Perfect Way to Plant Custard Apple at Home

fruit plants

May 5, 2021

Perfect Way to Plant Custard Apple at Home

In this post, we will know about Custard Apple or Sugar Apple

About custard apple
How to plant seeds at home
How to care for plants
Flowering season
Fruits time
Benefits of sugar apple

About Custard Apple: Custard Apple is one of the best tropical fruits in the family of Annonaceae. Many familiar names like Sharifa, sitafal, sugar apple, or sweetsop. Sugar Apple is native to the Americas and West Indies, and 100 gm of fruits have 94 calories. The scientific name of custard apple is Annona reticulata, and it comes with the family of Annonaceae.

How to Plant Seeds at Home: One of the best methods to plant custard plants at home is by using its seeds and grafted plants. Grafted plants give results fast, and by using their seeds, seeds may take more time for germination. Custard apple seeds are black in colour or similar to sapota (Chikoo) seeds. The size of the seeds is 10 to 20 mm long with round-shaped. Seeds or grafted plants are easily available in local nurseries or online stores.

Planting Seeds and Making Soil Potting: Take out the ripened custard apple, remove all the seeds, and keep all the seeds in the water (at least two days). Change the water every day, keep all the seeds in the coco-peat (until sprouting), and place the pot indoors.

Take the coco peat (60%), vermicompost (40%), and medium-size flowerpot (size at least 10 inches).
Mix it well.
Remove all the seeds from coco peat.
Fill the soil mixture into a flowerpot.
Dig the holes (1 inch deep) and put the seeds into those holes.
Cover the seeds with the same soil mixture and give some water.
Place the flowerpot in a semi-shaded location.

Within 10 to 15 days, germination starts from the seeds, and 2 to 4 leaves appear from the plants with one stem. If there is moisture in the soil, do not give water. If plants grow up to 5 to 6 inches, then it’s time to transplant them with a separate flowerpot.

While Soil Mixture: USDA hardiness zone should be 9-12 and the soil mixture should be rich in nutrition. In a flowerpot, make sure drainage holes are available or not. If there are no holes at the surface, then make 5 to 9 holes (Drainage holes are necessary). Cover the holes with a grenade or stones. Use a ceramic flowerpot. The distance between the seeds should be 4 to 5 inches.

How to Transplant: For best growth, transplantation is necessary. Use garden soil (50%), coco peat (25%), vermicompost (25%), and neem Khal (50gm). Mix it well and take a large flower pot (size at least 12 inches with a depth of 8 inches). Plant all the plants into a new flowerpot (3 to 4 inches deep). In a single flower pot, plant only two plants.

How to Care for Plants

Watering: Don’t overwater and while watering, always check the top layer of soil potting. If the top layer of soil potting is dried up, then give water properly. During the germination time, don’t give water. Give water after 2 to 3 days in the summer season (April to July).
Temperature: Keep the plants in full sunlight (at least 5 to 6 hours) or semi-shaded location. For best growth, always maintain the temperature between 15°C to 25°C.
Best Fertilizer for Flowering: Add 1 to 2 layers of decomposed cow dung or vermicompost during the flowering season. Fertilization is necessary after 30 to 45 days and after fertilization, give water properly.
Pruning Time: Prune the plants before the growing season (February to April). Cut out the unwanted/dry branches, and faded flowers.
Pests & Diseases: Overwatering causes root fungus or rot, so do not overwater. If any insects attack the plants, don’t forget to spray medicine on the plants.

Flowering & Fruits Season: After successful plantation, flowering starts on the plants after 18 to 20 months, and these flowers are light yellow in colour. Flowers are thick with lots of moisture. Over time, flowers grow up to 3 to 4 inches with spread up to 2 to 3 inches. After flowering, Fruits begin. Fruits are sweet in taste.

Benefits of Sugar Apple: There are lots of benefits of Custard Apple but we are showing only the top 4 benefits of fruit