Such floppy, breaky trees! Strengthen your Tamarillo and create a robust, stocky shape with a good spring prune. This is especially important if your tree has to cope with wind.
If you are planting new Tams this spring, follow along in all my Citrus planting ways. Free drainage, living soil + frost free are the top priorities, include wind free and you are onto a winner. Wait to plant until risk of frost is passed. Pinch out the tops of new trees when they reach your preferred height, to stimulate branching. They can be as tall or short as you like. Choose a height that matches your shelter to easily keep them out of the wind.
On established trees, create as balanced a shape as you can without pruning too much off. Remove withered, weak or damaged branches/ shoots, then head back (trim back) lanky branches by as much as half in order to match (ish) the length of the shortest ones. This makes for a balanced, strong shape and will promote fruiting wood.
If your tree is overly lanky or sparse or one sided, consider the light that’s getting to it – is there enough? Perhaps prune surrounding trees to let a more even light supply shine on in. You can be dramatic and prune it back hard for a fresh start – then feed it up and watch it go!
Have a bit of fun with Tamarillos and plant them in a jungle-y way, on the north side of fast growing companions like tithonia, manuka and tagaste. Let them wind their way through their neighbours. They grow well with citrus + avocados, as they need the same kind of environment.
Short lived trees at best, so start new ones off every four or five years. Collect the seed of your best fruit from a strong growing tree, in the same way as per tomatoes. As with all your home collected seed – they’ll germinate well and grow strongly.
