How to Grow Soursop
Annona muricata
Soursop is a tropical evergreen fruit tree that needs a heated greenhouse in the UK with a minimum of 12-15C over winter. Keep soil consistently moist during the growing season as drought causes leaf drop and poor fruiting. Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser and give additional potash when fruiting. Prune lightly after harvest to maintain shape, but avoid heavy pruning as soursop flowers on old wood. The large spiny fruit has a distinctive tangy flavour used in juices and desserts.
Yearly Lifecycle
Care Essentials
Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser from April to September. Add extra potash when fruiting. Apply a slow-release granular fertiliser in spring to support the growing season. Stop feeding in winter.
Watch For
- Mealybugs — the most common pest; found in leaf axils, on stems and on fruit
- Glasshouse red spider mite in warm dry conditions
- Scale insects on older woody stems
- Anthracnose — dark sunken spots on fruit; worse in humid poorly ventilated conditions
- Root rot from overwatering, especially in winter when the tree may shed leaves
Track your Soursop care schedule — pruning, feeding, and seasonal tasks
Start planning freeCare Requirements
☀️ Light
Bright light; heated greenhouse in UK
Needs bright light with some direct sun. In the UK, grow in a heated greenhouse with good light. Young trees prefer dappled shade; mature trees tolerate full sun.
💧 Watering
Keep consistently moist; drought causes leaf drop
Keep soil consistently moist during the growing season. Soursop does not tolerate drought — dry conditions cause leaf drop and poor fruiting. Reduce watering in winter but never let roots dry out.
🌱 Fertilizing
Monthly liquid feed; extra potash for fruiting
Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser from April to September. Apply a slow-release granular feed in spring. Fruiting trees benefit from additional potash.
✂️ Pruning
Light pruning after harvest; flowers on old wood
Prune lightly after harvest to maintain shape and encourage branching. Remove dead or damaged wood. Soursop flowers on old wood, so avoid heavy pruning.
❄️ Overwintering
Minimum 12-15°C; semi-deciduous in cool conditions
Not frost hardy. Maintain a minimum of 12°C — ideally 15°C. Keep in a heated greenhouse. May lose leaves in cool conditions but will regrow in spring if roots survive.
Growing Tips
Don't let it dry out
Keep soil consistently moist during the growing season — drought causes leaf drop and poor fruiting.
Flowers on old wood
Prune lightly after harvest only; soursop flowers on old wood, so heavy pruning removes next year's crop.
Semi-deciduous in cool spells
Maintain a minimum of 12-15C over winter; soursop may lose leaves in cool conditions but will regrow if roots survive.
Hand-pollinate for fruit
Hand-pollinate flowers with a small paintbrush for better fruit set, as natural pollinators are absent in UK greenhouses.
Pests & Diseases
Pest Mealybugs
Identification: White, waxy, cottony clusters in leaf axils, on stems, and on fruit. Sticky honeydew and sooty mould. Stunted growth.
- Dab individual bugs with a cotton bud soaked in methylated spirit
- Introduce the ladybird Cryptolaemus montrouzieri as biological control
- Spray with insecticidal soap
- Spray with a systemic insecticide containing acetamiprid
Pest Glasshouse Red Spider Mite
Identification: Fine stippling on upper leaf surfaces. Leaves become dull and bronzed. Fine webbing visible in severe infestations.
- Introduce the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis
- Mist foliage regularly to raise humidity
- Spray with insecticidal soap
- Spray with a miticide if biological control is insufficient
Pest Scale Insects
Identification: Small brown or white oval bumps on stems and leaf undersides. Sticky honeydew and sooty mould on foliage.
- Scrub off with a soft brush dipped in soapy water
- Apply a winter plant oil wash
- Spray with a plant oil-based insecticide
Disease Anthracnose Colletotrichum gloeosporioides
Symptoms: Dark, sunken spots on fruit and leaves. Fruit may rot before ripening. Leaves develop brown patches and may drop.
Treatment: Remove and destroy affected fruit and leaves. Improve air circulation around the tree.
Prevention: Avoid overhead watering. Ensure good ventilation in the greenhouse. Remove fallen debris promptly.
Disease Root Rot Phytophthora spp.
Symptoms: Yellowing leaves, wilting despite moist soil, dark discolouration at the stem base. Roots are brown and mushy.
Treatment: Reduce watering. Repot into fresh, well-drained compost. Cut away affected roots.
Prevention: Use well-drained compost with added perlite. Avoid overwatering. Ensure containers have adequate drainage holes.
Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 550 cm |
| Row spacing | 650 cm |
| Mature height | 500 cm |
| Mature spread | 300 cm |
Also called guanabana. Evergreen but leaves thin in cool weather. Flowers year-round. Large spiny fruit.
Log Soursop in your garden — track growth, care, and harvests year after year
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