How to Care for Pineapple and Guava Plants

Pineapple (Ananas comosus) and guava (Psidium guajava) are tropical plants prized for their edible fruits, which can be eaten fresh or used to make juices, jellies, jams and desserts. With their similar cultivation requirements and the delicious compatibility of their flavors, pineapple and guava are often companion-planted in tropical gardens and home landscapes. Pineapple and guava plants are simple to care for and grow best in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zones 9 through 11.

Things You'll Need

• Garden hose
• General purpose fertilizer
• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Provide pineapple plants with a 1/2 inch of supplemental irrigation each week when rainfall is insufficient. Give your guava plants more water, up to 1 inch per week in the absence of rain. Withhold supplemental irrigation from your pineapple plants in the cooler winter months; natural rainfall should be adequate. Water guava plants less frequently in the winter, providing supplemental irrigation just once per month.

2. Fertilize pineapple and guava monthly, while the plants are actively growing, with a water-soluble, general purpose garden fertilizer. Follow the application instructions on the fertilizer label to avoid burning the leaves of your tropical fruit plants.

3. Cut discolored, diseased or dead foliage from your pineapple and guava plants in the early spring, before new growth begins, to promote invigorated growth. Snip problem foliage from your plants with a pair of sharpened and sterilized pruning shears.

4. Harvest your pineapples when 2/3 of the peel changes from green to yellow, indicating that they are almost ripe. Allow the pineapples to ripen the rest of the way indoors, at room temperature, before eating them. Harvest guavas from your plant when the peels start to turn yellow. Allow the guavas to ripen for two to three days, or until the entire fruit turns yellow, before eating.

Tips & Warnings

• Pull weeds around your pineapple and guava plants, as needed, to keep the growing area free of unwanted vegetation.

• Pineapple and guava plants can experience problems with insect pests such as mites, mealybugs and scale. Treat affected plants with a garden insecticide or contact your local agricultural extension office for advice.

References

• "The Essential Garden"; Liz Dobbs; 2002
• Purdue University: Pineapple
• University of Florida: Pineapple Growing
• Purdue University: Guava
• University of Oklahoma: Psidium guajava (Guava)

Resources

• University of Hawaii: How to Grow Pineapple
• Trade Winds Fruit: Guava