The Tropical Fruit Forum

Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: Mark in Texas on June 11, 2017, 11:00:34 AM

Title: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: Mark in Texas on June 11, 2017, 11:00:34 AM
Tidy little tree, granddaughter of Hass, good bearer, and for us the taste is great.  Carlos said the taste was bland in his journal.  I'm wondering if that's due to the Florida heat, or abundant rainfall, perhaps just the terroir.  FWIW it's Will Brokaw's favorite.  That speaks volumes.

Having said that I'd like to know if there are any Florida growers growing Reed.  It certainly lives up to the claim as being the best tasting avocado in the States.  It's like eating a stick of avocado flavored butter with the PERFECT texture and hard "peel".  We just love Reed.

Gwen fruit:


(https://s29.postimg.cc/kmk0xid9v/Gwen_June11.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/kmk0xid9v/)
Title: Re: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: barath on June 11, 2017, 12:30:39 PM
Gwen's my favorite variety, and it's in season here Central CA.  I've never tasted a bland Gwen. (Well, now it's my second favorite after a unnamed rare Hawaiian variety.)
Title: Re: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: spaugh on June 11, 2017, 12:33:32 PM
Guess I need to grow a gwen now...
Title: Re: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: spaugh on June 11, 2017, 12:51:55 PM
Mark there is also a GEM hass, do you grow this type?  What about LAMB hass?  I have a single LAMB hass tree and it is completely loaded with avocados.  The fruit set is AMAZING.  Such dense fruit set I am thinking I should thin them down.  This is just one small branch.  The entire tree is loaded like this.  Its like every single flower set a fruit. On a 2 year old tree.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4271/35063758416_522f700c07_b.jpg)
Title: Re: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: Mark in Texas on November 16, 2017, 09:24:48 AM
Mark there is also a GEM hass, do you grow this type?  What about LAMB hass?  I have a single LAMB hass tree and it is completely loaded with avocados.  The fruit set is AMAZING.  Such dense fruit set I am thinking I should thin them down.  This is just one small branch.  The entire tree is loaded like this.  Its like every single flower set a fruit. On a 2 year old tree.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4271/35063758416_522f700c07_b.jpg)

Unbelievable!!!!!!  No, tried to get GEM wood but it was still under patent.  I assume the patent has expired??????   ???   No Lamb Hass either.  Last year's grafted Sir Prize on my Frankencado is doing the veraison thing now.  Come soon mon!

Sorry for not checking for replies any sooner!

(https://s8.postimg.cc/5klk9zm81/Sir_Prize_Nov11.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/5klk9zm81/)
Title: Re: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: Mark in Texas on November 16, 2017, 09:25:42 AM
Gwen's my favorite variety, and it's in season here Central CA.  I've never tasted a bland Gwen. (Well, now it's my second favorite after a unnamed rare Hawaiian variety.)

It's also Brokaw's favorite and that speaks volumes.
Title: Re: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: JF on November 16, 2017, 01:27:39 PM
Mark there is also a GEM hass, do you grow this type?  What about LAMB hass?  I have a single LAMB hass tree and it is completely loaded with avocados.  The fruit set is AMAZING.  Such dense fruit set I am thinking I should thin them down.  This is just one small branch.  The entire tree is loaded like this.  Its like every single flower set a fruit. On a 2 year old tree.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4271/35063758416_522f700c07_b.jpg)

Unbelievable!!!!!!  No, tried to get GEM wood but it was still under patent.  I assume the patent has expired??????   ???   No Lamb Hass either.  Last year's grafted Sir Prize on my Frankencado is doing the veraison thing now.  Come soon mon!

Sorry for not checking for replies any sooner!

(https://s8.postimg.cc/5klk9zm81/Sir_Prize_Nov11.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/5klk9zm81/)

Say Mark whatever happen to Carlos? Did his orchard survive Irma? Yea I’ve had early sir prizes and to my surprise they’ve been excellent. Their taste usually improves late winter early spring
Title: Re: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: Bush2Beach on November 17, 2017, 02:16:19 PM
Ive got Gem hanging on by a thread for years from Epicenter Avocado's. Could be on DUKE rootstock which did not do well for me here.
Title: Re: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: JF on November 17, 2017, 05:16:11 PM
(https://s7.postimg.cc/mw3hixv1j/B827_EC2_E-_D6_C2-4_A35-_A057-9_B3_C88540_E08.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/mw3hixv1j/)

(https://s7.postimg.cc/804yba6rb/EB023074-_EEF2-4647-_A6_E4-_F63_C280012_C9.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/804yba6rb/)

Sir Prize ripening and tasting perfect I wonder if it’s because of our warm fall so far
Title: Re: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: Jack, Nipomo on November 17, 2017, 06:41:40 PM
I have GEM and have enjoyed fruit from it.  Fruit is very good, turns black when ripe.  Not as big as Hass and certainly not as vigorous.  I have so many different varieties of avocado and GEM is OK in comparison to others, but really you can't beat a well-grown Hass here in California.  The GEM is a seedling of GWEN, grand daughter of Hass.  Much smaller and slower growing than a Hass.  Carmen is growing rapidly and hopefully this year we can see if all the publicity is correct.  Sure is a strong grower. Lamb-Hass is also growing well and quite productive here in the Central Coast.
Title: Re: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: Mark in Texas on November 18, 2017, 09:28:07 AM
Say Mark whatever happen to Carlos? Did his orchard survive Irma? Yea I’ve had early sir prizes and to my surprise they’ve been excellent. Their taste usually improves late winter early spring

Last thing I heard from him was he was about to take a crew into the orchard and do a damage assessment.  I think his home property did pretty well.  His last comment was "I'm getting too old for this shit."   ;D

Yeah, my multi branching BRANCH of Sir Prize is holding 6 really nice fruit.  Will let it go until total veraison before trying one.

Check out Holiday from last year's graft.  These bad boyz are getting big and soooooooo purty.

(https://s17.postimg.cc/w5yca98vf/Holiday_Nov17.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/w5yca98vf/)
Title: Re: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: Mark in Texas on November 18, 2017, 09:30:54 AM
Nice fruit hombres!

Another "must have" is Sharwil.  Anyone growing it?  Rich fruit, small seed.

(https://s17.postimg.cc/tpwiwbqrv/Sharwil_Feb.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/tpwiwbqrv/)

(https://s17.postimg.cc/snmcdusjv/Sharwil_Fruit_Feb.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/snmcdusjv/)
Title: Re: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: spaugh on November 18, 2017, 10:25:59 AM
Nice looking sharwil mark.  I planted a sharwil earlier this year and a jackrabbit ate it down to a twig.  I went on rabbit patrol and popped that bunny and fixed the holes in the fence.  Now the tree has come back. 

So those Sir Prize turn black on the tree?  Will have to go look at mine.

Picked my first avocado from this years fruit set a week ago.  Fuerte.  Was nice for a same year fruit.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4526/37606220645_830dcb8659_b.jpg)
Title: Re: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: CTMIAMI on November 18, 2017, 01:09:44 PM
Say Mark whatever happen to Carlos? Did his orchard survive Irma? Yea I’ve had early sir prizes and to my surprise they’ve been excellent. Their taste usually improves late winter early spring

Last thing I heard from him was he was about to take a crew into the orchard and do a damage assessment.  I think his home property did pretty well.  His last comment was "I'm getting too old for this shit."   ;D

Yeah, my multi branching BRANCH of Sir Prize is holding 6 really nice fruit.  Will let it go until total veraison before trying one.

Indeed I'm getting too old. 45% of my trees went down the other 35% had broken damage in branches 4" or larger the rest minor damage.  Eventually out of the downed trees I think 10% + will die. Boring beetles are drilling some by now.


 

Check out Holiday from last year's graft.  These bad boyz are getting big and soooooooo purty.

(https://s17.postimg.cc/w5yca98vf/Holiday_Nov17.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/w5yca98vf/)
Title: Re: Gwen avocado, a variety you don't see anymore. Also, any Florida Reed growers?
Post by: Mark in Texas on November 19, 2017, 09:09:40 AM
Nice Fuerte Brad!  I love Fuerte.

Indeed I'm getting too old. 45% of my trees went down the other 35% had broken damage in branches 4" or larger the rest minor damage.  Eventually out of the downed trees I think 10% + will die. Boring beetles are drilling some by now.

Good grief!  Sorry to hear this Carlos.  At least you're sitting on multi million real estate in case you choose to bail.

At 68 and no help, this year is my last for the Xmas tree biz.  Don't need the shit especially from insurance underwriters who think my little op is high risk regarding liability.  They want their cake and eat it too.

Fun while it lasted.  My future hay field.  :D

(https://s8.postimg.cc/onye0lo4h/Tree_Rows.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/onye0lo4h/)