Welcome to Nev’s Gardening BLOG

On this web site I’ll post gardening tips and other items devoted to the fertile roots that bind the earth. From flowers to trees to vegetables. I have been in the horticultural industry for over 30 years and these tips come from my personal experiences (successes and failures) in the plant world. Enjoy!

What can you expect to find on this web site? – anything I have had experience with growing. Here is an example of several questions asked relating to the pollination of Fruiting Feijoa Trees…

Are these male or female plants?

Feijoas flowers are hermaphroditic – the male pollen in the anters and the female ovules in the ovary are produced within the same flower. The flower cannot pollinate itself (apart from the variety Unique which is self pollinating). Cross pollination with another Feijoa’s pollen is what fertilisers the flowers to produce fruit. The plants themselves are not gendered. Think of it like, say, Apple Trees – you don’t have male and female Apple trees.

I have two plants that have done nothing for the last two years…I was told I needed a male and female! if I plant another type of feijoa with them would that help?

Yep, plant another variety. Hope you know what variety it is you have at the moment! If they are seedling grown plants, you’re better to dig them out and start again with 2 good named cutting grown varieties. I reckon if you are growing fruit trees for the fruit, grow really good ones that will reward you with good crops of quality fruit – it the years you waste growing poor varieties when you could have had a good one growing!