Author Topic: Avocado thread  (Read 181903 times)

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #850 on: August 19, 2020, 01:15:00 PM »
Banana looks fine, it looks a bit elevated, havent seen that before really.  Maybe the soil is really shallow.  It looks like it needs mulch around the corm. 


Today we tried a holiday avocado that dropped early.  A mouse had nibbled on it and it dropped but ripened ok.  The oil content is good but still has room for improvement.  The taste is like reed, not much nuty flavor, just buttery and straight forward mild flavor.  The fruit has potential.  Overall, Im still not that impressed with the tree and fruit.  Theres others like reed that taste similar but grow better.  The huge size isn't great either.  Its a bit much even for a family of 4.




« Last Edit: August 19, 2020, 01:49:40 PM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #851 on: August 19, 2020, 05:23:21 PM »
Banana looks fine, it looks a bit elevated, havent seen that before really.  Maybe the soil is really shallow.  It looks like it needs mulch around the corm. 
Thanks for getting back on my question Brad.  The soil isn't shallow, but it's quite rocky/stony.  I believe the reason it's built up on its corm like a medieval fortress could be all the years I've been cutting it back only to have it grow out new growth within a day or week.  So it's like a scar that keeps scaring over itself.  There's plenty of detritus around from the cutting I could throw around the corm fortress.

Today we tried a holiday avocado that dropped early.  A mouse had nibbled on it and it dropped but ripened ok.  The oil content is good but still has room for improvement.  The taste is like reed, not much nuty flavor, just buttery and straight forward mild flavor.  The fruit has potential.  Overall, Im still not that impressed with the tree and fruit.  Theres others like reed that taste similar but grow better.  The huge size isn't great either.  Its a bit much even for a family of 4.


My holiday on the side-yard is the worst of five trees planted out together at the same time and under similar conditions.  The tree is weepy, and it held just one avocado where the others are doing much better this year.  Definitely agree based on minimal experience that Holiday seems to be a loser variety.  Maybe it would do well in a container (relative to alternative varieties).

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #852 on: October 14, 2020, 07:19:08 PM »
Heres a pic of the avocados in season here.  Mexicola grande on top and lamb hass on bottom.  The lambs are done and the mexicolas are coming in.  All the full mexican avocados ripen too fast and drop off the tree here.  These do it too.  They crack at the top like other Mexican avocados too.  Taste is OK.  Nothing spectacular, the lambs are better but take 9 months longer to get ripe.



Nice size at least compared to regular mexicola and stewart.  These are way larger.  I haven't noticed any off flavor in them either.  It seems like the best Mexican avocado I've tried.



We also ate the last reed of the year the other day.  Was an oil bomb

« Last Edit: October 14, 2020, 08:50:30 PM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #853 on: October 15, 2020, 02:49:11 AM »
Avocado seed sprouts  multiple shoots.  Should I leave them grow or keep just one?

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Bite marks
« Reply #854 on: October 15, 2020, 06:04:09 PM »
Any idea what critter may have gotten to this reed?



I used to lose a bunch being hollowed out overnight.  Presuming rats, I added flashing around the trees, and haven't lost any so far since then.  This MO is new to me, unless it's still a rat and just got interrupted before finishing it up.  In the area, I've seen squirrels, opposums, raccoons, and skunks, but none of them yet on the avocados.

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #855 on: October 15, 2020, 07:46:23 PM »
Reason why you should always mulch avocados.  I tweeked my Reed's pot today by pulling away mulch and adding soil where need be...and other stuff.  Hard to see but blond feeder roots can be seen growing on top of the soil under a thick mulch of pine needles and leaves.



Mark you mentioned that you use pine needles as mulch for your avocado trees.  I have Italian Cypress trees growing in my backyard.  Can I mulch my trees with Cypress' needles?

johnb51

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Re: Bite marks
« Reply #856 on: October 16, 2020, 09:19:49 AM »
Any idea what critter may have gotten to this reed?



I used to lose a bunch being hollowed out overnight.  Presuming rats, I added flashing around the trees, and haven't lost any so far since then.  This MO is new to me, unless it's still a rat and just got interrupted before finishing it up.  In the area, I've seen squirrels, opposums, raccoons, and skunks, but none of them yet on the avocados.
I'd say rat or squirrel.
John

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #857 on: October 16, 2020, 11:44:42 AM »
Banana looks fine, it looks a bit elevated, havent seen that before really.  Maybe the soil is really shallow.  It looks like it needs mulch around the corm. 
Thanks for getting back on my question Brad.  The soil isn't shallow, but it's quite rocky/stony.  I believe the reason it's built up on its corm like a medieval fortress could be all the years I've been cutting it back only to have it grow out new growth within a day or week.  So it's like a scar that keeps scaring over itself.  There's plenty of detritus around from the cutting I could throw around the corm fortress.

Today we tried a holiday avocado that dropped early.  A mouse had nibbled on it and it dropped but ripened ok.  The oil content is good but still has room for improvement.  The taste is like reed, not much nuty flavor, just buttery and straight forward mild flavor.  The fruit has potential.  Overall, Im still not that impressed with the tree and fruit.  Theres others like reed that taste similar but grow better.  The huge size isn't great either.  Its a bit much even for a family of 4.


My holiday on the side-yard is the worst of five trees planted out together at the same time and under similar conditions.  The tree is weepy, and it held just one avocado where the others are doing much better this year.  Definitely agree based on minimal experience that Holiday seems to be a loser variety.  Maybe it would do well in a container (relative to alternative varieties).
out of the 13 different varieties I own only my holiday died. All the others are thriving.

johnb51

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #858 on: October 16, 2020, 03:48:18 PM »
Today we tried a holiday avocado that dropped early.  A mouse had nibbled on it and it dropped but ripened ok.  The oil content is good but still has room for improvement.  The taste is like reed, not much nuty flavor, just buttery and straight forward mild flavor.  The fruit has potential.  Overall, Im still not that impressed with the tree and fruit.  Theres others like reed that taste similar but grow better.  The huge size isn't great either.  Its a bit much even for a family of 4.


My holiday on the side-yard is the worst of five trees planted out together at the same time and under similar conditions.  The tree is weepy, and it held just one avocado where the others are doing much better this year.  Definitely agree based on minimal experience that Holiday seems to be a loser variety.  Maybe it would do well in a container (relative to alternative varieties).
out of the 13 different varieties I own only my holiday died. All the others are thriving.
Good information about Holiday avocado.  Possibly not worth growing.
John

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #859 on: October 19, 2020, 01:42:23 PM »
Heres a pic of the mexicola grande next to a store banana.  Nothing special but better than regular mexicola.  So much larger and better flesh to seed ratio. The flavor is pretty good, not great.  It serves a purpose as a gap filler in CA when we don't have anything better this time of year.

The seed is loose in the cavity and jiggles around when you shake the fruit.


Brad Spaugh

JoeP450

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #860 on: October 23, 2020, 08:34:20 PM »



Hey Avocado experts, seeking some understanding:

Recently a new grocery store called sprouts opened up near me and while I was looking through the produce I noticed these avocados that seem like Hass but are massive compared to the average Hass avocados I’ve seen at every other store. I looked up the PLU code and came across this website that lists different PLU’s for Hass based on size and origin. http://indexfresh.com/retail-foodservice/brands/packaging/plus/ The large one in picture is 4770 mexico. So my question is, is this an actual Hass or some improved Hass cultivar? or is it a Hass but just all the bigger ones get a diff PLU based on size for selling purposes?

Thanks

Joe


Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #861 on: October 24, 2020, 08:18:55 AM »
Mark you mentioned that you use pine needles as mulch for your avocado trees.  I have Italian Cypress trees growing in my backyard.  Can I mulch my trees with Cypress' needles?

I don't see why not.  I need to collect some pine needles.  Right now they get a thick mulch of their own leaves.

Got 2 Reeds left hanging on the tree and yes they are an oil bomb.  Probably half my fruit has gone to friends.  Isn't that why we grow, to share the overage? 



Sharwil is loaded with fruit.  Am a little disappointed that I'm still getting some fruit drop, like 1 very couple of weeks.

Here's a branch of Lamb on the Sharwil tree.  Also have 2 Jan Boyce branches that took, all of this thanks to a very kind and generous member here.



Also have 3 Big Beef tomato plants loaded with green fruit.  BB is probably my favorite mater - easy to grow, productive and a fruit with a rich, sweet tomato taste.


Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #862 on: October 24, 2020, 08:21:03 AM »



Hey Avocado experts, seeking some understanding:

Recently a new grocery store called sprouts opened up near me and while I was looking through the produce I noticed these avocados that seem like Hass but are massive compared to the average Hass avocados I’ve seen at every other store. I looked up the PLU code and came across this website that lists different PLU’s for Hass based on size and origin. http://indexfresh.com/retail-foodservice/brands/packaging/plus/ The large one in picture is 4770 mexico. So my question is, is this an actual Hass or some improved Hass cultivar? or is it a Hass but just all the bigger ones get a diff PLU based on size for selling purposes?

Thanks

Joe

Probably one of the Hass varieties like Lamb.  Believe the PLU info is published on the internet.

JoeP450

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #863 on: November 07, 2020, 09:23:31 PM »
Came across a neat article on avocado breeding just passing along https://www.wired.com/2017/01/long-lonely-quest-breed-ultimate-avocado/

-Joe

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #864 on: November 08, 2020, 11:34:21 AM »
Nice little article Joe, thanks for posting ;)

Sam707

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #865 on: November 09, 2020, 12:36:13 PM »
Hello, I am new to the forum.  I planted a Holiday avocado four years ago and I noticed fruit on the tree for the first time two months ago.  The tree was pretty much left alone with drip irrigation and ignored for the last few years.  I don’t know when the first fruit set on the tree.  I have about 5 avocados total on the tree and I would hate to pick any if it’s not ready.  Based on what I read, if it’s this year’s fruit then it’s not ready and I should wait but I truly do not know if these are from last year.  Can you look at the pictures and tell me if it’s ready to harvest?  Thanks!




Greg A

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #866 on: November 10, 2020, 11:58:51 PM »
Looks immature to me. I would wait to pick one for testing around May of 2021.
gregalder.com/yardposts/

Sam707

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #867 on: November 11, 2020, 03:27:02 AM »
Looks immature to me. I would wait to pick one for testing around May of 2021.

Thanks Greg.  I enjoy reading your blog and appreciate your response.

ScottR

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #868 on: November 11, 2020, 10:56:19 AM »
The Holiday variety is named Holiday because in Irvin,Ca. it ripens around end of Dec. so watch for color to turn dull and or stem to start to turn yellow.

Sam707

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #869 on: November 11, 2020, 11:43:50 AM »
The Holiday variety is named Holiday because in Irvin,Ca. it ripens around end of Dec. so watch for color to turn dull and or stem to start to turn yellow.

Thanks Scott.  I’ll keep an eye on the stems for color change :)

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #870 on: November 23, 2020, 05:29:12 PM »
Heres a pic of the avocados in season here.  Mexicola grande on top and lamb hass on bottom.  The lambs are done and the mexicolas are coming in.  All the full mexican avocados ripen too fast and drop off the tree here.  These do it too.  They crack at the top like other Mexican avocados too.  Taste is OK.  Nothing spectacular, the lambs are better but take 9 months longer to get ripe.



Nice size at least compared to regular mexicola and stewart.  These are way larger.  I haven't noticed any off flavor in them either.  It seems like the best Mexican avocado I've tried.



We also ate the last reed of the year the other day.  Was an oil bomb

Hi Brad, this is really good info for reference.  On the Stewart front, I just got fruit drop (all 3 of 3 fruit) on the tree I am documenting in my Expandable container side-yard project blog here:
http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=27629.msg411045#msg411045

The fruit had a problem, and I'd be interested in your assessment.  If you have a chance, could you read the post and let me know what you think?  It's also interesting that my Stewart fruit is dropping 1-2 months after yours here in Sacramento valley.  Maybe the in ground vs. container?  Maturity?  My more mature in ground Mexicola dropped fruit in Sept/Oct.

Thanks,
Naysen

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #871 on: December 05, 2020, 02:34:59 PM »
Getting damage to the trunk of my young Gwen. Anyone have any advice on what this is and any remedy?


spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #872 on: December 05, 2020, 02:41:54 PM »
Rabbit damage maybe?
Brad Spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #873 on: December 15, 2020, 05:51:49 PM »
What causes avocados to be “watery”? I have a 5 or 6 year old Haas and last season half the avocados were delicious and the other half were watery.
Nate

johnb51

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #874 on: December 15, 2020, 10:21:48 PM »
What causes avocados to be “watery”? I have a 5 or 6 year old Haas and last season half the avocados were delicious and the other half were watery.
Now that's interesting.  I thought only Florida avocados were watery, or immature avocados.
John