Q.1 Mr. Xiao, did you have any difficulties starting your orchard?
Yes, of course. I didn’t know how to take care of the orchard in the first year, so it was very terrible. The weeds were taller than me, and typhoons and hails were coming one after another. The yields were pretty scary, less than 40%. But things got better when I put some weed mats; the weeds were not that much any more.

Q.2 What are the common diseases and pests for guava trees and the fruits?
　　1. Pests: Tortricidaes, scale insects, water scavenger beetles, bactrocera dorsalis, aleuroclava guyavae takahashi, and grape thrips. 　　2. Diseases: guava scab, black heart, botryodiplodia rot, alga leaf spot, black mildew, and citrus greening.

　　We learnt that Mr. Xiao had been growing rice for many years in Shetou Township, but he just made up his mind to grow guava for a change. Perhaps it was because guava is a rewarding fruit and Shetou is famous for guava. He told us that he was too naïve when he started his business. He thought growing guava trees was as easy as digging a hole and planting a tree. He didn’t expect typhoons, hails, and floods to come one after another in his first year, so everything was very terrible. But, there was something good, too –he learned a lot from the experience.
　　In order to take care of guava trees, not only did Mr. Xiao use organic fertilizer and keep the farm pesticide-free, but also remove the weeds by hand, for mowers would damage the roots of the trees. Apart from dealing with weeds, pests and plant diseases, Mr. Xiao devoted himself to cultivating guava trees as well. He found that the darker the soil is, the more productive it is, so he started his work on improving soil quality. The beautiful orchard we visited was the beautiful fruit of Mr. Xiao’s hard work.