Author Topic: Pick 2: Stewart, Pinkerton, Reed, Nishikawa?  (Read 2200 times)

poofystuff

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 20
    • Melbourne, Florida 9B/10
    • View Profile
Pick 2: Stewart, Pinkerton, Reed, Nishikawa?
« on: September 26, 2019, 02:37:52 PM »
Hi All, I have some space for 2 more Avocado trees. Which two of the above would you select? I am in 9b in Florida, hate Florida avocados minus a variety or two that I have trees already planted so I want to add some of the more "hass-like" avocados to see if any of them will do well here. I had a young Reed planted that died due to a freak accident. These are the varieties I am most interested in. I am mostly just interested in taste, creamier is better. There really isn't a whole lot of or really any information that shows which of these varieties will perform best in my location so I this will also be a test to see how they perform.   I have only ever tasted the Nishikawa which I enjoy. I already have my own opinion, just want to see if anyone can convince me either way. I am not worried about not liking them as I can just top work them later if I think they suck.

nighthawk0911@yahoo.com

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 265
  • Blue lives matter.
    • SW Florida Zone 9B
    • View Profile
Re: Pick 2: Stewart, Pinkerton, Reed, Nishikawa?
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2019, 01:17:36 AM »
Howdy

I am also in 9B and am in the process of adding more avocado varieties.  I have Brogdon (Hass like flavor) which is probably one of the best for our area and Choquette.

I am preparing to add more trees and these are the ones that made my shortlist.

1. Day (Must Have)
2. Oro Negro (Must Have)

3. Lula
4..Wurtz
5. Nishikawa
6 Kampong
7. Super Haas
8. Ettinger


Also under consideration

Monroe
Stewart
Wilson
Bernecker
Walden
Tower2
Mexicola/Winter Mexican

Reed may be a good California variety, but here in Florida it's not popular or highly rated..  Pinkerton is also California variety not highly rated for Florida. Check the reviews on Pine Island nursery. Nishikawa & Stewart probably both worth trying but wouldn't be at the top of my list.

If space is limited I would plant:

1. Brogdon
2. Day
3. Oro Negro
4. Lula

and then whatever else you want. There are many good varieties we can't grow here in 9B due to our occasional hard freezes and high humidity.

Good Luck

« Last Edit: October 06, 2019, 08:56:16 PM by nighthawk0911@yahoo.com »
Blessed be the man who plants a tree knowing he will never live to enjoy it's fruit or shade.

Mark in Texas

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4220
    • Fredericksburg Texas, (central TX), zone 8a
    • View Profile
Re: Pick 2: Stewart, Pinkerton, Reed, Nishikawa?
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2019, 03:51:26 PM »
Howdy

I am also in 9B and am in the process of adding more avocado varieties.  I have Brogdon (Hass like flavor) which is probably one of the best for our area and Choquette.

I am preparing to add more trees and these are the ones that made my shortlist.

1. Day (Must Have)
2. Oro Negro (Must Have)

3. Lula
4..Wurtz
5. Nishikawa
6 Kampong
7. Super Haas
8. Ettinger


Also under consideration

Miguel
Monroe
Marcus
Stewart
Hardee
Wilson
Bernecker
Walden
Tower2
Mexican/Winter Mexican

Reed may be a good California variety, but here in Florida it's not popular or highly rated..  Pinkerton is also California variety not highly rated for Florida. Check the reviews on Pine Island nursery. Nishikawa & Stewart probably both worth trying but wouldn't be at the top of my list.

If space is limited I would plant:

1. Brogdon
2. Day
3. Oro Negro
4. Lula

and then whatever else you want. There are many good varieties we can't grow here in 9B due to our occasional hard freezes and high humidity.

Good Luck

I have grown and or tasted most of those and was not impressed in comparison to SoCal varieties I grow now.  My Reed laughs at heat, same with Pinkerton.  Both have taken 112F for a very short time before I gave them a cooling shower.  Brogdon and a very heavy bearing ON are now rootstock hosts to GEM, Lamb Haas and Sharwil.  Lula and other varieties like Day are grown in the TX. Rio Grand valley.  it's that W. Indies watery heritage I don't care for. 

Reed can get overly rich for some.

Was sent some Monroe and Catalina by Carlos of Homestead.  For a Slimcado they were pretty damn good.
 

nighthawk0911@yahoo.com

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 265
  • Blue lives matter.
    • SW Florida Zone 9B
    • View Profile
Re: Pick 2: Stewart, Pinkerton, Reed, Nishikawa?
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2019, 01:41:51 AM »
Howdy

I am also in 9B and am in the process of adding more avocado varieties.  I have Brogdon (Hass like flavor) which is probably one of the best for our area and Choquette.

I am preparing to add more trees and these are the ones that made my shortlist.

1. Day (Must Have)
2. Oro Negro (Must Have)

3. Lula
4..Wurtz
5. Nishikawa
6 Kampong
7. Super Haas
8. Ettinger


Also under consideration

Miguel
Monroe
Marcus
Stewart
Hardee
Wilson
Bernecker
Walden
Tower2
Mexican/Winter Mexican

Reed may be a good California variety, but here in Florida it's not popular or highly rated..  Pinkerton is also California variety not highly rated for Florida. Check the reviews on Pine Island nursery. Nishikawa & Stewart probably both worth trying but wouldn't be at the top of my list.

If space is limited I would plant:

1. Brogdon
2. Day
3. Oro Negro
4. Lula

and then whatever else you want. There are many good varieties we can't grow here in 9B due to our occasional hard freezes and high humidity.

Good Luck

I have grown and or tasted most of those and was not impressed in comparison to SoCal varieties I grow now.  My Reed laughs at heat, same with Pinkerton.  Both have taken 112F for a very short time before I gave them a cooling shower.  Brogdon and a very heavy bearing ON are now rootstock hosts to GEM, Lamb Haas and Sharwil.  Lula and other varieties like Day are grown in the TX. Rio Grand valley.  it's that W. Indies watery heritage I don't care for. 

Reed can get overly rich for some.

Was sent some Monroe and Catalina by Carlos of Homestead.  For a Slimcado they were pretty damn good.

Carlos has the advantage of growing in 10B and you have the advantage of growing in a greenhouse in a climate controlled environment.  There are a lot of California and 10B varieties we simply can't grow here in Florida 9B more often more due to COLD weather not just the heat/humidity.  Record low here in SW Florida 9B is around 20 degrees.  We even had snowball fights here 25 years ago.  I have lost Haas trees to frost here back in my old stubborn zone denial days.  There are even Florida varieties that Carlos can grow in 10B 175 miles further south that likely would lost to the hard overnight freezes we get here in 9B. Both Monroe & Catalina are great varieties, but are marginal here in 9B due to cold tolerance and rarely seen in local nurseries. Choquette though less tasty is much more commonly encountered here than Monroe as it is slightly more cold hardy.  But drive 100 miles further south or live a couple of miles from the coast and it can be a different story.  Micro climates are a way of life here.  Often your ZIP code will determine if you can grow some tropicals here. Where I live coconut palms won't survive.  5 miles further west they will due to the moderating effect of the Gulf air.  Brogdon despite any perceived shortcomings (large seed/thin skin, etc) is a very popular dooryard variety in this area as it is a one of the best tasting of the cold hardy varieties.  We are highly envious of the left coasters who can grow a "Jan Boyce" in their backyard, but it's Florida 9B which comes with it's own set of challenges& limitations.  Where just a couple of degrees of sub freezing cold tolerance can make a difference. If Catalina and Monroe cold hardiness ratings were slightly better I would love to try them here. If anyone living in the INLAND 9B area has had success with Monroe or Catalina surviving to the low 20's let me know....I would love to add them to my wish list. 

Green Thumbs Up  : )

« Last Edit: October 01, 2019, 02:02:06 AM by nighthawk0911@yahoo.com »
Blessed be the man who plants a tree knowing he will never live to enjoy it's fruit or shade.

Mark in Texas

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4220
    • Fredericksburg Texas, (central TX), zone 8a
    • View Profile
Re: Pick 2: Stewart, Pinkerton, Reed, Nishikawa?
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2019, 08:15:38 AM »
Carlos has the advantage of growing in 10B and you have the advantage of growing in a greenhouse in a climate controlled environment.  There are a lot of California and 10B varieties we simply can't grow here in Florida 9B more often more due to COLD weather not just the heat/humidity.

How often do you go below, say.....26F?  I assume you missed it but back in Jan. 2018 I had a heater failure.  Outside air was 13F, inside 18F.  I thought everything was dead as it was a greenhouse floor of dead leaves.  The citrus and all of the avocados made it, including the Reed.  Lost my precious cocktail mangos, most of them Zill varieties.  7 mos. later the Reed was going nuts, as is everything right now.  I expect a very heavy crop of everything next year - avocados, mangos, citrus.
 
Feb. 1.  Reed was cut back to 3 stubs.



7 months later, Oct.



Quote
  Record low here in SW Florida 9B is around 20 degrees.  We even had snowball fights here 25 years ago.........

Well said regarding the microclimates.  I think it was the heavy canopy and mulch micro climate that got my trees thru that ultra hard freeze.  That and THE most important factor - they were acclimatized, subject to mid to low 30's for a few days prior.  What kills us in Texas is these wide temp swings brought on by Arctic blasts.  80F one day, 25F the next morning.

I have a friend in Houston that has a 16' cocktail mango tree.  Fruits well and heavy.  He has a PVC rig to protect them come winter.

Good luck!

GangstaRIB

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 35
    • Clermont, FL | Central Florida Ridges and Uplands USDA Zone 9b
    • View Profile
Re: Pick 2: Stewart, Pinkerton, Reed, Nishikawa?
« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2019, 01:21:23 AM »
Awesome I remember reading about this. Good to see they came back.

Carlos has the advantage of growing in 10B and you have the advantage of growing in a greenhouse in a climate controlled environment.  There are a lot of California and 10B varieties we simply can't grow here in Florida 9B more often more due to COLD weather not just the heat/humidity.

How often do you go below, say.....26F?  I assume you missed it but back in Jan. 2018 I had a heater failure.  Outside air was 13F, inside 18F.  I thought everything was dead as it was a greenhouse floor of dead leaves.  The citrus and all of the avocados made it, including the Reed.  Lost my precious cocktail mangos, most of them Zill varieties.  7 mos. later the Reed was going nuts, as is everything right now.  I expect a very heavy crop of everything next year - avocados, mangos, citrus.
 
Feb. 1.  Reed was cut back to 3 stubs.



7 months later, Oct.



Quote
  Record low here in SW Florida 9B is around 20 degrees.  We even had snowball fights here 25 years ago.........

Well said regarding the microclimates.  I think it was the heavy canopy and mulch micro climate that got my trees thru that ultra hard freeze.  That and THE most important factor - they were acclimatized, subject to mid to low 30's for a few days prior.  What kills us in Texas is these wide temp swings brought on by Arctic blasts.  80F one day, 25F the next morning.

I have a friend in Houston that has a 16' cocktail mango tree.  Fruits well and heavy.  He has a PVC rig to protect them come winter.

Good luck!

pineislander

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2199
    • Bokeelia, FL
    • View Profile
Re: Pick 2: Stewart, Pinkerton, Reed, Nishikawa?
« Reply #6 on: November 12, 2019, 07:19:00 PM »
Nishikawa about ready to pick.





Mike T

  • Zone 12a
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9012
  • Cairns,Nth Qld, Australia
    • Zone 12a
    • View Profile
Re: Pick 2: Stewart, Pinkerton, Reed, Nishikawa?
« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2019, 07:30:11 PM »
Reed and wurtz are actually pretty good quality and handle humid warm climates even into the tropics. Pinkerton has nice quality fruit but does not enjoy warm climates.

Mark in Texas

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4220
    • Fredericksburg Texas, (central TX), zone 8a
    • View Profile
Re: Pick 2: Stewart, Pinkerton, Reed, Nishikawa?
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2019, 09:50:38 AM »
Pinkerton has nice quality fruit but does not enjoy warm climates.

Does fine here in some real ass kicking heat too.  Last summer my 2 trees have been hit constantly by greenhouse temps of 100F +, 38C + and done great.  One of its parents (Rincon) is known for excelling in the heat, in the tropics.  i got Rincon wood from U. of Cali., didn't take.  http://www.avocadosource.com/AvocadoVarieties/QueryDB.asp