Feijoa - benefits, contraindications: what is it, how to choose, how to preserve it longer?

Popular feijoa varieties

To choose the right plant for growing, it is worth studying the characteristics of all varieties.

Variety Kulindzh

A productive self-fertile feijoa variety does not need pollinators during flowering. This variety is native to California. Ideal for growing indoors. The fruits are weak-smelling, small in size, weighing up to 60 g.

Choiceana variety

The second famous variety is Choyoseana. It is considered early ripening, but its yield is less stable. The berries are round, with a smooth dark green shell, and are small in size up to 7 centimeters.

Variety Superba

The fruits of this variety are very fragrant, elongated oval in shape. Weight can vary from small to medium, depending on the conditions of the plant. Some berries can reach a weight of 100 grams.

Important! At home, the feijoa tree will begin to bear fruit only after a few years.

What are the benefits of feijoa?

Who can eat feijoa, what is the berry good for, are there any contraindications and what are they?

One of the most useful components of the fruit is iodine. It is necessary for the physical and mental development of a person, indispensable for the production of thyroid hormones, which are required to regulate metabolic processes in the body.

What's even useful about this berry? Maybe it’s still healthier to eat a familiar banana or apple than a foreign wonder? It’s up to you, of course, to decide, however, first familiarize yourself with the beneficial properties of this berry, and then make a choice.

Beneficial features:

1. Prevention of atherosclerosis.
2. Accelerates metabolism (metabolic processes).
3. Eliminates diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
4. Helps eliminate the problem of iodine deficiency in the body.
5. It is a dietary product as it contains a minimal amount of calories.
6. Hypoallergenic berry, which is introduced into the diet of even very young children.
7. Strengthens the cardiovascular system.
8. Recommended for anemia (anemia), as feijoa fruits are rich in iron.
9. Natural antiseptic.
10. Strengthens the immune system.

Contraindications:

• Diabetes. The fruit contains a large amount of sugars, so consumption is contraindicated for diabetics.
• Excess iodine in the body.
• Individual intolerance.

So, what are the benefits of feijoa? It is worth noting that this fruit contains a huge amount of iodine. In terms of the content of this microelement, feijoa can only be compared with seafood. Why does the body need iodine? This trace element improves memory and speeds up thought processes. When there is enough iodine in our body, we feel great. We are cheerful and full of energy. If the amount of an element in our body decreases, we feel very weak and get tired very quickly.

In addition, feijoa fruit contains about 93 substances beneficial to humans. This fruit is a real treasure trove of vitamins. Feijoa contains fiber, essential sugar, malic acid, macro- and microelements.

The fruits of this plant are recommended for use for diseases of the thyroid gland. Feijoa fruit, whose beneficial properties have been known for a long time, can be consumed for pyelonephritis, gastritis, vitamin deficiency, as well as in the presence of inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, the fruits of the evergreen tree help reduce blood pressure and calm the heart. Feijoa essential oil helps eliminate skin problems. This substance has anti-inflammatory properties.

Research by Iranian scientists conducted in 2015 showed that feijoa is a powerful natural antidepressant. It is noteworthy that not only the fruits, but also the leaves of this amazing plant have this effect.

Thanks to the high content of silicon and antioxidants, the delicate feijoa pulp is a valuable raw material for home facial care. The essential oil is famous for its anti-inflammatory properties. It is used in dermatology and cosmetology.

The masks are easy to make and fun to use. They eliminate many problems:

• redness and acne,
• premature wrinkles,
• dryness and flaking,
• excess fat content.

Before the first procedure, it is recommended to do a test to find out how the skin will react to the care.

The simplest home remedy for strengthening cells and restoring tone is to rub half a feijoa on the face and décolleté. For a rejuvenating effect, prepare the following composition:

• 1 tbsp. l. puree,
• 5 grams of honey,
• 3 g mustard oil.

The ingredients are thoroughly mixed and applied to the surface, avoiding the area around the eyes. Leave for 10 minutes, wash off. The procedure slows down aging, maintaining skin elasticity and healthy color. It eliminates facial wrinkles and tightens the oval.

A nourishing mask is suitable for dry skin:

1. Mix 1 tablespoon of puree with the same amount of fat sour cream.
2. Apply, leave for 15 minutes, rinse.

It is enough to carry out the procedures 1-2 times a week throughout the entire season, as long as fresh berries are available. If your nails have turned yellow from the varnish, then the plant will come to the rescue here too. It should be used in the same way as a lemon: cut in half and wipe the discolored areas.

Recipe: Mashed feijoa with sugar - how to freeze delicious feijoa!

We live in an area with low iodine content in the soil and a high risk of thyroid diseases.
In addition to consuming iodized salt, there is another way to replenish iodine deficiency in the body without the help of vitamins and tablets.

These are feijoa fruits, which are very rich in iodine.

50-100 grams of feijoa contain the daily dose of iodine for an adult.

Not everyone likes them because of their taste. But with honey or sugar, they are definitely much tastier and, most importantly, healthier than chemical vitamins.

Unfortunately, we only sell feijoas for 4-5 weeks.

But there is a simple way to preserve feijoas and their beneficial properties for the whole year. Chopped, mixed with sugar and frozen, feijoa tastes like a delicious popsicle.

Which retained all the beneficial properties of fresh feijoa.

Making such a healthy dessert is not at all difficult.

Feijoa fruits must be washed and removed from the sepals.

Then the feijoa must be twisted in a meat grinder.

Can be ground in a blender or chopper.

This will be even faster and the mass will be more homogeneous.

After the meat grinder, fairly large “grains” of the astringent peel remain.

Then add sugar to the mixture to taste.

For me, no more than 200 grams of sugar per kilogram of feijoa is enough.

You can add honey instead of sugar.

Mix the sugar thoroughly.

The resulting mass can be divided into small plastic jars.

Which are convenient to store in the freezer and take out as needed.

Feijoa retains all its beneficial properties in the freezer for a long time.

And at any time of the year, even when this southern fruit has not been on the market for a long time, I can take such a jar out of the freezer and treat myself and my loved ones to a delicious and very healthy dessert.

How to choose feijoa for storage

To fully discover the taste of feijoa, you need to choose ripe berries. An unripe fruit will arrive at room temperature in a few days, but will significantly lose its usefulness. The most nutritious feijoas are those that have matured on the tree.

When choosing berries you need to pay attention to the following features:

• Feijoa color. A ripe fruit has a dark green skin without individual bright spots. The surface of the berry is wrinkled and matte, and the flesh is transparent. If the inside of the fruit is brown, it is overripe. The white flesh indicates that the feijoa is still unripe.
• There should be no dark spots or brown streaks on the skin. If they appear, it means that the feijoa has been lying around for too long and has already begun to deteriorate.
• The berries are not picked from the tree, but collected from the ground. Ripe feijoas fall off on their own. Therefore, you should not choose those fruits that have a stalk. This means that they were cut before they were ripe.

Rules for storing feijoa preparations

After preparing delicious raw feijoa jam, pureed with sugar, you should store it properly. Compliance with the conditions will allow you to preserve the freshness of the product for a long time and avoid its fermentation.

Basic storage tips:

1. Store only in the refrigerator or cellar. At room temperature, the fermentation process will begin quickly.
2. The workpiece must not be frozen.
3. At a temperature of 0 to + 2 °C it can be stored for up to 6 months, at a temperature of + 5 ... + 8 °C for up to 3 months.

The color of the workpiece may darken to brown. There is no need to be afraid of this. Due to the large amount of iron and iodine, oxidation and color changes occur. After preparing the workpiece, it is necessary to place it in jars as tightly as possible and close tightly.

How to extend the shelf life of green berries

Under such strict restrictions, every experienced owner and gardener has a lesson: how to preserve the harvest and get the maximum benefit from the tropical fruits of feijoa. A good way is to make jam.

There are two options: execution) for those who like to preserve the natural taste and vitamins - “like jam” - without heat treatment, and also classic jam, which can be rolled up in jars for the winter. “Live” mousse can be stored in the refrigerator for about three months, and sterilized hermetically sealed jam - like other canned fruits - can be frozen for several months.

There is no point in freezing feijoas, nor in drying the fruits. They will lose the bait's beneficial properties and pleasant taste. Compotes are not made from these berries. For variety, you can try adding berries to al jelly marmalades with other ingredients rich in pectin for good thickening.

Traditional feijoa recipe with sugar

The most basic recipe for preparing it for the winter is mixing feijoa with sugar. No heat treatment of the fruit is required. Thanks to this, all the benefits and taste of fresh fruits are preserved.

Preparation is very simple and does not take much time:

1. You need to wash and grind the feijoa to a puree.
2. Add sugar in a 1:1 ratio. Sweet lovers are allowed to add more sugar.
3. Mix thoroughly and leave for 1-2 hours to dissolve the sugar.
4. Grind thoroughly again.
5. Pour into glass jars and close the lid tightly.

What beneficial properties does it have?

Feijoa berries can have a preventive and therapeutic effect for pathologies:

• atherosclerosis;
• inflammation of the thyroid gland;
• vitamin deficiency;
• blockage of blood vessels;
• gastritis;
• acute and chronic gastrointestinal diseases;
• acute pyelonephritis.

The ripe pulp is suitable for making ice cream and cocktails.
For medicinal purposes, fresh fruits, crushed to a puree, or prepared tinctures and decoctions are used.

Benefits for women's health

Quechua is a low-calorie product, so it can be consumed in a dietary diet. It contains biologically active elements that accelerate metabolism and promote the rapid removal of toxins from the body. Feijoa can complement any diet for women who want to quickly lose excess weight.

Scientists at the Friedrich II University of Naples have proven that the substances contained in the berry take part in the fight against staphylococci and E. coli. This is confirmed by the publication of an article on the researchgate.net web portal, dated February 2010. Regular use of feihua leads to:

• lowering cholesterol levels;
• improving memory;
• increasing stress resistance;
• slowing down the aging process in the body;
• restoration of fat metabolism;
• elimination of depressive conditions.

The fruit helps cope with anemia, Alzheimer's disease and hypertension.

Jam with feijoa and walnuts

During pregnancy

The berry will help diversify a pregnant woman's diet. It saturates the body with ascorbic acid and iodine. Its use is recommended from the 12th week, since during this period the active formation of the baby’s important organs, in particular the thyroid gland, begins.

Folic acid promotes the full development of the fetal circulatory system. Iron eliminates the symptoms of iron deficiency anemia in the expectant mother, especially in the third trimester of pregnancy. The daily intake of fruit for pregnant women is 2-3 fruits.

For healthy facial skin

The berry is used to prepare rejuvenating and healing masks. Essential oils eliminate redness and dry skin. Iodine strengthens the dermis, giving it elasticity and smoothness. Vitamins B and C help improve skin color and also protect it from the effects of free radicals.

Skin rejuvenation mask

This product will help smooth out wrinkles and increase skin elasticity.

Components:

• Feijoa pulp - 2 tbsp.
• Olive oil – 1 tsp.
• Honey – 1 tsp.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Mix all the ingredients of the recipe in a container.
2. Apply a thin layer of the mixture to the skin.
3. Leave for no more than 15 minutes.

Remove the mask with a dry cloth, and rinse off any remaining residue with warm water.

Universal face mask

It is intended for all skin types, providing a tightening and moisturizing effect.

Components:

• Feijoa pulp - 2 tbsp.
• Olive oil – 1 tsp.
• Chicken egg – 1 pc.

What to do:

1. In an enamel or glass container, mix all ingredients until smooth.
2. Using a wide brush, apply the mask to the skin of the face.
3. Rinse off with warm water after 15-20 minutes.

Benefits for men's health

In adulthood, more than half of the working-age men in the world suffer from prostatitis. Quechua can be consumed several fruits a day for preventive purposes to prevent the development of pathology. It will also help with hormonal therapy, improving reproductive function.

Use green berries with caution:

• children under 1 year old;
• diabetics;
• hypotensive patients;
• for allergy sufferers.

The recommended daily intake of pineapple guava for an adult is no more than 2 fruits, for a child – 1 fruit. People with a severe problem of iodine deficiency can consume from 3 to 5 pieces per day. Exceeding this limit can lead to symptoms of diarrhea, as can consuming fruit with dairy products.

Contraindications for eating feijoa

There are times when eating feijoa is completely impossible or it needs to be limited:

• Thyroid disease – hyperthyroidism
• Allergy to feijoa
• With caution and in small quantities for obesity and diabetes
• Small quantity - for small children

It must be remembered that in the case of feijoa there can be an overdose, and then the following unpleasant moments may appear:

• Restless nervous or overly depressed state
• Increased body temperature
• Rapid heartbeat
• A sharp increase or decrease in performance

Attention . If your body does not have enough iodine, then you can eat 3-5 pieces of feijoa per day, but if there is no such problem, then adults - 2 pieces of large fruits, and a child - 1 piece.

Freezing methods

Frozen berries can be stored in the freezer for up to one year. You can freeze the whole berry by cutting it into pieces and preparing a puree with or without added sugar.

Feijoa puree is well preserved in the freezer and does not lose its taste.

It is also worth defrosting the berries correctly. If you just want to enjoy it, add it to yogurt or fruit salad, then it is best to move the required amount from the freezer to the top compartment of the refrigerator for a few hours.

Defrosting will occur gradually, without destroying the vitamin composition and preserving the appearance of the berry.

To properly defrost berries, you just need to move them from the freezer to the upper compartment of the refrigerator. In this case, all valuable substances will remain unchanged.

Defrosting at room temperature also leaves the entire value of the product unchanged, but does not have the best effect on its appearance. Therefore, this method is best used if you further plan to use the berries in the preparation of jellies and mousses.

It is strictly not recommended to defrost berries in a microwave oven, because... a sharp change in temperature will lead to a reduction in the amount of useful microelements, loss of juice and integrity.

Fruit preparation

Regardless of the method in which we freeze feijoa, preparation should be carried out according to the following procedure:

1. We select only ripe fruits. We carefully monitor that among them there are no overripe ones that are starting to deteriorate. The maturity of the fruit is indicated by the uniform, green color of the peel, without darkening, and the absence of a stalk, because the harvest is carried out from the ground of already fallen berries, and not from those picked directly from the tree.
2. Wash thoroughly in cold water.
3. We cut off the bases on both sides of the fruit.
4. Washed and trimmed feijoas must be dried on a paper or cloth towel.

Only ripe and undamaged fruits are suitable for freezing.

But at the same time, pay attention that they are not overripe.

Freezing whole fruits

Is it possible to freeze feijoas whole for the winter? Of course you can. If you prefer to eat the berries in their original form during the winter months, or add them to yogurt, and also have a fairly large freezer capacity, then lay out the prepared and dried fruits in one layer on a tray covered with a clean sheet and put them in the freezer.

To ensure uniform freezing throughout the day, turn the berries over and swap them. When the feijoas are firm enough, place them in portioned plastic containers with airtight lids and place them in the freezer.

It is also possible to freeze feijoas whole, but for uniform freezing the berries must be turned over in the freezer during the day.

Freezing in pieces

Storing feijoa pieces frozen is also a fairly popular processing method. In this case, the core of a carefully prepared berry is cut out, pitted, cut into small pieces, placed in small plastic bags, the air is removed using a vacuum unit and the packages are sealed. Feijoa can be stored in pieces, just like a whole one, for a year.

This method is preferred by those who are embarrassed by the slightly bitter and tart taste of the fruit peel, and they use only the pulp for food.

Pieces of feijoa can be stored in the freezer for a year.

Frozen puree

The pureed type of freezing is also gaining popularity. Suitable mainly for owners of small freezers. You can prepare it by grinding the feijoa together with the peel in a meat grinder, in which case small pieces of the berry will be clearly felt in the mass. For those who prefer a smoother and more uniform consistency, you can grind the berries in a blender.

Then, as in the cases described above, the puree is laid out in portions into containers or bags and sent to the refrigerator.

After twisting the feijoa in a meat grinder, put it in containers or bags and put it in the freezer.

It should be remembered that after you have prepared the puree, it should be immediately frozen. Otherwise, all the beneficial substances lose their strength and the puree oxidizes.

How to freeze feijoa for the winter

Many lovers of the exotic feijoa fruit are interested in issues of processing and storage. This plant is a resident of the subtropics. But in Russia, feijoa is also grown in the south. Russians can purchase the fruits in the fall, somewhere in October-November.

The fruits are very tasty; their aroma contains notes of strawberry, kiwi, and pineapple. Unfortunately, fresh feijoa does not last long and requires processing. Fruit lovers know how to make preserves, jams, and compotes from fruits. But they are often interested in the question of whether it is possible to freeze feijoa for the winter in the refrigerator. If yes, then how to do it correctly.

About the beneficial properties of the fruit

We will try to answer the question posed, but first let’s find out why fruits are useful.

The fruit contains a large number of various vitamins, macro- and microelements, organic substances, and essential oils. Experts say that feijoa contains almost the entire periodic table. In a word, a real storehouse of health. But the most important thing, perhaps, is vitamin C and iodine. Fruits are compared to seafood in terms of iodine content.

Attention! Most of this element is found in feijoas growing near the sea.

Nutritionists also highly value feijoas and recommend them as a dietary food, as well as for preventive and therapeutic purposes:

• for problems with the thyroid gland;
• for inflammatory processes of the gastrointestinal tract and gastritis;
• with atherosclerosis and vitamin deficiency;
• with hypovitaminosis and pyelonephritis;
• gout, as well as during the cold season.

Doctors advise people who constantly experience mental stress to consume feijoa.

Important! Eating feijoa berries helps strengthen the immune system.

Feijoa has another unique property - allergic reactions to it practically do not occur. Therefore, feijoa can be consumed at any age. Even women in an interesting position and while breastfeeding can safely include them in their diet.

About the benefits of the fruit:

Since the fruits are so healthy, and their presence on shelves is limited to a few months, the question arises of how to preserve aromatic fruits in winter. There are many options:

• grind the fruits with sugar;
• make jam without cooking;
• make jams, compotes.

But our readers are interested in whether it is possible to freeze fruits, and how to do it better.

Freezing methods

As we have already said, you can keep fruits fresh in the refrigerator. But unfortunately, no more than 10 days. And if the fruits are already ripe, then even less. Therefore, they must be eaten or processed immediately. We choose a processing method, specifically freezing.

We can safely say that freezing feijoa in no way affects the quality of the product. All beneficial properties are retained in the fruits.

Comment! Thawed feijoas cannot be put back into the freezer.

The fruits are frozen whole, with or without sugar. Let's take a closer look.

Fruit preparation

Regardless of which freezing method you choose, we always prepare them the same way:

• We sort through and remove fruits with the slightest signs of damage and black peel. After all, a healthy feijoa has a uniform green surface.
• Rinse in cold water.
• We cut off the butts.

Freezing whole fruits

Dry the washed and trimmed fruits on a towel. They must be dry before freezing. Place the fruits on a clean sheet in one layer and put them in the freezer. We leave them until the feijoa turns into “pebbles”. We put them in a container or plastic bag and put them away for storage. This method is possible if you have enough space in the freezer.

1 way

We cut the berries into small pieces, grind them in a manual meat grinder or blend them with a blender.

Place the mixture in small portion containers and place in the freezer.

Method 2

Add granulated sugar to the crushed mass in a 1:1 ratio and mix well. There is no need to wait for the sugar to dissolve. Immediately place the puree into containers. Otherwise, the mass will darken due to contact of iodine with air.

Advice! Since it is not recommended to return frozen feijoa puree to the freezer after thawing, choose portioned containers.

Conclusion

As needed, take out containers, defrost and add, for example, to porridge, yogurt or ice cream. Whole fruits can be put through a blender, add sugar, some fruits or berries and make cold jam. You can do the same with purees.

Source

Source: https://xn—-7sbbncec2cn3hzb.xn--p1ai/kak-zamorozit-fejhoa-na-zimu/

Sowing seeds

Sowing is best done at the end of January. Feijoa seeds can be prepared in advance - they remain viable for 2 years. They must first be soaked for 3 days, placed in a warm place, you can add a few drops of epin or immunocytophyte. Next, dry the seeds a little (for flowability) and sow seedlings in prepared soil of the following composition: deciduous soil, soil for vegetable seedlings and sand in a ratio of 2:1:0.5. Sprinkle the seeds with 3-5 mm of crushed soil. Water only by spraying, since with regular watering, water carries small seeds to depth, and they will not be able to germinate.

After germination, feijoas can be watered on the ground. Seedlings can be transplanted to their permanent place of growth after the appearance of 3-4 true leaves. The flowerpot should be about 15 cm in diameter. The soil composition is normal, for growing indoor plants. Young feijoa plants can be damaged by too alkaline soil. Therefore, add some peat and some bone meal to the soil.

How to choose the right feijoa for storage

You should not purchase fruits that are not fully ripe. It is not so difficult to bring them to an edible state at home, but they will not have the same benefits as berries picked on time. When planning to cook feijoas or grind them with sugar, you should buy fruits that meet the following requirements:

• The skin color is dark green, with a matte surface covered with small wrinkles. If the components are light, glossy and smooth, they have not yet matured to the desired state.
• No matter what the recipe is, the pulp should be transparent, jelly-like. If it is white and dense, then the fruit is still unripe. The presence of brown veins is characteristic of stale berries. If such components were nevertheless purchased, then in the first case we wait for the feijoa to ripen. But it is better to throw away overripe products. Even when cooked with sugar, they can cause digestive upset.
• It is strictly forbidden to purchase berries with a stalk. The presence of this element indicates that they were cut from the branches and not collected from the ground, as is properly done.

Feijoa should be processed and the chosen recipe implemented immediately after purchasing the berries. Their shelf life is only 10-12 days after harvest, so you shouldn’t store them for even a week.

How to store feijoa berries

Storage of green ripe fruits, once they have been collected, is possible for up to 10 days. Later, to prevent the product from spoiling, it is processed in various ways.

But store-bought goods are transported and packaged, this takes several days, therefore, if you are wondering how to store feijoa at home, you should not keep the fruits in the refrigerator for more than 7 days.

Or eat a fresh treat right away to replenish the body with a good portion of vitamins, which includes: elements of group “B”, “C”, “PP”. Green berries are rich in iodine, calcium, zinc, magnesium, sodium and potassium. The best option is to preserve this wealth in the form of feijoa with sugar.

How to make fresh feijoa jam

In order to preserve more vitamins and extend the “life” of feijoa fruits, they are preserved with sugar minus cooking. To do this, you need to thoroughly wash the berries with warm water, puree them in a blender or meat grinder, and sprinkle them with sugar.

Choose the degree of sweetness to suit your taste. The unusual thing about this preparation is that sugar interrupts the characteristic sourness of the fruit; therefore, for lovers of sweet and sour fruit mixtures, you can introduce the ratio of 0.75 kg of sugar per 1 kg of fruit. Those with a sweet tooth may like the thickly sweet dessert - 1.5 kg of sugar gets 1 kg of fruit part. Try making sour tyrsa for the first time with the minimum recommended amount of sugar - and add sweetness according to taste before freezing.

“Live” feijoa jam is not prohibited from being used as a filling for desserts, served with tea, or added to porridges and protein bars for raw foodists and vegans. Store surzhik in the refrigerator all winter.

Recipes for making jam

Let's look at the most popular recipes for making fragrant and tasty jam from feijoa:

Live jam

• Ripe berries should be washed, dried, and trimmed off the stems and flower stems. Make sure there are no overripe or spoiled fruits.
• Grind in a meat grinder or mixer. The degree of grinding is arbitrary, as desired.
• Mix with sugar in a ratio of 1:1 or 2:3.
• Recipe option: mix crushed feijoa fruits with honey in a ratio of 2 parts berries to 1 part honey (by weight).
• Place in pre-sterilized small glass jars. Close with tight lids.
• Place in the refrigerator or basement. Store at 2 - 6 °C.
• Shelf life up to 3 months.

Classic jam

Compound:

• Feijoa fruits - 2 kg.
• Water - 0.5 l.
• Sugar - 1.5 kg.
• Lemon -1.

How to cook:

• Wash the berries, dry them, peel them. To do this, you should divide them in half and scoop out the pulp with a teaspoon, or you can simply peel the skin with a knife. Place the pulp in a saucepan.
• Add sugar, stir, wait until dissolved.
• Remove the zest from the lemon, chop, and add to the pan with the feijoa.
• Squeeze lemon juice and add water to the pan. Mix everything.
• Bring to a boil and cook for twenty minutes.
• Divide the jam into clean glass jars, place them in a large bowl and sterilize in a water bath for 20 minutes. Then roll up with sterile lids.

Making caramel jam

Compound:

• Ripe berries - 1 kg.
• Sugar - 2 cups.
• Water - 500 ml.
• Cognac - 2 tablespoons.
• Ground ginger - 1 tablespoon.

How to cook:

• Wash and peel the berries. Place the pulp in a saucepan. The peel should not be thrown away.
• Pour 1 cup of sugar into a hot frying pan and caramelize until light amber in color.
• Pour caramelized sugar with water, add feijoa peel to the mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, then strain.
• Pour the resulting mixture over the berry pulp, add the remaining sugar and ground ginger.
• Cook over low heat for thirty minutes in an open pan. At the very end, before turning off, add cognac.
• Place jam in sterilized jars and roll up tightly.

Feijoa fruit is an unusually healthy product, containing a huge amount of vitamins that people need in winter. Harvesting this berry for the winter will ensure long-term enjoyment of delicious fruits and will help boost your immunity.

What a strange foreigner

Feijoa is neither a vegetable nor a fruit, but a unique berry. Are you surprised? Then read on. The feijoa fruit grows from an evergreen small tree or shrub. This plant requires a subtropical or tropical climate. Brazil is considered the birthplace of the culture. The berry got its name in honor of its discoverer - Joao da Silva Feijó, a Portuguese by nationality and a naturalist by vocation.

What does feijoa taste like?

This berry is very juicy, its pulp is fleshy and extremely tasty. With its divine aroma and taste, it resembles a mixture of strawberries, pineapple and kiwi. Quite an exotic explosion of flavors, isn't it? However, for each person it will have its own unique taste, which will resemble a mixture of different fruits.

Feijoa is also similar in appearance to green sweet potatoes. It has a dense, dark green skin that is smooth to the touch and shiny in appearance, but does not have the typical kiwi fibers. This is an oblong fruit of small size. You won't find it on every fruit stand.

What types are there

World varieties:

• André is the most popular type, the Brazilian original.
• Coolidge - large fruits.
• Choiceana - ripens quickly, the fruits reach 7 cm in length.
• Superba - the fruits are heavy and can reach 80 grams.
• Bessons are small, oval-shaped fruits, most popular in France.

Feijoa care at home

Dear readers, an evergreen plant with the exotic name feijoa is not demanding in care. Do not forget to water and fertilize on time, the tree will decorate the interior and will yield a harvest of healthy fruits.

Watch the video - advice on growing feijoa at home.

Illumination

The southern feijoa plant loves light and grows well in direct sunlight, but on hot days it is better to cover the window with curtains.

In the summer, I place the beauty near the east window or on the southeast windowsill. In winter I move it to a window facing south. If you don't have south-facing windows, install fluorescent lamps for illumination.

Temperature

Dear friends, it would be a mistake to think that feijoa prefers a hot climate. For ideal growth and flowering, I place the pot with the plant in a room with a temperature no higher than 23 degrees. In winter, the temperature must be reduced to 14 degrees (I move it to a cool place), this fact is important for fruiting.

Air humidity

For a healthy climate, moderate humidity is sufficient for the plant. In winter, when the heating is turned on, and in summer when it’s hot, I spray the leaves with warm water from a spray bottle. I wipe the dust on the leaves with a damp cloth once a week.

How often to water a pot

I water with settled water at a temperature of 25-30 degrees, when the top layer of soil has dried. Every day I monitor the condition of the earthen coma; the feijoa sheds its leaves and stops flowering if the soil is completely dry. Do not be alarmed, dear ones, if the feijoa has dropped its leaves due to drought, after watering the leaves will grow again.

Top dressing

In early spring I add nitrogen-potassium fertilizer (ammonium nitrate 2 g per bush + 2 tbsp crushed banana peel).

During the ovary period, I add an infusion of onion peels with eggshells to the watering.

How to cook:

• I brew the peels from 5 onions in hot water;
• add shells crushed into powder;
• cool to 40 degrees;
• I pour 500 ml of solution under the root.

Up to the age of 2 years, I intensively feed a young tree (once every 2 weeks) with organic fertilizer (bird droppings 10 g + 1.5 l of water). I feed it after watering so as not to burn the roots.

Features of care during flowering

During flowering, the need for phosphorus and potassium increases, so I water 0.5 liters of liquid fertilizer under the roots, which I prepare myself (1 glass of ash per 5 liters of filtered water).

Don’t forget to help with pollination; the plant cannot pollinate on its own at home. To pollinate, I take a watercolor brush and transfer pollen from flower to flower, like a bee.

This method is suitable for non-parthenocarpic (self-pollinating) varieties “Crimean Ranniy”, “Pervenets 120”. If the variety is cross-pollinating “Septyabrsky”, then you will have to grow a couple of specimens at once, otherwise there will be no harvest.

Dear readers, during the period of fruit set, feijoa needs watering and nutrition.

1. Before adding the nutrient mixture, I water it with warm, settled water.
2. I mix 10 g of boric acid, iodine, and ash in 1.5 liters of warm water.
3. Let it brew for 10 minutes.
4. I water it at the root.

Exotic fruit flowers will decorate the windowsill

Features of care during fruiting

When the fruits have set and formed, I stop feeding and water in the morning and evening. I pick ripe fruits immediately; they cannot be left on the branches (it interferes with the development of green berries).

Feijoa fruits are similar in appearance to subtropical fruits. See how to grow kiwi at home. And on your balcony there will be an evergreen garden that will be the envy of your neighbors!

Features of trimming for shaping

Dear readers, crown formation begins in the first years of growth.

When the tree grew to a meter, I trimmed the trunk by ⅓. I shorten the branches so that I get a strong crown.

Author's note Natalya Papanova Blog author

Remove shoots from the root and young shoots, which negatively affect the yield, but do not trim the young shoots of the crown - inflorescences and ovaries form on them.

Feijoa fruiting

Under home cultivation conditions, feijoa begins to bear fruit 5–6 years after it is planted. In this case, the plant must be self-pollinating - this is the main condition. When grown from a cutting, the ovary may form in the third or fourth year.

You can significantly increase your chances of a good harvest if you pollinate your own flowers. To do this, it is most convenient to use a thin brush for painting, transferring pollen from one bush to another. Thanks to this procedure, a larger number of large fruits are obtained than with self-pollination.

Feijoa begins to bear its first fruits in the 5th–6th year of growth.

As you can see, for good fruiting you will need at least two feijoa bushes. But if for some reason you do not have this opportunity, try growing domestic hybrid varieties, for example, Nikitsky aromatic, Crimean early, Akka Sellova (Zellova). They were bred specifically for our conditions, in which feijoas can only be grown in the house, and the size of the room does not always allow enough space for several large plants. From the experience of my friends, I can say that these varieties grow and bear fruit quite successfully.

Feijoa berries are shaped like lemons, 4–7 cm in size. Their slightly sour, rich taste simultaneously combines strawberries, kiwi and pineapple. The fruits ripen from October to December, and when fully ripe, fall off the branches.

Feijoa fruits look like lemons, and taste like kiwi, strawberries and pineapple at the same time.

Feijoa fruits are not only tasty, but also very healthy, since they contain a lot of elements necessary for our body:

• vitamins, especially C;
• pectin;
• cellulose;
• sugar, acids, essential oils;
• iodine.

By the way, there is a lot of iodine in berries, and what is typical is that it is contained in water-soluble compounds that are easily absorbed by the body. Therefore, for an adult, 2 fruits are enough to provide the body with the daily norm of this substance. And one more good news: feijoa does not cause allergies, unlike many other exotic and southern fruits that are not native to our latitudes, and therefore unusual for our bodies.

It is very important to know the degree of maturity of the fetus. It can be identified by the appearance of the pulp

In ripe fruit it is transparent, slightly reminiscent of jelly. The white color of the pulp indicates incomplete ripeness, but these fruits will arrive in a few days at home. Darkened flesh is a sign of overripeness; such fruits should not be eaten.

The flesh of a ripe feijoa fruit is transparent, but not dark.

You can eat feijoa fresh or make jam, compotes, jellies, marmalade, and even wine or tincture from it.

By the way, there is an opinion that the most delicious and healthy fruits are produced by feijoas growing near the sea. This is not surprising: the plant receives, in addition to sun and heat, a huge amount of minerals and nutrients that are rich in sea water and soil on the coast.