Author Topic: Guavas in Nor Cal?  (Read 3880 times)

zephian

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Guavas in Nor Cal?
« on: September 06, 2018, 05:00:36 PM »
Can you grow Guavas in northern California 9B?
Preferably red varieties for juice.

Are there any varieties that would be recommended for juicing? And are there any dwarfed varieties?

Thanks,
-Kris

nattyfroootz

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2018, 08:57:37 PM »
I'd say it's definitely worth a try. You might have best luck with strawberry guavas, Psidium cattleianum (red or yellow).  But could be worth it to try whatever you can get your hands on. 
Grow cooler fruits

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JF

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2018, 11:18:15 PM »
That shouldn't be a problem. They might ripen later than in Socal maybe January or spring

barath

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2018, 01:46:57 AM »
Standard tropical guavas weren't very cold hardy for me even in the coastal East Bay, but when protected from frost they fruited well and ripened ok despite a lack of heat.  In your area the heat will probably not be the main issue but frost will be.  (I had guava trees freeze to the ground even at about 30F.  They did come back in the spring, but didn't fruit.)

zephian

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2018, 08:29:15 AM »
I really only get a couple days of frost and I could defiantly give it some protection. Does anyone know where I could even source a guava? There's nothing nearby. Is it worth looking around Anaheim in October or should I get something from a forum member?
-Kris

forumfool

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2018, 09:24:46 AM »
I grew Mexican cream against a south facing brick wall in San Jose 9b got lots of guavas off it plant in a protected spot and you’ll be fine

spaugh

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2018, 09:59:59 AM »
I really only get a couple days of frost and I could defiantly give it some protection. Does anyone know where I could even source a guava? There's nothing nearby. Is it worth looking around Anaheim in October or should I get something from a forum member?

La Verne has good mexican guavas.  The nursery near here has a ton of them, you cojld probably find one in Aneheim or somewhere near there.  Or if you drive to SD theres lots of nurserues thst will have lots of guavas to choose from. 
Brad Spaugh

zephian

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2018, 12:06:11 PM »
Thanks for the inputs guys.
To those of you who grow guava's are there any particular varieties I should look in to getting?
The main thing these fruits would be for are juice. I believe red varieties are best?

Thanks!
-Kris

BrianL

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2018, 01:08:30 PM »
Your going to need to seriously protect it like directly next to house and under a overhang.  Tropical Guava is also problematic for me in that it ripens in winter and the red juicing ones can be sour.  The best NorCal guavas grow in places that get some heat, but almost no frost.  Then they are good.  4 other species though do fine for me though. 

zephian

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2018, 01:46:10 PM »
Where I'm at in the valley rarely reaches below 32f. we had a couple days last year that we hit 'freezing' but generally it's 38+ low from november-january.
-Kris

spaugh

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #10 on: September 07, 2018, 02:39:23 PM »
I have 2 guava trees and one fruits october through January and the other november all the way through march.  So you will probably be getting fruit late winter or spring up there.  Of all the stuff I grow, guava is one of the easiest.  No pests, doesnt care about junk soil or over/under watering, hardy plant stays green most of the year, fruits profusely.  I really doubt you will have much trouble getting it to grow.  Getting ripe fruit may be another story.
« Last Edit: September 07, 2018, 02:41:58 PM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

spaugh

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #11 on: September 07, 2018, 03:00:11 PM »
By the way, I grew up in stockton.  Its usually not freezing, but I remember way back in the 80s it snowed and the lake we lived on froze over solid.  That was pretty wild. 
Brad Spaugh

zephian

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #12 on: September 07, 2018, 03:17:51 PM »
I'm an hour north of Sacramento near the river. I believe we got snow once in the last 25 years. and it was a dusting :)
Sounds like I should be fine to just go for it. I'll probably pick one up while I'm in SoCal if I can find any.

Thanks.
-Kris

shinzo

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #13 on: September 07, 2018, 08:32:18 PM »
I have 2 guava trees and one fruits october through January and the other november all the way through march.  So you will probably be getting fruit late winter or spring up there.  Of all the stuff I grow, guava is one of the easiest.  No pests, doesnt care about junk soil or over/under watering, hardy plant stays green most of the year, fruits profusely.  I really doubt you will have much trouble getting it to grow.  Getting ripe fruit may be another story.
You don't have fruit flies larvae once the fruit ripen on the tree? i has just picked a guava with larvaes inside so i am starting making experiments about the perfect ripening stage i should pick them and leave them on the counter in order to avoid fruit fly issues

spaugh

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #14 on: September 07, 2018, 08:37:18 PM »
No bugs.  One of my neighbors has a small guava plantation for local market.  She doesnt have any issue with bugs either.  And we dont ise any pesticide.
Brad Spaugh

Suebelle

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Re: Guavas in Nor Cal?
« Reply #15 on: September 11, 2018, 01:10:35 AM »
I live in San Jose and there are possibilities to buy guavas in plenty of nurseries around. I found them actually even in Home Depot and Lowe’s. They had lemon or strawberry guavas the whole summer and just last week I got tropical white guava. At the beginning of the season I got Ruby Supreme in local nursery.
I got three kinds of guava in Logee’s and I admit, they are healthy and in one season they doubled, almost tripled in size.
I am still waiting for fruits from tropical guavas, all flowers fell down, trees are not too strong to keep them yet. But I have plethora of fruits on lemon and strawberry guavas.
Look around, you might find some good trees around. Good luck.
« Last Edit: September 11, 2018, 01:13:08 AM by Suebelle »