WAIMEA FEIJOAS
Growing Information
Indigenous to Brazil and Uruguay, the Feijoa is an exotic fruit of subtropical origins that can be readily grown in many parts of New Zealand.
COMMERICAL GROWING REGIONS
The main growing regions for commercial Feijoa production are the Bay of Plenty, Northland and Auckland. Smaller areas of commercial Feijoas are grown in a wide range of districts throughout New Zealand, including Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Nelson, Marlborough and the West Coast.
CLIMATE
Feijoas grow well in the subtropical to warm-temperate regions of New Zealand. The tree itself can tolerate frosts down to -10°C but the fruit may be damaged by frosts at fruit level of -2.5°C and lower. They will tolerate moderate exposure to sea winds. Feijoa fruit matures from late summer in the warmer areas of the country but in colder regions fruit starts ripening from late autumn depending on variety. In such regions early maturing varieties such as Unique or Pounamu are recommended for commercially plantings.
SOILS
Feijoas will grow on a wide range of soil types. For quality fruit production the soil must be free draining, slightly acid (pH 6.0 - 6.5) and reasonably fertile. Many New Zealand soils meet these needs. Water logged conditions are not desirable. On dry sites irrigation will be beneficial just before flowering to improve fruit set and also in March and April to allow fruit to reach their potential.
SHELTER
Strong winds can affect Feijoa fruit production. Orchard shelter should always be regarded as a necessity for commercial plantings and ideally should be established before the crop is planted. Shelter from prevailing wind benefits helps Feijoa production in the following ways:
- Helps protect the fruit from both leaf and limb rub.
- Protection against limb breakages.
- Reducing water loss from soil and leaves.
- Creating a more favourable microclimate for fruit ripening. Well-sheltered blocks can be 2°C warmer than exposed ones. This can be particularly important in cooler, marginal areas.
POLLINATION
The majority of Feijoa varieties require cross pollination hence the planting of more than one variety is necessary to ensure good fruit set. Pollination is generally undertaken by birds, which are attracted to the brightly coloured flowers. Blackbirds in the South Island and a combination of blackbirds and mynas in the North Island are the main pollinators. It is generally necessary to have more than one variety to ensure cross-pollination, with alternating rows per variety the most practical arrangement. Only Unique is sufficiently self-fertile to be planted as a single block cultivar.
PLANTING TIME
The best time to plant is dependent on many factors mainly associated with local climatic conditions. Availability of irrigation may also be a factor. For most areas of New Zealand either spring or autumn planting is recommended and the following guidelines may help:
- For areas subject to cold winters plant in spring.
- For areas with mild winter conditions and/or subject to dry summers, plant in autumn.
HARVESTING
Home gardeners usually wait for the fruit to drop from the trees. Commercially, fruit needs to be in good condition for longer periods and therefore needs hand harvesting or netting off the trees. This can be done with a little experience in judging when fruit is ready by fruit size after some initial fruit has begun to fall. Hold fruit and give a gentle wiggle to tell if ready. The main harvest is April – May in cooler areas and from February - April in the North.
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