Avocado Tree Advice - Help: Wurtz + Oro Negro

[Bitterlick]

Good afternoon:

We live on a barrier island off the Gulf Coast of Florida and as we have a planting area of @10-12ft in diameter available, we would like to plant a second avocado tree to compliment the Day variety that we already have on our property. A big issue is space: There simply isn't room for a tree that will develop into a 20ft canopy or will grow to be 30ft tall. My wife and I have tried the Oro Negro which tastes great, but not the Wurtz. The Oro Negro and the Wurtz are two trees that we have access to in 25gal containers.

From what I am seeing and hearing from growers, the Oro Negro will grow to be 30ft tall...in 25 or 30 years. I suppose it can also be pruned if it gets to be too big. What attracts us to the Wurtz is that it appears to be the only true "dwarf" avocado tree that will fit nicely into the limited space we have available.

Any thoughts, opinions, or experience that anyone may be able to share?

Also, how much of an impact does having an A-flower avocado tree (such as our Day) planted in relatively close proximity to a B-flower avocado tree in terms of yield?

Thank you.

[Bitterlick]

I did make the executive decision to go with the Oro Negro; hopefully I can keep it pruned to a manageable 15ft tall/10ft canopy.

[Bitterlick]

PS-- Tough crowd. A very tough crowd.

[pineislander]

Hey I have both but you can keep an avocado tree small enough for your space by pruning after fruit comes off.
Mulch very well to protect fine surface feeder roots, feed it regularly to keep it growing vigorously. If it grows well you should have to prune to keep it in bounds. If it slows down and deosn't need pruning, something is wrong.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxwSmoIZ2aU&t=8s

[Coach62]

Sounds like a good choice to me.  Day fruits mid to late summer, if I recall, the Oro Negro fruits fall to winter, so you'll extend your eating season.

[Bitterlick]

Hi, and thanks to both for your advice/confirmations. One thing that does make me nervous is that I am 2 blocks from the Gulf of Mexico here on a barrier island, and usually two times or so each summer, there is flooding during storms. I will be putting the Oro Negro in a raised bed, though the future does not bode well for living at sea level in Florida (not to get political).

One other concern. We planted a 15gal Day variety about 4 years ago. By the second year we had it it set fruit for the first time, and I am embarrassed to admit we were not aware that first-year avocado fruit should be pulled off so as not to inhibit growth of the young tree. There was an enormous yield (and very good flavor, I might add). The next year--last year--produced maybe 4 avocados. This year there was what appeared to be a large amount of avocados budding, but none did. Quite a bit of leaf/branch growth, but no avocados. Is this anything to be worried about, or will the tree be producing avocados in another year or two?

[jacquem]

If the Oro Negro is like the Brazos Bell, the fruit is smallish and blackish purple, and a Fall fruit. I have had mine (a 15 gallon) in the ground in Titusville for 6 years and it is a beautiful healthy tree that has settled in at 10 feet high. I have tons of fruit for 3 years now (even with some frost damage) and haven't been able to eat even one avocado from this tree. They stay hard and bitter until they rot. Even the squirrels won't eat them. The green skin trees produce well ........... what is the problem? I had Haas trees in California, so I know a little about the black fruit ........ this has me crazy to know the secret. Anyone?

[CTMIAMI]

Oro Negro is nothing like Blazos Bell or any of the so called cold hardy varieties from Arizona/Texas. Is a very fine piece of fruit. Creamy, taste like an A + Catalina, close to a Nishikawa

[zephian]

I've heard wurtz grows very wide and fruit isn't all that great.

[Dylan SB]

Here is a picture of my Wurtz Tree.  I have had the tree since 2001.  It went in the ground Fall 2006 before the Jan 2007 freeze.  We had 3 nights in a row at or below 25F.  The tree was protected with a sheet draper over it and suffered some minor defoliation.  I did not get any fruit set until I got a Bacon Avocado.  I purchased the Bacon in 2008 or there about and the Wurtz started producing fruit.  I am not sure if this was because of the pollination or because the tree was in the ground.  I prune the tree regularly and it is about 12" high today.  I prune out any vigorous shoots that do not have fruit on them.  I did this about a week ago.  So far this year looks like the tree will set a lot of fruit.  It seems to do this when it blooms during warmer weather.  I will keep pruning the tree up until August or September.  If I prune later than that the tree will not bloom well.  As for fruit quality the fruit tastes decent if picked now in May but will improve a lot if allowed to stay on the tree for several more months.

[GangstaRIB]

Oro Negro is nothing like Blazos Bell or any of the so called cold hardy varieties from Arizona/Texas. Is a very fine piece of fruit. Creamy, taste like an A + Catalina, close to a Nishikawa

I think in your blog you were talking about top working your Oro negros with something else. Did you end up keeping the ONs? I know Irma set the grove back last year but I was wondering specifically how these were doing. I put an ON in the ground this year and I'm quite excited.