Feijoa

So, really, I do have something eating my feijoa. It came to me from a friend in a pot, ants galore and I suspected their attraction to the scale bug. Sure enough they were present. But they dont eat the leaves. (edit: the ants can though, perhaps, but I'm unsure of this, looks different to the lemon tree we have had attacked in St Helens)

The leaves are being nibbled at by either a bug or a larger pest. As I was studying the plant, the turkeys arrived...aha moment, they are taking the nibble out of the leaves. But I am not convinced that they are not the only ones. ???...maybe its the earwigs???

I will have to keep my eyes on those turkeys.

So what do I know about these feijoas...so far I have found they are otherwise known as Pineapple Guava and have a egg shaped round fruit in summer. They are green as green and do not change colour as they ripen. The flower is a beautiful red blossum similar to a gum tree. I'll take a pic when it fruits. (or that of my friends tree because apparently everything likes a sweet nibble9). Mine may or may not fruit, Depending if its a self pollinator, I don't know. I must look at the graft, if there is one, and perhaps it will be a self pollinator.

You eat the fruit fresh when its ripe, to squeeze like a ripe banana, and eat like a kiwi fruit. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon. A lovely pineapple sweet flavour. Cooking enhances the flavour. Eat over ice cream or make jam. They are high in vitamin C and B6, iodine, minerals, folic acid, pectin, antioxidants. Good for you.

I have my tree in the north semi protected by the south winds, due to the house and azalea garden. I am planning on growing another tree beside it from a cutting of my friends to use as a pollinator if need be.

They need water and feeding spring/summer through to autumn fruiting. The teacher says, little amounts and more often.

Here is my plant ID:

Shortly when I work out how

2018 01 I have since publishing and starting this blog/record 2 years later...now i know what i want...That my feijoa is a self pollinator AND as my teacher said last year it can take up to two years for a pot plant my tree to gind its roots and take off... he's so correct. Heres the proof first time flowers and fruit buds. Yippee. Now to kjeep the water up to it for this really hot summer.