Over the garden bloggers back fence
This is what I love about gardening and blogging - you have advice from all around the world!
In the last frenzy of blogging queries there was discussion as to how other bloggers advice should be taken lightly. Since we are not all (heaven forbid) ... and I whisper here .... horticulturists!
In my last post I talked about my fruit trees, and Rainforest Gardener pointed out that my guava tree did not look like the pineapple guava that I thought it was. To all intents and purposes it looks like a yellow guava. see this link
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/4790_7426.htm
So now I am in a quandry.
I love yellow guava - this is the guava that I grew up with in South Africa. This article says that they are not declared a pest..... yet. Host to the papaya fruit fly - gosh I dont like the sound of that. I really dont have the room to battle with invasive plants, so I am afraid it is going to have to go.
I love the idea that as world wide bloggers we can all lean over each others back fence and say... wait a minute - just check this out further, that plant might not be what you think it is.
so thank you Steve!
In the last frenzy of blogging queries there was discussion as to how other bloggers advice should be taken lightly. Since we are not all (heaven forbid) ... and I whisper here .... horticulturists!
In my last post I talked about my fruit trees, and Rainforest Gardener pointed out that my guava tree did not look like the pineapple guava that I thought it was. To all intents and purposes it looks like a yellow guava. see this link
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/4790_7426.htm
So now I am in a quandry.
I love yellow guava - this is the guava that I grew up with in South Africa. This article says that they are not declared a pest..... yet. Host to the papaya fruit fly - gosh I dont like the sound of that. I really dont have the room to battle with invasive plants, so I am afraid it is going to have to go.
I love the idea that as world wide bloggers we can all lean over each others back fence and say... wait a minute - just check this out further, that plant might not be what you think it is.
so thank you Steve!
Wow, I just read some plant profiles of the yellow guava and it looks like a cold hardy alternative to the regular one! At least I learned of something that would be good in my own garden, and I'll have to order some seeds now!
ReplyDeleteHi Do you really have to remove the plant I 'd just make sure to spray it for fly/wormies and pick the fruit as soon as it's ready. You biggest problem would be fallen fruit for fruitfly unless you bury it. Netting could also help. There must be some jar of stuff to hang in the tree to atract the fruit fly, like beer for snails sort of thing. Love guavas esp canned and juiced
ReplyDeleteRainforest gardener,
ReplyDeleteGosh I am really not sure if I should keep this tree or not - I do love guavas! I also love pawapaws!
Rina,
I see you also come from South Africa! - hence the love of guavas! Big decision to make here.
It seems you have really opened a can of worms (or is that fruit fly larvae?). The link you posted for Yellow Guava indicates it is Psidium guajava. That is the same thing we call Tropical or Apple Guava. You can control the spread of seedlings and prevent fruit flies by bagging the fruit. Keep the tree height short so you can reach the fruit for bagging and picking. I just slip a small plastic sandwich bag over each fruit as it nears full size and secure it loosely around the stem with a twist-tie. When the fruit is fully ripe it will drop off into the bag and is ready to eat! No fruit flies and no seeds escaping into the wild!
ReplyDeleteWe had guavas when we bought this plot. Dug them up because that is now our driveway. But we have half a dozen trees again, which have sprouted from deeply buried roots. Was shocked to read that they are invasive aliens, and we in South Africa are obliged to remove them. As I write they are still flourishing.
ReplyDeleteBTW a plastic bag on each fruit is a frighteningly unsustainable solution, less poison, but all that fossil oil! Wonder what your permaculture solution will be??
Gosh! I didn't know that guavas are invasive. I used to sit on a guava tree when I was little. But we have long shifted away from that place so I don't know if it has invaded the surroundings.
ReplyDeleteGrower Jim,
ReplyDeleteCan of worms indeed!
I like the sound of that solution, but in reality I am a bit scared about invasive plants - I am still finding Ladi Di heleonias popping up where I least expect them.
Elephant eye,
I wonder if you are getting fruit from your trees, and if you get the fruit fly problem.
I admit I do use plastic bags, so dont want to seem like the "perfect permaulturist" with all the answers.
One,
I have always enjoyed fresh guavas, and also rmeember them from my childhood. Often too a plant is invasive in one area and not in another.
Update to this post - the guava is gone!It all just sounded like too much trouble waiting in the wings.
ReplyDelete