Author Topic: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?  (Read 24933 times)

Mark in Texas

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #50 on: May 23, 2018, 09:25:09 AM »
We're zone 9.

Wow, never thought zone 9.  That's excellent.  BTW, if you're going to do pots may I suggest a system which root prunes like RootMaker or copper hydroxide paints.  You can get by with a smaller pot and have twice the root mass.  Very efficient.   Avocados want to be big trees and have shallow but broad root systems.

Good luck!

TucsonKen

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #51 on: May 23, 2018, 09:46:34 AM »
Good luck with the grafts. I'll be interested to hear how they do for you, particularly the Stewart, since that's one I hope to try in Tucson. Someone gave me a cutting once but I didn't have any rootstocks available. I grafted it onto my Wilma in hopes of keeping it alive till I had new seedlings, but it didn't "take."

spaugh

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #52 on: May 23, 2018, 09:56:42 AM »
Stewart is a good fruit and claimed to be very cold tolerant.  But, from my tree it seems not a super vigorous grower and not a dense flusher.  I think it might have issues with Sun burn in Tucson or vegas.

I think you guys growing avocados in the desert should tree growing reed, fuerte, and hass.  The fruits are superior and the trees are vigorous and make heavy flushes that should protect the bark from the cold AND the sun.  Maybe it's already been tried?  If not and you are just growing all these other types for fear of cold damage, you may really be cutting yourselves short.  I have a feeling some of these other mix race or pure Guatemalan race trees will do fine if other avocados are working for you.  The thing you have going for you is strong sunlight which makes a dense canopy.  If you look at trees grown in northern CA they tend to be lanky and spindly exposing branch and long internodes.  That's not a good thing when frost or a heatwave come.
Brad Spaugh

TucsonKen

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #53 on: May 23, 2018, 10:27:12 AM »
I have a young Fuerte that's doing well so far, but I'm skeptical about its ability to survive a cold Tucson winter. Time will tell. I know the owner of a small nursery in Tucson who thinks Hass could make it here, but I don't know if he's tried it. I believe a few people in Phoenix are trying to grow Reed (and probably everything else--there are a lot of dedicated growers up there). One guy in Phoenix even saw Reeds for sale at a local Lowe's.

I agree with the benefits of letting the trees protect their trunks with heavy flushes of foliage. I encourage mine to grow as bushes, with as little exposed bark as possible.

spaugh

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #54 on: May 23, 2018, 10:39:10 AM »
Thats good you grow fuerte.  Its called fuerte for a reason.  I think it may suffer more in the heat than the cold.  At least mine seems to get a bit dried out during heat waves andhot winds but then bounces right back.  Reed on the other hand seems to be conpletely unphased by heat.  I have 6 reeds and same thing with all of them, no problem with hot.  It doesnt get very cold here but my buddy greg lives further inland than me and got some frost this winter and his trees did fine.  By the time winter comes the new flushes should be pretty well hardened off.  As far as phoenix vs tuscon goes, it seems tuscon should be better since its a little cooler there during summer.  The fuerte tree should get big fast, that would be a good tree to use to multigraft to test other types also if you are unable to plant more trees.  Anyways, just throwing ideas and info out there.
Brad Spaugh

Fygee

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #55 on: May 23, 2018, 01:09:08 PM »
I have a Fuerte that seems to be doing well. It's actually one of the only two varieties Lowe's sells here, the other being Mexicola (and grande). Both handled this past winter like a champ, although it was definitely warmer than normal here. Both trees are in a shaded area with a slightly more humid microclimate, so they're spared the majority of our blistering sun.

I tried Hass and it wasn't as cold tolerant, and also seemed more sensitive to root rot and soil salt. Wouldn't mind giving it another go having learned some things since then.

Appreciate the tips on Rootmaker and copper hydroxide paints, I'll check them out!
Continuing my journey to disprove those who say "You can't grow that in the desert" since 2013.

spaugh

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #56 on: May 23, 2018, 01:16:05 PM »
I talked to you about making plants.  I will be doing some avocado seedlings in .7gal 5x9" tall pots for grafting and mail shipping.  Bear with me as it takes a long time to go from seed to hardened off graft.  Once I have seeds in a state ready to graft I will check back to see if you still want trees and what you want grafted.
Brad Spaugh

Fygee

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #57 on: May 23, 2018, 01:44:26 PM »
No rush, so whenever they're ready. :)
Continuing my journey to disprove those who say "You can't grow that in the desert" since 2013.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #58 on: May 23, 2018, 06:46:11 PM »
I talked to you about making plants.  I will be doing some avocado seedlings in .7gal 5x9" tall pots for grafting and mail shipping.  Bear with me as it takes a long time to go from seed to hardened off graft.  Once I have seeds in a state ready to graft I will check back to see if you still want trees and what you want grafted.

May not work for avocado but have had good results with Stuewe treepots.  https://www.stuewe.com/products/treepots.php

Fygee

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #59 on: May 23, 2018, 07:55:09 PM »
I noticed Lowe's sells some small fruit trees that come in those containers. I'm using a couple for ice cream bean seedlings, which apparently really love to get a vertical taproot established.
Continuing my journey to disprove those who say "You can't grow that in the desert" since 2013.

spaugh

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #60 on: May 23, 2018, 08:18:16 PM »
I talked to you about making plants.  I will be doing some avocado seedlings in .7gal 5x9" tall pots for grafting and mail shipping.  Bear with me as it takes a long time to go from seed to hardened off graft.  Once I have seeds in a state ready to graft I will check back to see if you still want trees and what you want grafted.

May not work for avocado but have had good results with Stuewe treepots.  https://www.stuewe.com/products/treepots.php

Yep thats what I use.  Have several cases of different sizes.  The 5x9s are a bit small but good for mailing.  Mango and cherimoya have more of a tap root than avocado.  But avocado will easily fill up a 8x15 tall pot.  Thats what the grove suppliers have their trees in.
« Last Edit: May 23, 2018, 08:25:09 PM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

Mark in Texas

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #61 on: May 24, 2018, 07:32:37 AM »
Yep thats what I use.  Have several cases of different sizes.  The 5x9s are a bit small but good for mailing.  Mango and cherimoya have more of a tap root than avocado.  But avocado will easily fill up a 8x15 tall pot.  Thats what the grove suppliers have their trees in.

I really kicked them up a notch by coating the walls and bottom with Griffin's Spin-Out.  Copper hydroxide paint is 100% efficient in root pruning and insuring a very fibrous root system.  Had mostly oaks in them which have a long tap root.

Fygee

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #62 on: May 24, 2018, 12:00:53 PM »
I purchased some Roottrapper pots from Rootmaker to migrate my avocados into. Eager to see how they do. Considering moving some other plants into them and purchasing more if they do what they advertise.
Continuing my journey to disprove those who say "You can't grow that in the desert" since 2013.

spaugh

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #63 on: May 24, 2018, 03:58:27 PM »
Yep thats what I use.  Have several cases of different sizes.  The 5x9s are a bit small but good for mailing.  Mango and cherimoya have more of a tap root than avocado.  But avocado will easily fill up a 8x15 tall pot.  Thats what the grove suppliers have their trees in.

I really kicked them up a notch by coating the walls and bottom with Griffin's Spin-Out.  Copper hydroxide paint is 100% efficient in root pruning and insuring a very fibrous root system.  Had mostly oaks in them which have a long tap root.

Where is the best place to purchase the copper hydroxide paint?  How do you apply?  Can it be ised in a spray bottle.  How many 5gal pots can be done with a gallon or quart or whatever size they sell?

Thanks mark
Brad Spaugh

Mark in Texas

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #64 on: May 24, 2018, 04:21:17 PM »
I purchased some Roottrapper pots from Rootmaker to migrate my avocados into. Eager to see how they do. Considering moving some other plants into them and purchasing more if they do what they advertise.

They work as advertised and the white fabric helps in hot weather/sun.  I'd move them as little as possible to prevent root damage.  I'm so paranoid about avocado roots I've cut off the pot to prevent any damage when transplanting.  Not so with other trees.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #65 on: May 24, 2018, 04:29:10 PM »

Where is the best place to purchase the copper hydroxide paint?  How do you apply?  Can it be ised in a spray bottle.  How many 5gal pots can be done with a gallon or quart or whatever size they sell?

Thanks mark

Don't think Griffin's is made any more.  Here's a great thread on it including home made concoction. Paint no with a brush I guess.  I would think a qt. would do at least 10 5 gal. pots, maybe as many as 20.   http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=3239.0

I was gifted cases of Griffin's spray cans.  Would scrub the pots well, rinse, dry and spray with 3 light coats.  They can be reused too.

Mark in Texas

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Fygee

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #67 on: May 24, 2018, 06:02:56 PM »
I purchased some Roottrapper pots from Rootmaker to migrate my avocados into. Eager to see how they do. Considering moving some other plants into them and purchasing more if they do what they advertise.

They work as advertised and the white fabric helps in hot weather/sun.  I'd move them as little as possible to prevent root damage.  I'm so paranoid about avocado roots I've cut off the pot to prevent any damage when transplanting.  Not so with other trees.

Awesome. They should work really well here then. How good are they on drainage?
Continuing my journey to disprove those who say "You can't grow that in the desert" since 2013.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #68 on: May 25, 2018, 07:56:53 AM »
Awesome. They should work really well here then. How good are they on drainage?

Good.  Call up Rootmaker and ask about them.  One of the ladies, staff, told me that RootTrapper pots is all she'll use thanks to the hot Alabama sun.  Says they also cut down on watering too.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #69 on: May 25, 2018, 08:37:34 AM »
Brad, was given a quote for 5 gals., like $375.   Texas SePro rep said he thought the price is set by the distributor, whatever that means. I thought they were the distributor.

Griffin's IS still manufacturing the paint.  Here's a Cali. rep - Nex Gilley, #805-680-6860

spaugh

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #70 on: May 25, 2018, 09:36:51 AM »
Thanks Mark,  I will check it out.  You are the man.
Brad Spaugh

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #71 on: February 05, 2020, 08:21:29 PM »
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfOxf3CZ6bY
Arizona avocado expert talks to Jake Mace about Aravaipa. 
Skip to the 9:30 mark about how it tastes.

sc4001992

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Re: Any one tasted the Arizona avocado, Aravaipa?
« Reply #72 on: February 06, 2020, 05:02:15 PM »
8:40 mark