Northland
October
Q.
Hi Tui, I'd love to grow tamarillos, can you put up some information about how to grow them? I'm a very beginner in gardening and I live in Mangawhai Heads which is in the Kaipara area, we have sandy soil. Will they grow and how much water do they need as we suffer from droughts and have water tanks. Thanks.
Lynn Rhodin
A.
Hi Lynn, Tamarillo are subtropical fruit trees and are perfect for growing in your region, they need warm summer and mild winter growing temperatures as they are frost tender but once established tamarillo will tolerate light frost. Usually evergreen, they will drop their leaves in winter in cooler climates.
Plant in a well drained soil, tamarillo do not like heavy waterlogged soil. Dig in as much nutrient rich organic matter as you can, such as compost and sheep pellets, this is especially important for sandy soils. Plant trees in a sheltered position in October and November, stake the tree and protect from wind as branches are very brittle and break easily.
Tamarillo have a very shallow root system and don't like competing with weeds or other plants for nutrients and moisture. Weeds also harbour pests and diseases. Keep well watered during the growing season, mulch around the tree with a quality mulch, use Tui Pea straw or Tui Mulch & Feed. This will keep weeds down as well as retain soil moisture and add organic matter to the sandy soils.
Tamarillo are fast growing trees and will benefit from regular feeding throughout the growing season - use Tui Citrus Food or Tui Novatec Premium Fertiliser in early spring, summer and autumn. Tamarillo are self fertile and are pollinated by insects and wind.
Prune newly planted trees to about 1 metre to encourage branching and to establish a frame work. Trees fruit on new seasons growth, prune to stimulate new growth after fruiting has finished. When pruning shorten branches to keep them close to the trunk of the tree as they break easily. Fruit will ripen any time from April to November, and can take 8 months from pollination to ripening.
Keep trees actively growing with regular watering, feeding and mulching. White fly can be a problem in summer, talk to your local garden centre for a suitable insecticide spray. The Tui Team.
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How do you grow Tamarillos? Comments
Hi, I live in Lower Hutt, is it too cold over winter to grow tamarillo and what size do they reach. Thanks.
Michael Mathieson
Hi Michael, tamarillo require a warm summer, mild winter and need a sheltered site, protection from wind is important. They are frost tender and will tolerate light frosts once established, trees are evergreen but will lose their leaves in frosty regions. Trees require a soil that is rich in organic matter and free draining, they don't like waterlogged soils, keep the area weed free, they don't like competition from weeds or grasses. Tamarillo have a shallow root system, don't like drying out, and so need regular watering during the growing season, mulch around them to help conserve soil moisture. Tamarillo can be grown in large pots, which could be moved in winter to protect from frost. Use a quality potting mix such as Tui Pot Power which contains a controlled release fertiliser for sustained feeding. Trees grow to approximately 3 metres in height, but can be kept lower by shortening the main stem to 1 metre where it will branch out and then the lateral branch growing tips can be pinched to keep the tree low and bushy. Tamarillos fruit on new growth so by doing this you will encourage fruiting. Do this once frosts have passed until early November. I hope this is helpful, if you can provide the growing environment the tree needs then you will be able to grow tamarillo.
Lianne
My tamarillo has lots of flowers but they are falling off before setting. It is a young tree grown from a cutting 1yr ago. Would love some advice please. Thanks, Rose
Rose
Hi Rose, fruiting trees don't set fruit due to stress factors such as temperature fluctuations, late frosts, wet weather during flowering so pollination is incomplete by bees and insects, inconsistent watering, it could be that the tree has dried out during flowering. Or, it could be that your tree isn't established enough yet to sustain fruiting. Tamarillo's can take 2 years to start fruiting from spring planting, it is better for young fruit trees to not fruit in the first year so that a good root system and framework for fruiting is established. From fruit set it takes up to 8 months for fruit to ripen. Tamarillo's have a very shallow root system, water consistently throughout the growing seasons, mulch around the plant to help conserve soil moisture and to prevent the roots drying out, and feed 3-4 times during spring to autumn, and protect from strong winds.
Lianne