Author Topic: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen  (Read 7089 times)

shinzo

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Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« on: September 15, 2018, 02:39:52 AM »
Hi guys, my 3 guava trees started to produce fruit this year and i am racing against fruit fly in order to get fruits before them.
I was wondering what is the earlier stage of ripening you can pick the fruit to let it ripen in the kitchen. I am affraid if i pick it too green it will not ripen after picked.
Here is a photo found in the net where we can have a scale of colors (especially the 3 on the left)



I waited for the fruit to become yellow and found some worms in some of the fruit. Is it ok to pick the fruit at the stage 1 (the darkest green), or it is safer to pick at the stage 2?
« Last Edit: September 15, 2018, 02:44:25 AM by shinzo »

sunny

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Re: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2018, 07:04:05 AM »
We eat them white inside, taste sweet crispy...we don't eat ripe.

greenman62

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Re: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2018, 11:52:19 AM »
there are several types of guava, so , it may be different for each type.
i know the Mexican types (smaller yellow) can ripen off the tree, but, i imagine there will be less flavor.

ive grown a few types, my fav is the large Asian white
i tried eating one once, that wasnt quite ripe.
it was not a good experience.
and i pulled a couple off the tree before a frost, to let them ripen inside.
they didnt... they just rotted.
i would let the ripen as much as possible before picking.
tried using bags ? or, even essential oils to spray them ?

i just bought some repellent, essential oils to mix with water.
mainly to keep leaf-miners and aphids off my citrus
but also to keep mosquitoes off my skin.
i am not suggesting the user and just used it 3-4 times since i got it...
  it seems to work rather well, but you have to spray after every rain
and even every few days if dry.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16oz-Insect-Repellent-Pure-Undiluted-Essential-Oil-Ants-Mosquito-Repellent/360226195120
 



Sam

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Re: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2018, 01:35:00 PM »
When is the best time to pick the Asian white? I can never tell and either it's too early (awful) or too late and it's rotting on the tree. Is it a particular feel or an appearance of the fruit that determines if it is ready to pick?

pineislander

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Re: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2018, 06:00:30 PM »
Hi guys, my 3 guava trees started to produce fruit this year and i am racing against fruit fly in order to get fruits before them.
I was wondering what is the earlier stage of ripening you can pick the fruit to let it ripen in the kitchen. I am affraid if i pick it too green it will not ripen after picked.
Here is a photo found in the net where we can have a scale of colors (especially the 3 on the left)



I waited for the fruit to become yellow and found some worms in some of the fruit. Is it ok to pick the fruit at the stage 1 (the darkest green), or it is safer to pick at the stage 2?
I've been picking at your Stage 1 and ripening at 21C.

shinzo

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Re: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2018, 06:48:51 PM »
there are several types of guava, so , it may be different for each type.
i know the Mexican types (smaller yellow) can ripen off the tree, but, i imagine there will be less flavor.

ive grown a few types, my fav is the large Asian white
i tried eating one once, that wasnt quite ripe.
it was not a good experience.
and i pulled a couple off the tree before a frost, to let them ripen inside.
they didnt... they just rotted.
i would let the ripen as much as possible before picking.
tried using bags ? or, even essential oils to spray them ?

i just bought some repellent, essential oils to mix with water.
mainly to keep leaf-miners and aphids off my citrus
but also to keep mosquitoes off my skin.
i am not suggesting the user and just used it 3-4 times since i got it...
  it seems to work rather well, but you have to spray after every rain
and even every few days if dry.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16oz-Insect-Repellent-Pure-Undiluted-Essential-Oil-Ants-Mosquito-Repellent/360226195120
Thank you all for your replies.
I didn't try bagging the fruit since it would be too much work. I guess i will stick with early picking.

behlgarden

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Re: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« Reply #6 on: September 17, 2018, 07:02:06 PM »
note that fruit fly is in at the flower stage of guava where eggs are laid, then larva forms as fruit grows, into a fruit fly when fully ripe. I have tried everything but in vein all 6 guava trees have this problem. Malayan red does not have this issue for some reason.

FrankDrebinOfFruits

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Re: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2018, 07:12:58 PM »
I pick at stage 2 (slight yellowing), and put in the fridge. I haven't tested it scientifically, but the cold temps seem to kill the fruit fly larvae before it does too much damage. Extra protein. I know, some may find it gross, but better some than none.

I need to start setting fly traps out and around.

barath

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Re: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« Reply #8 on: September 18, 2018, 02:59:38 PM »
note that fruit fly is in at the flower stage of guava where eggs are laid, then larva forms as fruit grows, into a fruit fly when fully ripe. I have tried everything but in vein all 6 guava trees have this problem. Malayan red does not have this issue for some reason.

I didn't realize anyone had fruit fly problems with guavas in California.  That's worrying.  I've picked guavas off family and friends' trees in Orange and San Diego counties and never saw any fruit flies, but maybe their trees were just lucky?

shinzo

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Re: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« Reply #9 on: September 18, 2018, 03:03:23 PM »
note that fruit fly is in at the flower stage of guava where eggs are laid, then larva forms as fruit grows, into a fruit fly when fully ripe. I have tried everything but in vein all 6 guava trees have this problem. Malayan red does not have this issue for some reason.
Interesting. I have an apricot tree which bear a lot of big sized fruits, but they all ended up with worms inside. I asked the local gardening store and they told me that the eggs are layed at the flower stage and that there is a product to spray the flower with in order to not have the worms later. Do you think that these worms are the same ones which are attacking my guavas (the trees are not far from each other). If so, would spraying the same product (which is efficient for apricot worms) solve the problem for guavas?
« Last Edit: September 18, 2018, 03:06:29 PM by shinzo »

behlgarden

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Re: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« Reply #10 on: September 18, 2018, 03:24:27 PM »
note that fruit fly is in at the flower stage of guava where eggs are laid, then larva forms as fruit grows, into a fruit fly when fully ripe. I have tried everything but in vein all 6 guava trees have this problem. Malayan red does not have this issue for some reason.
Interesting. I have an apricot tree which bear a lot of big sized fruits, but they all ended up with worms inside. I asked the local gardening store and they told me that the eggs are layed at the flower stage and that there is a product to spray the flower with in order to not have the worms later. Do you think that these worms are the same ones which are attacking my guavas (the trees are not far from each other). If so, would spraying the same product (which is efficient for apricot worms) solve the problem for guavas?

I have been very lazy in setting up traps. I am now determined to make my own fruit fly traps and put two per tree at onset of leafout so I have maximum chance of killing egg laying flies before they even get to lay eggs. I will do it next year.

is there a topic on this on how to make a cocktail mix to trap fruit flies?

shinzo

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Re: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« Reply #11 on: September 18, 2018, 03:56:00 PM »
I am interested too in knowing how to make fly traps.
But something is still not clear in my mind. If the eggs are layed in the flower directly, how bagging the fruits prevent them from being infected if the eggs are already inside it long before?
« Last Edit: September 18, 2018, 03:58:36 PM by shinzo »

NewGen

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Re: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« Reply #12 on: September 18, 2018, 04:06:10 PM »
When is the best time to pick the Asian white? I can never tell and either it's too early (awful) or too late and it's rotting on the tree. Is it a particular feel or an appearance of the fruit that determines if it is ready to pick?

When the fruit is at its maximum size, that's when you pick it. Also, if it feels soft to any degree, then it's past the ideal eating stage.

noochka1

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Re: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« Reply #13 on: September 18, 2018, 04:26:40 PM »
Before I started bagging my pink guava, I had lots of worms in the fruit.  For the past 2 years I have been bagging the fruit when it's about the size of a grape, and haven't had any worm issues at all.

Regards,
Scott

behlgarden

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Re: Earlier stage you can pick a guava and let it ripen
« Reply #14 on: September 18, 2018, 04:38:55 PM »
I am interested too in knowing how to make fly traps.
But something is still not clear in my mind. If the eggs are layed in the flower directly, how bagging the fruits prevent them from being infected if the eggs are already inside it long before?

it is weird how these fruit flies get into the guavas. I am starting to see small guavas getting soft 100% of time I see bug inside. I have read both ways, eggs that turn into larva at time of fruit set, and also at time of fruit maturity. I am not expert but a victim of this damn fruit fly and need to eradicate it,