Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Feijoa (Acca sellowiana)— schedule & NPK
Also called Feijoa, Pineapple guava, Guavasteen.
More about feijoa
About Feijoa
Acca sellowiana · also called Feijoa, Pineapple guava · tropical
Feijoa is a subtropical evergreen shrub in the myrtle family with silvery-backed leaves, showy red-and-white edible flowers, and aromatic green fruit tasting of pineapple and guava. Hardier than most subtropicals (to about -9°C), it suits mild gardens and large containers, and makes an attractive, drought-tolerant hedge as well as a fruit producer.
Growth habit: Bushy evergreen shrub or small tree with grey-green leaves that are silvery and felted underneath. Striking flowers have fleshy, sweet, edible white-and-magenta petals and a burst of red stamens, followed by oval green fruit. Naturally multi-stemmed, it can be trained as a tree or clipped hedge.
What fertiliser feijoa actually wants — and why
Feijoa is a genuinely hungry tropical — in bright warmth it pushes growth fast and rewards a regular half-strength balanced feed all season.
A balanced liquid feed (even N-P-K) or a slightly nitrogen-leaning foliage feed — this is a big-leaved foliage plant putting on real size, so it wants steady nitrogen for lush leaves, not a bloom formula.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for feijoa: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed feijoa, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For feijoa:
Feed in spring and again in early summer with a balanced fruit-tree or citrus fertiliser. Feijoa is not a heavy feeder; moderate, balanced nutrition supports steady growth and fruiting. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which favours foliage over fruit. For a fast grower like this that means feeding regularly — about sparingly through the growing season — right through spring through early autumn (roughly March to September), tapering off only as light drops in autumn.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when feijoa is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for feijoa
Half strength every feed is the sweet spot for feijoa: frequent enough to fuel fast growth, dilute enough that it never scorches even when you feed often.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water feijoa first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the feijoa watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding feijoa
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for feijoa:
- Brown, scorched leaf tips and margins despite correct watering.
- A white salt crust on the soil or around the pot edge.
- Sudden leaf yellowing and drop shortly after a strong feed.
- Soft, weak, over-stretched growth that cannot support itself.
Signs you are under-feeding feijoa
- New leaves coming in noticeably smaller than older ones.
- Pale, yellow-green older leaves and slow growth through peak summer.
- A general loss of vigour and gloss in a plant that should be racing away.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full feijoa care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Because you feed often, salts accumulate faster — flush the pot of feijoa with plain water until it drains freely roughly every month through the feeding season to keep the root zone clean.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for feijoa
Organic options
A diluted seaweed or fish-and-seaweed feed plus a yearly top-dress of worm castings supports fast growth without burn risk. UK: Westland seaweed or Baby Bio Organic; US: Neptune's Harvest or Espoma Indoor!.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A balanced houseplant liquid at half strength applied frequently — UK: Baby Bio, Phostrogen or Westland Houseplant Feed; US: Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food or Dyna-Gro Foliage-Pro for steady leafy growth.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising feijoa — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does feijoa need?
A balanced liquid feed (even N-P-K) or a slightly nitrogen-leaning foliage feed — this is a big-leaved foliage plant putting on real size, so it wants steady nitrogen for lush leaves, not a bloom formula. Feijoa is a genuinely hungry tropical — in bright warmth it pushes growth fast and rewards a regular half-strength balanced feed all season.
How often should I feed feijoa?
Feed in spring and again in early summer with a balanced fruit-tree or citrus fertiliser. Feijoa is not a heavy feeder; moderate, balanced nutrition supports steady growth and fruiting. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which favours foliage over fruit. Feed in spring and again in early summer with a balanced fruit-tree or citrus fertiliser. Feijoa is not a heavy feeder; moderate, balanced nutrition supports steady growth and fruiting. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which favours foliage over fruit. For a fast grower like this that means feeding regularly — about sparingly through the growing season — right through spring through early autumn (roughly March to September), tapering off only as light drops in autumn.
What strength of feed for feijoa?
Half strength every feed is the sweet spot for feijoa: frequent enough to fuel fast growth, dilute enough that it never scorches even when you feed often.
What does over-feeding feijoa look like?
Brown, scorched leaf tips and margins despite correct watering. A white salt crust on the soil or around the pot edge. Sudden leaf yellowing and drop shortly after a strong feed. Soft, weak, over-stretched growth that cannot support itself. The mistake here is the opposite of most houseplants: under-feeding a fast tropical in peak season starves it, leaving small, pale new leaves and slow growth — but full-strength doses still burn it, so feed often and weak, not occasionally and strong.
Should I flush the soil of feijoa?
Because you feed often, salts accumulate faster — flush the pot of feijoa with plain water until it drains freely roughly every month through the feeding season to keep the root zone clean.
Keep reading
- Feijoa care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water feijoa — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise monstera
- How to fertilise pothos
- How to fertilise fiddle leaf fig
- All 5561 fertilising guides in the Growli library