Getting Fruit on Fruit Trees

 I've got several fruit trees that had never produced fruit. 

Well, that's not entirely true. Our first Summer and Autumn there were apricots on the tree. One of the cats would climb the tree and play with the apricots like those dangly cat toys until he knocked them off and then the dog would carefully place them between his front paws and lick them down to the stone. All before they came ripe.

We didn't get any more fruit for the next six or seven years. 

There were lots of theories and wisdom offered as to why.

So one year, as I pruned it, I told the tree it was its last chance. If I didn't get any fruit next season, I'd be cutting it down. 

Next season and each season since, there have been plenty of apricots. 

So I tried the same thing on my feijoa trees this year. I've never had fruit on them in the eleven years we've been here. 

Until now.

It's very late in the season, and I'd given up on seeing anything on them a couple of months ago. 

Hubby and I were going past them on our way to ready the borrowed ram to go back home. As we were walking past the feijoas, Hubby said "what's that?" Pointing to a large feijoa on the ground. 

Looking up at the tree, we saw lots more in various sizes. On both trees.

There's certainly something to be said for threatening fruit trees.