Location: Guava is a tropical tree, so be sure to select a spot that has full sun. Drainage is essential so avoid areas where water may pool. To test your location for drainage, you can dig a 1 foot wide by 1 foot deep hole and fill it with water. After an hour, if there is any water retained, you will need to amend your soil with sand and perlite to improve the drainage.

Watering: Give your guava tree a deep soaking and then hold off on watering again until the top two inches of the soil begins to dry. These trees will like to dry slightly in between waterings. In the hotter seasons you might need to water more frequently, but do not overly saturate the soil. Guava (like citrus) hate to have “wet feet” and are susceptible to root rot if left in standing water.

Potted Guava Trees also likes to dry slightly in between waterings. If the top 2-3 inches of the soil feels like it’s starting to dry out, add just enough water to where you see it escaping the drainage holes and stop.

Pruning: You can trim your guava tree throughout the year. Using sterilized cutters, remove any low growths that appear near the base of the tree. This will encourage a healthier, stronger trunk making a more stable tree. Prune away any branches that are crossing and dead limbs. Potted guava should not require much pruning but it can be done to maintain a particular shape.

Fertilizing: Guava are semi-heavy feeders and will require fertilizing once every 1-2 months in its younger years. Once the tree becomes more established, it will only need to be fertilized 3-4 times a year. Just before the growing season begins, work a 6-6-6-2 formula into the soil. Guava likes high levels of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash, and magnesium for the best results. Potted guava will benefit from being fed an organic, granular fertilizer every three months.