How to Grow Loquat in the Shade

Find a partially shaded location that offers well-draining soil. Loquat can grow in most soil types, from light sandy loam to clay or limestone. Loquat leaves get scaled at temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, therefore partial shade in hot climates protects your tree.

Dig a hole twice as deep and wide as your tree's root ball, removing rocks, weeds and other objects from the site.

Remove your loquat from its container and massage the root ball with your hands. Gently unwind tangled roots, then place the tree in the hole so it sits vertically straight and at the same depth as it did in its container. Fill in the hole with the same soil you made the hole with to complete planting.

Apply a thin layer of compost on the top of the soil to nourish your loquat and to preserve moisture.

Water to saturate the soil. Going forward, water to saturate the soil and allow the earth to dry out between waterings. While drought tolerant, these trees do better with regular deep watering. Loquat trees do not tolerate standing water.

Fertilize your loquat three times from spring to fall. Try 1 pound of 6-6-6 for a tree 8 to 10 feet tall, adjusting that amount upwards by the dose range chart on your fertilizer bag. Apply in the spring, in the summer and again in autumn.

Harvest loquats when they ripen, approximately 90 days after bloom time. Loquat fruit will feel soft to the touch when ripe and change hue, turning various shades of yellow or orange depending on the cultivar. Snip loquat clusters off the tree using scissors and store the fruit in your refrigerator.

Prune loquat just after harvest to remove crossed branches and open up the canopy to air circulation and light. Trim back the tips of branches to control plant size. Remove branches from crowded parts of the canopy so air can pass through the tree. Prune suckers from the trunk.