In this article I am describing how to grow guava fruit in a Roof Garden.
Pot Selection
Growing guava fruit in roof garden in pots is quite simple. I’ll demonstrate how to cultivate guava plants in pots in this context. Growing guava in pots is a gratifying and simple process. Your plant will yield enough fruit for the whole family in only a little container. In pots, guava trees can reach a maximum height of two to three meters, but they can grow much larger. Choose a pot that is deep enough and wide enough for the plant to have enough room to spread its roots, preferably 12 to 15 inches. Verify that the pot’s bottom has enough drainage holes. To maintain the soil in the planter while yet allowing water to drain, fill in big gaps with tiny stones.
Soil Mix
For growing guava fruit in roof garden in pots, I have prepared a soil mix using 50% garden soil, 30% compost, and 20% river sand. Then I filled 60 to 70% of the pot with the soil mix.
Buy Grafted Plants
Although guavas are easily cultivated from seeds or cuttings, I suggest purchasing air-layered or grafted plants from nurseries since they will develop quickly and produce fruit. If given proper care, air-layered or grafted guava plants will produce fruit approximately five to six months after planting. Your neighborhood nursery sells late-fruiting, grafted plants.
Planting Procedures
I made a hole twice as wide as the spread of the plant’s roots. Then, I placed the root ball into the hole and filled the pot with the soil mix. Carefully, I added small handfuls of soil, patting gently to eliminate air pockets without piling soil on top of the plant. I ensured the stem was completely above the surface.
I did not compact the soil too hard, keeping it loose to allow the roots room to grow with minimal resistance. I gave the rim of the pot and the soil’s surface an inch’s separation. Afterward, I watered the container to settle the roots into their new home. If the soil level dropped below the top of the root ball, I added additional soil mix to bring it back up. New growth will appear after 9 to 10 days.
Sunlight
I chose to plant the guava fruit in roof garden where it would get six to seven hours of direct sunlight every day after it had grown in a container for thirty-four days. More sun will help it grow more healthily and yield more fruit.
Flower Buds Time
After 20 days, flower buds become completely visible, with this period varying from 18 to 24 days on average, depending on the variety.
Fertilizing and Watering
Fertilize the plant with organic fertilizer every 25 to 35 days. I used rock phosphate, seaweed extract, and cattle manure to fertilize the plant. At this stage, the plant needs more fertilizer and water. I added 3 to 5 handfuls of cattle manures and two tablespoons of rock phosphate. Phosphate is important because it encourages root growth and increases the uptake of other nutrients. Work it into the first few inches of the soil with a gardening tool and water immediately after adding fertilizers. Watering helps activate the fertilizer, allowing it to break down and begin feeding nutrients to the plant. I always water when the topsoil feels a little dry to the touch.
Flowering Time
After 40 days, the buds started to swell, and the sepals slightly opened. By day 44, beautiful white smooth flowers began to bloom. The flowering period typically lasts about 20 to 45 days, varying by variety, season, and growing region.
Guava is usually self-pollinated, though insects can also aid in pollination. There are over 100 varieties of guava worldwide, differing in flavor and appearance, most of which can be grown in containers. About 12 days after the plant blooms, fruit begins to appear, taking 90 to 150 days to mature.
About 80 to 85 percent of blossoms on a mature plant will eventually turn into fruit. However, only roughly 50–60% of the fruits mature because of the typical fruit drop process. It is always best to irrigate the topsoil when it is just beginning to dry out. I make sure the soil is moist all the way to the bottom of my plant by watering it every time till water emerges from the drainage holes..
Fruiting Time
After 70 days, small fruits started to emerge from the blossoms. During the growing season, I watered the plant once a day, and in winter, I watered it once every 3 to 4 days. The thin roots of guava trees allow them to quickly absorb nutrients and water. Guava can yield two crops a year in warm, year-round climates: a big summer crop and a smaller winter crop. By day 85, the small fruits began to grow larger. Plants growing in containers need more fertilizers than those in the ground. As I have noted the more you water, the more quickly nutrients are flushed out of the soil.
Liquid Seaweed Fertilizer
I used liquid seaweed fertilizer on the soil and sprayed it onto the leaves. For this, I added 10 to 20 ml per liter of water, mix well, and applied 250 to 500 ml per plant. The guava plant is a heavy feeder, so it must be fertilized every 30 to 45 days when young, and then 3 to 4 times a year when mature. Fertilized fruit plants not only bear more fruit but also produce larger and tastier fruit.
Pest and Insect Management
Many pests are attracted to guava trees. The best way to combat pests is to keep the tree healthy by providing optimal growth conditions with proper irrigation, drainage, and fertilizer application as needed. Additionally, cut off any dead or diseased limbs.
Primary Harvesting Period
The guava fruit was mature after 130 days. Usually, guavas reach maturity two to four months after the blooms blossom. When the fruit is mature, it changes color and grows softer, but it stays firm and green. Fruits can be harvested in a variety of methods, such as by hand every few days. The variety usually determines the flesh and skin’s size, shape, and color. Your fruit will change in color and texture when it is ripe and mature enough to pick.
Bagging
Squirrels and birds can damage your entire crop. To prevent this, I wrapped the fruits with newspaper or fruit bags. Sometimes, leaves need to be removed when bagging. Fruit bagging is the physical process of covering the developing fruits with any material. This is a crucial step to protect the fruit from insects and pests and to improve fruit quality.
Peak Harvesting Period
After 145 days, the color will change from dark green to yellowish-green, and the fruit will soften. Bagging also helps protect fruits from injuries like blemishes and fungal spots. Guava plants need regular and ample watering, especially during fruit development, to ensure proper ripening. These fruits cannot remain on the tree long after ripening, so fruit picking should be done as soon as they reach maturity. The peak harvesting periods are the rainy season, winter season, and spring season.
When conditions are right, a single tree in a pot can easily produce 15 to 18 kg of fruit per year. After all to get larger fruits, allow no more than 2 to 3 fruits per branch. Additionally, if the fruits are growing on a short, weak branch, thin them out.
Repotting
Take the plant out of its container every 2 to 3 years, then trim the roots to keep them from spiraling back into the container. Replant the plant in the fresh potting mix that you replaced the dirt with.
Caring after the Harvesting Period
After the fruiting season was over, I fertilized the plant with Rock phosphate to give it an extra boost for the next growing season. Usually, phosphorus-rich fertilizers are used to encourage fruiting and flowering. After applying the fertilizer, give your tree a slow and deep watering.
