extremely difficult, so the policy of giving priority to prevention and adopting integrated control should be carried out.

① Choose disease-free seedlings for planting.

② Improve the drainage and irrigation system so that the soil maintains good permeability and reduces the spread of the pathogen.

③ Diseased branches and dead plants should be promptly cleared out of the orchard and burned to reduce infection and spread.

④ Apply more composted, thoroughly decomposed organic fertilizer.

⑤ After pruning and when the rainy season arrives, spray the whole orchard once to sterilize.

⑥ After disease onset, promptly prune out diseased branches and spray with 80% basic copper sulfate wettable powder at 600-800 times dilution, once every 10-12 days for 3-4 consecutive times, or use benomyl, amobam, etc.

(2) Fruit anthracnose

[Symptoms]

Softened, water-soaked spots appear on the surface of mature fruit, after which the lesions gradually turn brown with a black center.

[Control Methods]

Spray with 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 800-1000 times dilution or 80% mancozeb wettable powder at 600-800 times dilution. Once every 7-10 days for 3-4 consecutive times.