Loquats (Eriobotrya japonica) are small evergreen trees that can reach 6 to 10 meters in height. They are highly prized for their production of sweet and sour plum-sized fruits. Growing loquat in a pot is easy and a popular choice with many gardeners who want an attractive fruit tree. In this article we teach you how to do it and all its care.
Contents
Growing loquats in pots
Growing loquat in pots is possible, as we will see below.
Choose a large pot at least 60cm wide and 40cm deep (loquats have shallow roots). Place it in full sun and fill it with a quality potting soil of your choice.
In autumn, winter or spring, remove the bush from the original pot and carefully insert the roots into the new pot.
Make a hole in the ground the same size as the original pot, then set the plant in, covering all the roots with the potting mix while gently firming it.
Finally, water it generously until the water runs out of the drainage holes, this will help absorb the shock of the transplant.
Cover the base of the tree with an organic mulch, such as bark chips, to keep it from drying out quickly.
A loquat is an excellent choice for a patio. But avoid planting them where the fruit could fall onto sidewalks or patios.
Ideal conditions for growing loquat in pots
solar light
This tree should be grown in a full sun to partial shade environment.
Loquats are often grown as shade cover for patios and can be shaped into a trellis.
When growing loquats in pots, they can be placed outdoors when the weather is optimal and moved indoors under bright grow light when temperatures get too cold.
temperature and humidity
Surprisingly temperature sensitive, they can be grown as ornamentals in areas where temperatures reach minus 10 degrees Celsius. However, the fruits and flowers fall from the tree at temperatures below 0 degrees, which prevents it from bearing fruit.
If grown in a pot, you have the option of moving it indoors when the weather gets too cold to protect the fruits and flowers.
Heat also becomes an issue. At temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius, they suffer from leaf scorch and may have difficulty growing. It is essential to provide supplemental irrigation during the hot summer months to alleviate these difficulties.
Usually I
Loquat prefers well-drained soil, but is less demanding than some plants in terms of composition, as long as it is not salinized. Soil pH level is not a big concern, as loquats grow well in both acidic and alkaline soils.
If you wish, you can amend the soil with compost at planting time to give it more nutrients.
Poor drainage can interfere with the tree’s roots. If your soil is too clayey, you may need to amend a larger area to ensure good runoff. The loquat will not like to stay in standing water for a long time.
Potted Medlar Care
Surprisingly, these trees have very few issues to deal with. Nevertheless, let’s go through these issues so that you know what to do if they arise.
Irrigation
During the first year after planting a new tree, it is important to water more than you would otherwise. Water 3-4 times per week for the first two weeks, then gradually and slowly reduce the watering frequency until it is established.
When the flowers begin to fruit in the spring, water them long and slow. This can be done with a drip hose, allowing moisture to slowly seep into the soil around the roots of the tree.
Repeat this process several times when the fruit begins to ripen so that it is sweet and juicy, but only if it does not rain regularly. If it rains a lot, the extra water won’t help.
During the heat of summer, a deep, slow weekly watering will help your tree withstand the scorching rays of the sun.
Fertilizer
A slow-release granular fertilizer suitable for fruit trees will work well. Choose varieties intended for feeding apple, quince, or pear trees, as they are closely related.
In the first year, three applications of fertilizer spread over the year should suffice, but wait until the tree has established itself a little before applying the first fertilization.
It’s a good idea to get the roots deep into the soil mass before you start giving it extra nutrition.
When composting, try to compost in a circle around the base of the tree. This allows nutrients to penetrate a wider area and is more easily absorbed by the roots when needed.
Cut
Potted loquats can grow up to 60cm per year and may need pruning to a smaller, more compact size.
If desired, they can be cosmetically trimmed to maintain a certain shape. Dead branches should also be removed to keep the tree healthy.
It is possible to do the fruit tree method on a trellis. If it is trained, the pruning will be much more regular, but the new growing tips will be carefully tended so that the tree can produce fruit.
Growing problems
The most common growing problem is leaf tip scorch. This causes the tips of the leaves to turn brown and crisp during hot times of the year.
Unfortunately, there is no fix for this, as it is usually caused by heat above 35 degrees Celsius. The only preventative measure is to make sure the loquat gets enough water during heat waves, but even that doesn’t always work.
The burnt leaves will eventually fall off on their own and be replaced by new leaves, so the problem won’t last forever and is purely cosmetic.
harmful
The two most common pests are scale insects and fruit flies.
Scale insects can usually be treated with the application of a horticultural mineral oil (neem oil). The oil coats the insects and suffocates them. It will work on any insects or larvae found on the tree and will not contaminate the crop since it is an organic product.
Fruit flies, the other main pest of loquats, are a little more complicated to control. Fruit fly maggots burrow into fruit, causing it to rot and fall from the tree.
Finally, birds and deer can become pests. Birds love fruit and willingly devour what comes to hand. Deer nibble on the foliage, finding the new growth and fruit particularly tasty.
Diseases
Although not susceptible to many diseases, your loquat is susceptible to two different forms of blight: bacterial blight and pear blight.
In areas where it rains in late spring or early summer, or where humidity is high, fire blight is relatively common, turning young shoots brown and killing leaves.
Some bactericides help prevent fire blight, but once young shoots become infected, they must be removed and destroyed. Infected material should be carved out of healthy, green wood to prevent its spread.
Pear blight acts in the same way as fire blight. The same treatment applies, as both are bacterial infections.
Apart from this, it can develop fungal leaf spots if the airflow cannot easily penetrate the tree canopy.
Keeping it pruned to allow light to reach the center of the tree can completely prevent most fungal diseases.
harvest loquats
Ripe loquats tend to be slightly larger than unripe loquats and will yield a little when lightly pressed.
Their skin will be slightly darker than immature ones, which tells you when to start checking them. If they stay on the tree too long, they will fall off on their own, but they will be overripe.
Harvesting is easiest by cutting off the end of the branch to which the fruit is attached and removing whole clusters of fruit at a time. Try to pick the groups where most of the fruit looks ripe to avoid wastage.
It may also be interesting to read: How to grow guava (guava) in a pot and its care
Unripe fruits are still edible, but may be slightly less sweet and juicy. Overripe fruits are very soft and tend to be overly sweet.
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