How to prune a guava tree? ( Revealed!)

Last Modified

February 22, 2023 by Hirah Ehsan

Pruning is a vital requirement of plants. Pruning makes plants grow fast and healthy. Just like other trees, guava trees need pruning as well.

The pruning provides guava trees with a strong framework. The botanists consider guavas as the most productive fruit trees. It possesses great weight and volume. 

It grows up to 33 feet tall. People plant guavas in enormous amounts in backyards. It has unlimited health benefits for humans. 

Guavas contain a large amount of potassium, antioxidants, and dietary fiber. These mineral-rich plants are super easy to grow and take care of. If you are looking for pruning techniques and have some queries in your mind, then you need to keep reading this article. 

How to prune a guava tree?

Trim the guava shrub into a tree. We recommend you prune when you plant the tree. You can start from an upright stem and choose it as the main trunk.

Select a single trunk and 3 to 4 lateral branches and remove all other shoots. Also, prune out crossing and inward-heading branches. It is important to prune the lateral branches. This pruning shape doesn’t let water stand on it.

You should prune the guava tree every six months. There are three ways of pruning; V pruning, side pruning, and L pruning. 

V” pruning is best to promote fast-growing trees. During V pruning, all branches are pruned, and we leave nothing hanging over the lines.

Side pruning is the second type of pruning. You can prune the trees with a base located 15 feet or more away from the center line.

L pruning allows you to trim the tree from one side. You can cut the branches from the base stem from one side. We often used this type of pruning method for safety purposes.  

Guava is a dense tree. It spreads horizontally and widely along the ground. It is better to prune like a bush. We suggest you grow them as a hedge as well.

Guava Pruning Techniques

Different kinds of techniques can be used for pruning guava. However, I would suggest you best of three techniques such as thinning cuts, heading back, and pinching. 

Let’s explore each of the techniques one by one.

All of these techniques have their benefits. But people who want to increase the productivity of their trees can use thinning. It also boosts the health of your tree by allowing light and air to reach the inner branches.

How to apply this? Yes, your query is right. I would suggest you initiate the cutting from ground level. It’s an easy way to remove branches from their base and cut the steam.  

Do your trees struggle with their growth and length? Why don’t you apply the pinching technique? All you have to do is to remove the tips of the shoot. Also, you can snap the central stem; the plant grows two stems instead. 

I know you are looking for the advantages of heading back, Right? Heading can be used if you want your trees to stop spreading horizontally. And yes it helps trees in promoting new growth of flowers.

Advantages of Pruning a Guava Tree

There are several advantages of pruning. It helps in reducing the fruit cost and improving the guava’s health, productivity, and overall quality. 

It aids pest control and ensures maximum profitability for guava farmers. Pruning aids in the reduction of tree size and keeps the tree in good shape. 

I know you want your guava fruits off the ground. Right? Then don’t stop pruning them. It is highly recommended to reduce fruit loss. Not only this, but it also strengthens the tree stem.

Moreover, it also improves the vegetative nature of the guava tree. It shapes a tree into a single trunk. This single-trunk shape helps the tree grow taller.

Pruning can be done as early as 3-4 months after the guava tree had been planted. Early pruning allows you to get the desired shape from the beginning. 

People do per annum pruning to remove excess growth and maintain the tree’s symmetry. This method also keeps the tree in the fruiting cycle. 

Removing old and worn-out parts of the tree helps it to save nutrients. These nutrients are used to improve fruit quality and plant health. 

When to prune the guava trees?

The best time to prune guava trees is in late winter and early spring. The regular yearly pruning of guava trees promotes growth. The first trimming is beneficial in giving shape to the tree. 

The classic tree shape leaves one trunk and three to four lateral branches on the sides. The interior branches shade out at the center. This shape promotes air circulation, sunlight, and fruiting in guava trees. 

What is Pruning?

Pruning is a healthy activity rather, it’s a practical technique. It is a technique that is used to remove extra materials from a tree. Pruning is beneficial for trees. 

It increases productivity as it helps trees in getting rid of old and diseased parts. It creates a balance between vital parts of the guava tree like the flowers, roots, and shoots. The pruning also fulfills decorative purposes. 

Why do trees need pruning?

Pruning is very beneficial for the health of plants. It helps to remove the fungi, bacteria, and other infective agents destroying the fruits. Pruning reduces the risk of disease in plants. 

Similarly, plants need the proper shape to maintain their balance on the ground. Early life pruning helps plants to grow in a specific shape. It also helps to accommodate different infrastructures without damaging the plants. 

Pruning is necessary to promote better growth and fruiting in plants. It increases fruit production and reduces loss by infections and malnourishment. 

Final Thoughts

That’s all folks!  There are several ways to do so. You can choose the easiest and most suitable method based on your requirement. 

If you need to prune for giving good shape, you must use thinning or pinching methods. However, to reduce the shape of a grown-up guava tree, you must use L or V-shaped pruning according to the requirement. In both cases, pruning is the best way to promote growth and fruiting in your guava garden.