Cherimoy: Growing and harvesting the ice cream fruit at home

Cherimoy: Growing and harvesting the ice cream fruit at home
Cherimoy: Growing and harvesting the ice cream fruit at home
Anonim

The Cherimoya is also known under the names cream apple and ice cream fruit. It owes this to its creamy and sweet aroma. In our latitudes, the exotic Cherimoyas can be grown in pots if the plants are overwintered indoors.

Planting cherimoya
Planting cherimoya

How to grow Cherimoya plants from seeds?

Cherimoyas are grown from seeds by placing them in potting soil and covering them with soil. The plants need warmth, but not direct sun, and thrive best in cactus soil or sandy garden soil. The best times for sowing and container planting are winter and spring.

How to plant cherimoyas?

The seeds are simply placed in small pots with potting soil (€6.00 on Amazon) and covered with a two centimeter thick layer of soil.

After emergence, which can take up to two months, the plants are placed in a warm but not sunny location.

Depending on their growth, the cherimoyas are planted in pots after one or two years.

Which soil do they grow best in?

The Cherimoya needs few nutrients. Cactus soil is well suited. Mix simple garden soil with sand.

When is the best time to plant?

Sowing takes place in winter, as the fruits are then ripe and the seeds can be released for sowing.

You should plant the cherimoyas in containers in spring, before the plant sprouts.

Which location is ideal?

Young trees like it warm but not sunny. Mature trees thrive best in full sun.

When can the fruits be harvested?

It takes several years before the tree develops flowers for the first time. Only then can pollination take place.

The fruits of the Cherimoya are ready to harvest in late autumn to winter.

They only develop their full aroma when they are fully ripe. Then the edible peel turns brownish and the flesh gives way under slight pressure.

How does propagation occur?

Cherimoyas are self-pollinating and are propagated by seeds. The fairly large black seeds are simply placed in a pot with potting soil.

The seeds are poisonous and must not be eaten.

Since natural pollinators are missing in our latitudes, pollination has to be done by hand:

  • In the evening, use a brush to remove pollen from the male flower
  • Keep brushes cool
  • Transfer pollen to female flower in the morning

Tips & Tricks

In the wild in South America, the fast-growing trees reach heights of up to seven meters. They don't get that big in the bucket. Nevertheless, you have to take the space requirements into account because you have to overwinter the non-frost-hardy plants in the house.