The Complete Handbook of Feijoas

I've been growing feijoas on a small commercial scale for six years, and this is the first book that doesn't treat me like a beginner or a tourist. The cultivar breakdown alone is worth the price—it clearly explains the differences in ripening time and acidity between 'Unique' and 'Opal Star', which I've never seen done properly. The section on post-harvest handling, especially the temperature curves for storage, is practical and detailed enough to actually use in the packing shed. I've already bought three copies for my pickers to reference.

I bought this for my husband who manages our orchard, but I ended up reading the business chapters myself. The chapter on commercial opportunities is realistic, not pie-in-the-sky—it clearly lays out the margins on fresh fruit versus pulp and even discusses the logistics of selling to specialty grocers. It's also written in plain language, which is refreshing. We've been flying blind for years with just leaflets from the nursery, and this finally gives us a proper manual to work from.

It's a solid reference, but I found the first chapter on understanding feijoas a bit too steeped in botany for what I needed. I just wanted to know which variety to plant in my backyard for the best taste, and the book takes a while to get to the practical cultivar comparison. That said, when it does get there, the information is excellent and thorough. The troubleshooting section on fruit drop was helpful. I'd recommend it, but skim the first few sections if you're a hobbyist, not a professional.

Very useful for my fruit stand. I buy feijoas from multiple growers and I finally have a solid guide to the grading specifications and brix levels that indicate true ripeness. The section on storage was a huge help—I'm losing less fruit to over-ripening now. It's a bit dry in places, and I wish there were more photos, but as a reference book, it does exactly what it promises. It's earned a permanent spot on my office shelf.

As a chef, I was looking for practical information on processing large quantities of feijoas for desserts and sauces. The chapter on post-harvest handling and processing is the best I've found. It goes into real detail on pulp extraction, freezing, and how to manage oxidation, which is the main problem we had with browning. The acidity chart for different cultivars has helped me balance flavors in my recipes. A very solid, practical guide for food businesses.

I'll admit I was expecting a bit more visual guidance. The text is dense and incredibly informative, but diagrams of pruning cuts or netting structures would have made the installation and usage chapter much easier to follow. That said, the information itself corrected several mistakes I've been making with my own trees, particularly around irrigation. It's a comprehensive and welcome addition to the limited literature on this fruit. I just wish it were a little more illustrated.

Great resource for anyone serious about feijoas. The 'Choosing the Right Feijoas' chapter is a masterclass—it walks you through selecting a cultivar based on chill hours and market demand with concrete examples from real orchards. I appreciate that it doesn't just list the best varieties, but explains why you might choose one over another for your specific situation. I read it cover to cover and immediately adjusted my planting plan. Minor quibble: the index is a bit thin, but the content is top-notch.