Author Topic: Avocado thread  (Read 181910 times)

Sayan128

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #125 on: December 18, 2017, 09:35:15 PM »
I just bought a “dwarf hybrid”avocado from
Home Depot. Then I noticed on my way home that it was actually grown from a seed as the bottom had a split open pit where the stem came out. What are my chances of having gotten one that actually will fruit? I’ve been waiting to get my hands on a GEM avocado for the past half a year but still haven’t gotten lucky so I caved today when I saw it...now hoping I won’t refret growing this thing!

Samu

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #126 on: December 18, 2017, 10:39:49 PM »
I think what you need to observe is whether it has a "graft line", usually about few inches above the soil surface. If that's positive, then you know it's grafted tree, and with the seed showing, this is what you want, because you'll have s tap root growing under that seed; resulting in generally faster and stronger growing tree.  (As compared to air layered tree without a tap root).

I am surprise if Home Depot is selling seedling avocado or cherimoya. But on mango, I read that they sell Manila seedlings from Lavern's nursery...
Sam

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #127 on: December 18, 2017, 11:06:21 PM »
The HD trees are grafted on zutano seedling rootstock.  The tag may say who grew it but most likely "wurtz" aka "little cado" aka "dwarf" from laverne nursery.

They have them at lowes too.  It should set fruit in a year or 2 if all goes well at its new home.
« Last Edit: December 18, 2017, 11:23:49 PM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #128 on: December 20, 2017, 10:06:57 AM »
First Sir Prize, and the flavor is NOT good plus there's internal issues. 10.15 oz. Texture is fine but the taste is almost like the crappy Tex-mex or Brogdon.  Having said that I know it's my fault for letting the newly grafted Frankencado hold too much fruit, five for the Sir Prize branch.  This one fell off in my hand and only took 2 days to soften on the counter.  The skin is very thin, much like a pure Mex making it impossible to spoon or peel without making a mess.  I hope it improves with age as everything I've read over the years both from growers and university pros say it's 'excellent'.

This half was treated with juice from a fresh key lime 2 days ago, placed in a baggie in fridge.  There were gray spots when first cut.





« Last Edit: December 20, 2017, 10:09:46 AM by Mark in Texas »

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #129 on: December 20, 2017, 10:41:49 AM »
Thats a bummer.  Are there more on there Mark?  Seems like that one was past prime.  Maybe get the others off asap.  I would pick 1 green and try next year.  Or as soon as it starts turning color.   Avocados can get over ripe and get a rancid flavor.

The peels on SP come off really easy.  You can quarter it and they peel right off.  Should not be a mess to prepare.   
« Last Edit: December 20, 2017, 10:53:59 AM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #130 on: December 21, 2017, 09:45:55 AM »
Thats a bummer.  Are there more on there Mark?  Seems like that one was past prime.  Maybe get the others off asap.  I would pick 1 green and try next year.  Or as soon as it starts turning color.   Avocados can get over ripe and get a rancid flavor.

The peels on SP come off really easy.  You can quarter it and they peel right off.  Should not be a mess to prepare.

Tried to pull off yesterday, it wouldn't budge. It's black.  Will get it off today Brad.  That leaves for more hanging though.  Nice to know the thin skin is not typical as that would be a deal killer for me.

BTW, one grower made this comment about the fruit profile.  Comments?

Thin skin is definitely not typical. It is medium thick (like Hass) and relatively easy to peel. It is not a shell (like Reed) nor is it stuck to the flesh (like Mexican varieties). The shape of the avocado looks right. But one thing that I am finding it hard to make out from the picture: Sir Prize is very distinctive in that the stem end of the avocado has these funny 'ridges'. They are not incredibly pronounced, but when you compare them to other avocado shapes they are very obvious and distinctive. The ridges are at the stem end, and run axially and cover the top 1/4-1/3 of the fruit.
 

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #131 on: December 21, 2017, 12:22:50 PM »
The skin on mine are extra thin.  But it just about falls off of long sliced pieces.  Very easy to prepare.  Just use a knife instead of a spoon.

Also, no need to treat with lime juice, Sir Prize doesn't oxidize.
Brad Spaugh

Mugenia

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #132 on: December 21, 2017, 12:37:57 PM »
Folks,

What is the Aravaipa avocado? A bunch of Arizona YouTubers are hawking this fruit like crazy. I am curious if there's anything special about it.

alangr088

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #133 on: December 21, 2017, 01:47:29 PM »
It's because it's one of the few avocados that will grow in Arizona. At least that's what I've gathered from those YouTube videos. I've never tasted the actual avocado.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #134 on: December 27, 2017, 10:28:46 AM »
The skin on mine are extra thin.  But it just about falls off of long sliced pieces.  Very easy to prepare.  Just use a knife instead of a spoon.

Also, no need to treat with lime juice, Sir Prize doesn't oxidize.

2nd Sir Prize and you were right, it is excellent - perfect creamy texture like a stick of butter, complex, rich. The only drawback is a thin skin that tends to stick to the meat.  Hope that changes with tree age. Key (for me) is to pick it with just a bit of skin green haze, about 95% black and not let it ripen more than 3 days on the counter. It's a keeper, just delish!






Samu

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #135 on: December 27, 2017, 03:31:30 PM »
I envy you Spaugh and Mark, my ripening Sir prize (above photo) was gone
during the big Santa Ana wind recently: probably already devoured by rats...!
Oh well, waiting for the next ones to ripen up...
Sam

boxturtle

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #136 on: December 27, 2017, 04:17:35 PM »
nice! is reed pretty slow growing?  I got mine planted in a flower bed and it's been growing pretty slow what's a good fertilizer regiment for them?

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #137 on: December 27, 2017, 05:56:00 PM »
Nice one Mark,  weird your skin is sticking.  It peels right off mine.  My fuertes stick like you are saying though.  I picked another green Sir Prize and its on the counter now.  They are all still green.  Had a bacon get over ripe.  Been eating hass, bacon, fuerte, and 2nd Sir Prize is coming. 

Samu, thats a bummer, I had lots of hass knock off in the santa anas.  It seems the key is to water water water for that weather.

Boxturtle Reed is a medium fast grower.  They grow pretty fast if they arent holding fruits. If its in full sun it should hit its stride next summer.

 I quit fertilizing back in September but its been so hot they could use a feeding probably.  Any citrus/avocado food will work.  Usually hit them every few months with a few handfulls of fertilizer on the mulch and then water it in.  Was hoping we would get some rain soon to leach out the soil but its not looking like much rain this winter.
Brad Spaugh

Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #138 on: December 28, 2017, 11:19:01 AM »
Reed is very vigorous for me and a must-have in your collection.  Sir Prize has a bit different fruit character, both really sooooooo fine.   Oro Negro is good perhaps a 6.5 out 10 rating.  My Gwen is a true runt and another very good fruit.  Very productive such that it needs thinning.

Against the grain I use a 12 mo. encapsulated 18-4-9 with micros.  I might tweek it come late fall with a Peters 20-3-19.

Brad, try letting it go black and then pick immediately.  Would like to know if yours ripen ultra fast.  That first one I picked could have been cut in only 2 days for a better quality fruit.  Have 3 more hanging with one on the counter coming in at 12.0 oz.  This is fun!

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #139 on: December 28, 2017, 12:29:14 PM »
Reed is very vigorous for me and a must-have in your collection.  Sir Prize has a bit different fruit character, both really sooooooo fine.   Oro Negro is good perhaps a 6.5 out 10 rating.  My Gwen is a true runt and another very good fruit.  Very productive such that it needs thinning.

Against the grain I use a 12 mo. encapsulated 18-4-9 with micros.  I might tweek it come late fall with a Peters 20-3-19.

Brad, try letting it go black and then pick immediately.  Would like to know if yours ripen ultra fast.  That first one I picked could have been cut in only 2 days for a better quality fruit.  Have 3 more hanging with one on the counter coming in at 12.0 oz.  This is fun!

I will try it if they ever turn black.  They are fully green still here.  Not sure what the hold up is.  Maybe because its still 80F outside.  Im hanging out in shorts and sandals still.  My oranges are not turning orange yet either.  Usually they are ready now. 

I got a 50lb bag of osmocote pro 8-9 month 19-5-8 sitting on the shelf.  I may try some of that on my in ground trees this coming spring.  I like the time release for potted plants a lot.
Brad Spaugh

boxturtle

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #140 on: December 28, 2017, 05:28:44 PM »
thanks yeah I hoping its not the june bug grubs  that slowing it down :( I tried milky spores and nanotodes hope it works

Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #141 on: December 31, 2017, 10:09:36 AM »
I will try it if they ever turn black.  They are fully green still here.  Not sure what the hold up is.  Maybe because its still 80F outside.  Im hanging out in shorts and sandals still.  My oranges are not turning orange yet either.  Usually they are ready now. 

I got a 50lb bag of osmocote pro 8-9 month 19-5-8 sitting on the shelf.  I may try some of that on my in ground trees this coming spring.  I like the time release for potted plants a lot.

Yeah, you're on the warm and dry side unfortunately.  Crazy weather, a La Nina climate anomoly according to the all time expert, Joe Bastardi.  As I speak it's Game On in the Texas hill country with temps at 35F now and dropping, 3 nights in the teens starting tonigh, 6 days of below freezing temps.  Topped off the greenhouse propane tank, wrapped outdoor citrus, etc. 

Let r rip......

JF

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #142 on: January 02, 2018, 12:28:43 PM »
Here is one of the best cado in season, can get enough.
Ismael like butter not watery despite its West Indian  linage




Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #143 on: January 05, 2018, 10:12:46 AM »
Here is one of the best cado in season, can get enough.
Ismael like butter not watery despite its West Indian  linage




Nice and simply amazing that it's not watery which is a real turn off for me.  Speaking of W. Indies lineage Carlos mailed me some Catalinas and Monroes which we were really enjoyed.

Harvested my third Sir Prize and it was the excellent - VERY creamy, tasty, peeled quite easy.  I picked it with just a spot of green and instead of taking 3 days on the counter like the others this one took about 9 days.  Nice size too - 12.0 oz.




« Last Edit: January 05, 2018, 10:14:59 AM by Mark in Texas »

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #144 on: January 30, 2018, 11:41:53 AM »
Went and checked the trees out this morning.  We had a santa ana event and the trees got blasted a bit this weekend.  No damage or lost fruits thankfully.  Noticed my pinkerton tree already has started setting fruit.

Most of the trees are in full bloom. 




Brad Spaugh

sidney

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #145 on: January 30, 2018, 04:35:16 PM »
I have Lula,Oro Negro, Day and Brogdon.

CA Hockey

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #146 on: January 30, 2018, 09:52:46 PM »
Too many Santa Ana events this past year.

I lost >90% of my stone fruit fruitlets in April. I finally got to taste my royal Lee and Minnie royal cherries - all 2 of them that I could salvage. No pluerries, cherry plums, only 3 splash Pluto’s, can’t remember the others but total loss.

Then end of September had Santa Ana winds wind burn most of my avocados as they are in pots. Still recovering with lots of TLC

Then the past 2 weekends I have done more than 40 graftso including multiple avocado and stone fruit. Next day we have Santa Ana’s for 2 days.  Hopefully something takes.

My pinkertons are in bloom but I’m missinge bees this year. I don’t see too many around the yard.

K

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #147 on: January 31, 2018, 12:13:48 AM »
Time to get a bee hive!  Your neighbors will love it.   :)

Theres a fued between one of my neighbors who has 5 bee hives and the other who has a pool.  Pool guy and his guests were getting stung in the pool by all the bees that drink it.  The bees are welcome at my house, I have lots of fruit trees and no pool.
Brad Spaugh

Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #148 on: January 31, 2018, 07:42:27 AM »
Spring pollinators for me are not just bees, many are flies!  Also have moths, butterflies, red wasps.  Millions of bees (bee hives) were lost to the flooding by Hurricane Harvey.  We even have bees foraging in December.   If you leave a can of Cola around they will set up house in and on it.

There were about 8 flies feeding at this small section of Gwen avocado blossoms (RIP).  :D 



johnb51

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #149 on: January 31, 2018, 08:35:49 AM »
Too many Santa Ana events this past year.

I lost >90% of my stone fruit fruitlets in April. I finally got to taste my royal Lee and Minnie royal cherries - all 2 of them that I could salvage. No pluerries, cherry plums, only 3 splash Pluto’s, can’t remember the others but total loss.

Then end of September had Santa Ana winds wind burn most of my avocados as they are in pots. Still recovering with lots of TLC

Then the past 2 weekends I have done more than 40 graftso including multiple avocado and stone fruit. Next day we have Santa Ana’s for 2 days.  Hopefully something takes.

My pinkertons are in bloom but I’m missinge bees this year. I don’t see too many around the yard.

K
So have the Santa Ana winds increased in frequency and intensity in recent years? 
John