The Chilean Guava, also known as Ugni molinae, is a charming addition to any garden, offering a delightful combination of beauty and flavour. With its glossy, dark green leaves and dainty, bell-shaped pink or white flowers, this evergreen shrub adds an enchanting touch to your outdoor space. As a bonus, it produces small, tangy, and berry-like fruits that burst with flavour, making it a delightful choice for both ornamental and culinary gardening.
Planting Calendar
Chilean Guava can be planted throughout the warmer months of the year.
Harvest In
2-3 years
Fruit ripens from late summer to early autumn. Harvest when the fruit is fragrant and soft to the touch. A three year old plant will produce around 1kg of fruit in average garden conditions and can increase by about 1kg annually. Chilean Guavas keep well and when refrigerated they can keep for up to six weeks, fruit can also be frozen.
Prepare
If you're new to gardening, consider planting Chilean Guava in your garden. It's a fantastic choice for a coastal, elegant, or tropical-style garden. What's special about it is its delightful strawberry-like scent, which can turn your garden into a fragrant oasis. Chilean Guava is a low-maintenance plant that's perfect for small spaces like patio pots, creating an edible hedge, or even shaping into topiary. If left unpruned, it grows to a maximum height and width of about 1.8 meters, and it starts bearing fruit in early autumn.
Position
Chilean Guava prefer a position in full sun, with some protection from strong winds. They can also be grown in containers.
Soil
When planted into the ground Chilean guava prefer a free-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. To improve the organic content in your soil, break up the soil and add Kings Compost and Kings Sheep Pellets then mix together well. When growing in containers, plant into Kings Container mix. This mix contains Saturaid, which helps with moisture retention in the soil.
Pollination
Ugni molinae bears both male and female flowers and is therefore self-fertile requiring only an active bee population to achieve good fruit set.
Plant
When planting into the ground, gently tap the plant out of its pot. Dig a hole twice the depth and width of the plant’s root ball. Mix Kings Compost into your existing soil at a 50/50 ratio, add Kings Sheep Pellets and Kings Citrus and Fruit tree fertiliser, then mix together. Backfill the hole with this soil, so that when planted the top of the plant’s roots sit level with the surrounding ground. Firm the soil down gently and water in well with Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster. In heavier clay soils, where drainage is likely to be an issue, plant onto a raised mound and sprinkle Gypsum Clay Breaker into the bottom of the hole, this helps slowly condition the soil and help to break down the clay. When planting into containers, plant into Kings Container Mix, as this has water retention crystals in it, which will help in keeping the soil moist.
Care
Watering
Watering is essential especially in the first year of planting to allow the roots to get well established. Water slowly, allowing the water to sink down into the roots, rather than just allowing it to run off the top of the surface of the soil, aiming to keep the soil moist during hot periods.
Feeding
When planted in the ground liquid feed every month with Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster, from Spring through to the end of Autumn, this encourages root growth and increases the microbial activity in the soil. Monthly applications of Kings Sheep Pellets will help with soil conditioning and plant health. If planted into a container, feed with Kings Liquid Fast Food along with monthly applications of Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster this encourages strong roots and a healthy immune system.
Mulching
Mulch around the base of the plants (making sure it is not in direct contact with the trunk) with Living Earth More than Mulch. Mulching helps to reduce weeds as well as aiding the soil to lock moisture in the ground.
Spraying
Generally pest free so should not need spraying.
Pruning
Prune after fruiting to encourage your Chilean Guava to bush out, or clip regularly for a hedge of topiary shape.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I water my Chilean guava?
Watering is essential especially in the first year of planting to allow the roots to get well established. Water slowly, allowing the water to sink down into the roots, rather than just allowing it to run off the top of the surface of the soil, aiming to keep the soil moist during hot periods.
When is the best time to prune Chilean guava plants?
Prune after fruiting to encourage your Chilean Guava to bush out, or clip regularly for a hedge of topiary shape.
When do Chilean guavas produce fruit?
Fruit ripens from late summer to early autumn. Harvest when the fruit is fragrant and soft to the touch. A three year old plant will produce around 1kg of fruit in average garden conditions and can increase by about 1kg annually. Chilean Guavas keep well and when refrigerated they can keep for up to six weeks, fruit can also be frozen.
Is the fruit of the Chilean guava edible?
The fruit is edible and has a sweet, aromatic flavour, often used in jams, desserts, and beverages.
How tall do Chilean guava plants grow?
They usually grow to about 1-2 metres tall, making them ideal for small gardens and containers.