LOQUAT PLANT?
You may be wondering exactly what is a loquat. Loquats (Eriobotrya japonica) are trees that produce small, round or pear-shaped fruits, rarely more than 2 inches (5 cm.) long. Sweet or slightly acidic in flavor, the juicy flesh may be white, yellow or orange with a yellow or orange-blushed peel. Loquats are tasty when peeled and eaten fresh, or you can freeze the whole fruit for later use. They make excellent jellies, jams, preserves, cobblers or pies.
HOW TO CARE LOQUAT PLANT?
Growing loquat fruit trees and their care focuses on good nutrition, water management and weed control. Fertilize the trees three times a year with a lawn fertilizer that does not contain weed killers. In the first year, use a cup (453.5 gr.) aof fertilizer divided into three applications spread over the growing season. In the second and third years, increase the annual amount of fertilizer to 2 cups (907 gr.). Scatter the fertilizer on the ground and water it in. Water a loquat tree when the blossoms begin to swell in spring and two to three more times when the fruit begins to ripen. Apply the water slowly, allowing it to sink into the soil as much as possible. Stop when the water begins to run off. Young trees don’t compete well with weeds, so maintain a weed-free area that extends 2 to 3 feet (60 to 91 cm.) from the trunk of the tree. Take care when cultivating around the tree because the roots are shallow. A layer of mulch will help keep weeds at bay.
