Garden Care Guide

Loquat Care

Eriobotrya japonica

An evergreen fruit tree with large, deeply veined leaves. It flowers in autumn and its fruits ripen in spring; therefore winter frosts affect fruit set.

Half-hardy

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

January
  • Pruning: Prune as soon as flowering ends. Next year's flower buds form over the summer; late pruning reduces flowering. Prune right after harvest (June); if pruned in fall, that year's flowers are lost.
  • Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -8 °C.
February
  • Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -8 °C.
March
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer when it wakes from dormancy. Because yield and fruit quality depend on nutrient balance, having a soil analysis done is especially useful for this plant.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
  • Pests & diseases: During humid and cool periods, monitor the leaves and trunk for signs of mold, spots and rot.
April
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days. Water newly planted plants more often than established plants during the first year; the root system is still shallow.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
May
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Spread a 5-7 cm layer of mulch over the root zone; it retains soil moisture and suppresses weeds. Do not pile mulch against the trunk.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
June
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The root zone should be wetted to a depth of 30-40 cm.
  • Fertilizing: Apply the second fertilizer dose during the growing season. Do not fertilize after August; late growth will not survive winter.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
July
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The root zone should be wetted to a depth of 30-40 cm.
August
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The root zone should be wetted to a depth of 30-40 cm.
September
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
October
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days. Water newly planted plants more often than established plants during the first year; the root system is still shallow.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Suitable period for planting and transplanting. Flowering begins.
  • Pests & diseases: During humid and cool periods, monitor the leaves and trunk for signs of mold, spots and rot.
November
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Flowering continues.
  • Pests & diseases: During humid and cool periods, monitor the leaves and trunk for signs of mold, spots and rot.
December
  • General care: Flowering continues. Evergreen leaves keep losing water in winter. Water thoroughly once before the soil freezes.
  • Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -8 °C.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

Want reminders for every plant in your garden? Our garden-care app with monthly task lists and frost alerts is currently available in Turkish; the English version is on the way.

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