How many years does it take for wax apples to bear fruit?

Wax apple, also known as syzygium wilfordii , is a tropical evergreen fruit tree belonging to the genus Syzygium in the Myrtaceae family. It is native to the Malay Peninsula and the Andaman Islands, and is currently being introduced and cultivated in Hainan, Guangdong and other places in my country. So how many years does it take for a tropical fruit like wax apple to bear fruit? Let’s learn more about it below.

How many years does it take for wax apples to bear fruit?

It usually takes 2-3 years for wax apples to bear fruit after being planted. Specifically, the growth cycle of wax apple from seed germination to normal fruiting generally takes 1-2 years, of which the first year is mainly the growth period, and the second year enters the fruiting period. If managed properly, it will basically bear fruit in the second year and enter its peak production period in the fifth year.

How to grow wax apples to produce more fruits?

1. Garden selection

It is advisable to choose a site that is sheltered from the wind for building a garden. Slightly acidic sandy soil is the most suitable, and slightly acidic to slightly alkaline (PH5.5-7.8) sandy loam to red soil are all suitable.

2. Temperature and light control

Wax apple prefers a warm environment and has very poor cold resistance. It is best to provide an environment of 25-30℃ during cultivation. And its habit is light-loving, requiring annual sunshine hours of 2000-2500 hours.

3. Pruning and control

During the growth process of wax apple, it is necessary to always observe the growth situation and promptly prune the branches that are too long, too dense, and non-fruiting to improve the permeability and fruit-bearing rate of the tree. In addition, controlling the shoots is also one of the main measures to promote flowering and fruit preservation of wax apples. By spraying growth regulators, the growth of tree shoots can be inhibited to prevent the branches from growing too long and affecting photosynthesis and flowering rate.

4. Water and fertilizer management

Water the soil regularly to keep the moisture content between 60%-80%. Pay attention to drainage during the rainy season. In addition, wax apple grows fast and requires a lot of fertilizer. It is generally recommended to apply organic fertilizer before fruiting, so that the wax apple fruits produced will be red, large, sweet, refreshing and delicious, and of superior quality.

5. Bagging at the right time

Bagging can effectively prevent damage by fruit flies and birds. The bagging period is generally after physiological fruit drop (15-20 days after fruit setting), that is, when the fruit grows to the size of beans, it is immediately bagged after the grains are thinned out.

6. Harvest management

When harvesting, use scissors to cut off the base of the fruit together with the fruit bag to avoid damaging the fruit and reducing its commercial value. The fruit should be harvested when it is about 90% ripe. Harvesting too late will easily cause it to rot.

Generally speaking, it usually takes 2-3 years for wax apples to bear fruit. During the planting process, in order to increase the fruit-bearing rate of wax apples, planting management can be carried out from several aspects such as pruning, water and fertilizer, and bagging.