Grumichama fruiting problem

Peter R starts with ...
I have a couple of grumichama trees - one has been in the ground for about 6 years and the other for about two years. Both are growing and flowering well, but don't set a single fruit. The entire flower drops off the stalk. They are supposed to be self-fertile - but I have had a similar experience with a strawberry guava in the past. A plant that had been grown in a pot for several years grew well after planting out, but took years before its flowers started setting fruit. Maybe lack of nutrients while growing in a pot induces these fruiting problems?

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MaryT1 says...
Peter R I have the same problem with my strawberry guava though all other guavas are fruiting in pots. I might have had two fruit in the years since I bought it whereas the yellow cherry have had hundreds of fruit.

The good thing about the strawberry guava is in its appearance; it's an attractive tree. The only reason it's still here.

MaryT1 says...
Those were the names used by the nursery. They were bought (and known) as Yellow Cherry Guava and Strawberry Guava.

Peter R says...
I don't think its a temperature issue - or pollination. I had a grumichama in a pot that fruited when small, and without any other grumichama to x-pollinate. I think it's more likely to be a micronutient or plant hormone issue. Would like to try a fruit-setting spray - if I could find one for sale.

denise1 says...
A nearby tree has fruited well ever since about 1.8m tall. The taste is tangy and sweet. Worth crossing 3 or 4 streets to taste.

Tuxie says...
Hi probably stating the obvious but is the tree in full sun. My tree was under some sun but also dappled shade and never fruited. When the larger semi deciduous tree was 'removed' by a cyclone the tree now fruits beautifully. The fruit tastes beautiful better than a cherry I think but taste does vary from tree to tree.

Ross says...
The tree is in morning sun shaded from 1pm by an avocado tree during summer with more light exposure during winter from north facing sun. Soil quality has been built up over the years with lots of compost and manures.

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salsify says...
Just a bit of history with these trees above - they behaved the same in the previously much hotter climate that we lived in (in ground) then they were bagged up and bought down here...when in tree sacks and in the shade house (up north) for 2yrs, same problem...

It's definitely nothing to do with water, feeding, temperature or position...
And it's much colder down here (down to 1 and 2oC)- if anything they are happier....
I also find this small leaf tree slower growing too....

I have since dug it up and moved it right next to the fruiting tree - just to see if cross-pollination makes any difference...

I did have a batch of 5 plants that I had sent over from Daleys not long after I got the first tree...
They all had a chimaera (Ag dept diagnosed) and eventually died over the next two years...
I am wondering if there was a problem with the stock/parent plants they had back then perhaps..?

Here is the chimaera affected plants

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sternus1 says...
its just a coincidence. They are indeed self fertile. Either there was something it didn't like in the conditions it was moved from or it had not developed the hormones to produce fruit before you moved it and now it has.

Correy says...
Yes they shouldn't need pollination. Interesting that you are getting fruit this late in the season. That is a quick turn around from seed very impressive. You must have some good soil, climate or just green thumbs JohnMc1 :)

John says...
Mine seems to go alright in Gingin and sets flowers about twice a year, but I usally only get really one crop. I think its the weather that affects it. On a side note I planted a few of the seeds to see if any would come up and its been about a month also and most of them seem to be sprouting. I thought I read once that they can take up to a year to germinate.

JohnMc1 says...
Welcome back Amanda ;)

salsify says...
Dunno Juneli - a pic might help...?
Mine occasionally get a bacterial or fungal spotting - but nothing to worry about...is it sort of like this pic..?

Pale green leaves could just be a lack of nitrogen..? They have really shallow roots that are fibrous and don't seem to go all that deep..? Maybe a little bit of feeding but more often would help...and if u have sandy soil then regular watering helps too...
If I water mine enough I can get 2 fruitings in one summer (it's warm temperate here - so cooler..)

Lol JohnMc - shhhhh!! ;-)

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salsify says...
That looks like a bit of sunburning maybe Juneli..? Nothing that needs treating with anything - other than more water - then some feeding once the soil nice and wet again..?
Give a good drink every 2 or 3 days for a week or so and I reckon you will start to get new growth - and maybe even more flowering again..
It might just still be a little young yet - and it might increase it's flowering in the next few years..?

That's awesome that plant of yours JohnMc...!
It has much longer calyx bits than mine do..(this is a pic of my fruiting "long leaf" plant and it's fruit..)

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Clissa says...
My grumi fruits like crazy usually twice a year. One dry year it never set fruit although there were a few flowers.
I have to compete with the birds also!
I plan to set seeds I kept from this recent crop & was happy to read they may sprout in a month.
Not knowing the history of my tree I can't say how long it took to fruit initially but I think the tree was probably only a few years old when I came here 8yrs ago. Even then, it was fruiting heavily.
Deep mulch seems to help keep even moisture around the tree. I use horse manure & add a new barrow load every so often as I remember. Then I also apply Kaytek organic fruit tree fertilizer 4 times a year. My soil is not very good.