Eugenia selloi (Pitangatuba) cultural requirements

[fourseasonsflorida]

I hear pitangatuba likes full sun and apparently organic fertilizer.  Other than that, what are optimal cultural requirements as to:

Potting medium
Water
Any other nutritional needs?

I've had one for about 7 months now and it appears to be very slow growing so far. 

[Don]

I put mine in a good potting mix in a foot diameter pot. Seaweed solution and trace element drench every 3 months and granulated citrus feet every 6. They are hardy, can go without water for a while and still keep pumping out the flowers. Mine were slow to get going but then they hit the two year mark and start goin silly growing and once they start flowering you cant stop them.

[CGameProgrammer]

Is it in a pot? Plants are often much slower growing in pots than in the ground even when not root-bound. Also, young plants do not need fertilizer, especially if you bought fertile soil for it.

[Don]

Mine are in pots, and when you see how fast they start growing and the amount of foliage they produce at 2' tall it all comes from that fertile soil you started off with and it can get quite depleted. I also use lucerne mulch twice a year to add a bit of organic material back to the depleted soil.

[achetadomestica]

I got 10 pitangatubas last year in 1 gal pots that were yearlings. I bumped them up to 7 gallon pots and then this spring I bumped them up to 15 gallon pots. They were about a foot last year or smaller and now they are 3-4 feet and are flowering heavy and producing small amounts of fruit all summer. A couple plants are starting to produce heavy but last weekend it was 55F and I imagine they will shut down for the winter. I got 3 fruit today. I used composted manure and potting soil for their mix and have added small amounts of manure all summer. They seem to really be taking off, I also water them 4-5 times a week.  They are probably ready for 25 gal pots next spring or the ground?
Mike

[TSmith]

I got 10 pitangatubas last year in 1 gal pots that were yearlings. I bumped them up to 7 gallon pots and then this spring I bumped them up to 15 gallon pots. They were about a foot last year or smaller and now they are 3-4 feet and are flowering heavy and producing small amounts of fruit all summer. A couple plants are starting to produce heavy but last weekend it was 55F and I imagine they will shut down for the winter. I got 3 fruit today. I used composted manure and potting soil for their mix and have added small amounts of manure all summer. They seem to really be taking off, I also water them 4-5 times a week.  They are probably ready for 25 gal pots next spring or the ground?
Mike

How big are they now?? It would be nice to see progress pics. I have a couple now and was wondering how to bump them up in the spring.

[Daintree]

Mine is in a ten gallon pot, is 8 ft tall, and fruits like crazy.  It is in my greenhouse in about half shade, and gets Osmocote Plus, and "regular" or "bloom" Miracle Gro, depending on whether it is blooming or not.  I use a fertilizer that feeds directly because I feel like I can't get a good micro-biome going in "soilless" potting medium.  I do occasionally dump in some worm castings, and my quail poop in the pots a lot...

Cheers,
Carolyn

[TSmith]

Mine is in a ten gallon pot, is 8 ft tall, and fruits like crazy.  It is in my greenhouse in about half shade, and gets Osmocote Plus, and "regular" or "bloom" Miracle Gro, depending on whether it is blooming or not.  I use a fertilizer that feeds directly because I feel like I can't get a good micro-biome going in "soilless" potting medium.  I do occasionally dump in some worm castings, and my quail poop in the pots a lot...

Cheers,
Carolyn

How old is your plant in a 10 gallon pot and 8ft tall? Mine are about 2 feet tall in 1 gallon pot, but in spring thinking about moving it to a 3 gallon.

[fourseasonsflorida]

First, I want to apologize for not responding since my OP in 2016!

I grew my plant gradually up into a 7 gallon, then planted in the ground here in C Florida a few months ago.  Seems to be doing alright in an area where it gets morning sun, then filtered shade in the afternoon.  Also, seems cold-tolerant, but we've had a warm winter so far.  It's about 3 ft now and has flowered and fruited, but the fruit never make it past the green stage (I'm assuming it's the squirrels).  It also does not set many fruit compared to how much it flowers and I'm thinking that cross pollination from another plant would help.

[Mike T]

I have found my large one produces best and thrives most when I neglect it and don't fertilize or water it. They are very tough plants.

[TSmith]

First, I want to apologize for not responding since my OP in 2016!

I grew my plant gradually up into a 7 gallon, then planted in the ground here in C Florida a few months ago.  Seems to be doing alright in an area where it gets morning sun, then filtered shade in the afternoon.  Also, seems cold-tolerant, but we've had a warm winter so far.  It's about 3 ft now and has flowered and fruited, but the fruit never make it past the green stage (I'm assuming it's the squirrels).  It also does not set many fruit compared to how much it flowers and I'm thinking that cross pollination from another plant would help.

Any pictures of these that you could share? I would love to see what a couple of years does to the growth of these things. Mine are small! 

[Kevin Jones]

Here's a few pix:















Kevin

[Kevin Jones]

Big One:

[TSmith]

Thanks for the pics! What a beautiful plant and fruit!!

Big One:

[brian]

For what its worth, I have every single tree in the same soil mix and they all seem fine.  I'm sure there is an optimal type, but I've pretty much stopped reading planting instructions because every single one says "moist but well-drained soil"

[OCchris1]

Well said Brian.