The Tropical Fruit Forum

Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: johnb51 on June 29, 2018, 12:08:41 PM

Title: Oro Negro Avocado Always Slow-Growing and Shy-Bearing?
Post by: johnb51 on June 29, 2018, 12:08:41 PM
I have a six-year-old Oro Negro tree.  It hasn't been a vigorous grower, but it is healthy.  Also, it hasn't been a good producer.  Two years ago it had eight fruit.  Last year not more than six, but they were knocked off by Hurricane Irma.  This year it has four fruit.  Has this variety been a good producer for anyone?  It hardly seems worthwhile to keep.  I might replace it with Monroe, which may be less flavorful, but at least would give me fruit.
Title: Re: Oro Negro Avocado Always Slow-Growing and Shy-Bearing?
Post by: Cookie Monster on June 29, 2018, 01:37:02 PM
6 years in ground or 6 years including pot?
Title: Re: Oro Negro Avocado Always Slow-Growing and Shy-Bearing?
Post by: roblack on June 29, 2018, 01:58:06 PM
Mine has been in ground for about 2+ years. Started as a 3 gal, 1 foot tall plant. Is 8 feet tall or so now, wide and bushy. Flowered this year, nice fruit set, and then eventually dropped them all. Think it might need more mulch and fertilizer. Would love some advice on ON as well.
Title: Re: Oro Negro Avocado Always Slow-Growing and Shy-Bearing?
Post by: Orkine on June 29, 2018, 02:06:00 PM
Carlos (CTMiami)  in Homestead does a lot of work with Avocados and is a good resource if he sees this or if you can find him.
I believe he has a website where he reviews and documents observations about different 'cado varieties.


https://www.myavocadotrees.com/oro-negro-avocado.html (https://www.myavocadotrees.com/oro-negro-avocado.html)
Title: Re: Oro Negro Avocado Always Slow-Growing and Shy-Bearing?
Post by: skhan on June 29, 2018, 02:20:28 PM
I planted mine from a small 3 gallon I'm 2016 ( I think)
It grows pretty quick for me. Check out my Flickr link below, I have yearly pictures.
Flowered this year but the hurricane blew most of them off.
Title: Re: Oro Negro Avocado Always Slow-Growing and Shy-Bearing?
Post by: sidney on June 29, 2018, 02:28:36 PM

i too have no success. Mine is three in ground, flowered well this spring but no fruit. It Is pushing heavily now as is my Day avocado that is two years in the ground , half the size but there is one fruit small but growing. I baby my trees and mulch .
Title: Re: Oro Negro Avocado Always Slow-Growing and Shy-Bearing?
Post by: CA Hockey on June 29, 2018, 03:04:48 PM
Mine was in a pot for 5 years and just went in ground. It flowered in pot in year 3 just a few flowers. The clerk at PIN told me it was known to take a few years to flower.

In ground for 6 weeks now and getting fantastic new growth. Hoping to try this out in the near future. Does it take 6, 9 12 or 18 months to ripen?
Title: Re: Oro Negro Avocado Always Slow-Growing and Shy-Bearing?
Post by: Cookie Monster on June 29, 2018, 03:17:00 PM
My oro negro is probably too young to make any judgment calls. It produced fruits in its 2nd and 3rd year after planting (from a 3 gallon). This year (year #4 in ground), it produced nothing.

Sometimes productivity is a care issue. I've noticed a HUGE difference in production on all of my trees once I started fertilizing and watering regularly (and in the case of mangoes, applying fungicide). My hasya sapodilla (which most folks bemoan as being a poor producer), rips out prodigious crops -- very high flower to fruit ratio -- on a tree that's only been in ground for 4 years and barely stands 7 feet tall. Same story with a number of other trees in my collection.

CTMIAMI did note that oro negro only produces about 40% of a monroe. However, that would still be a respectable crop for a dooryard grower who isn't closely monitoring profit margins and where the selection criteria is biased towards flavor.
Title: Re: Oro Negro Avocado Always Slow-Growing and Shy-Bearing?
Post by: nighthawk0911@yahoo.com on June 29, 2018, 03:59:35 PM
I planted a Choquette & Brogdon 10 gallon trees 6-8 years ago.  Both are big healthy bushy happy 20-25 foot  trees, but this is the first year the Brogdon has flowered and is holding about 25 fruit.  The Choquette has flowered twice but so far has produced no fruit.  Admittedly I don't water or fertilize.  I just always assumed it's a long wait till Cados produce fruit.  The gal in the office at PIN says Oro Negro is her favorite avocado of all the ones they sell.  I was seriously thinking about getting one also.
Title: Re: Oro Negro Avocado Always Slow-Growing and Shy-Bearing?
Post by: Orkine on June 29, 2018, 04:02:01 PM
I got bud-wood from Carlos back in 2004 and grafted on to a Lula stump I was top-working.
It has been slow but is holding fruit this year.  It had flowered last year but dropped the few fruits it made.  So 5 years to first real crop.
I am not a commercial grower and could be happy with a small crop of good 'cado.
I have what I believe is a Monroe too but it has been stressed by wind and water each of the last two years.  Tipped first one way and then the other.  I am sure it lost a lot of roots with each fall.  I propped it up and it appears it will live.  Will see.
Title: Re: Oro Negro Avocado Always Slow-Growing and Shy-Bearing?
Post by: johnb51 on June 30, 2018, 12:09:13 AM
6 years in ground or 6 years including pot?
Six years in the ground.
Title: Re: Oro Negro Avocado Always Slow-Growing and Shy-Bearing?
Post by: Mark in Texas on July 01, 2018, 08:04:04 AM
My Oro Negro was VERY productive. 

(https://s22.postimg.cc/p7hd88bjx/Oro_Negro_March.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/p7hd88bjx/)

Thanks to a freeze the shoots that pushed host 7 sticks of Lamb Hass, Sharwil, and one Pinkerton now.   Taste was pretty good but won't hold a candle to those varieties mentioned.

June 29:

(https://s22.postimg.cc/62e3yphj1/Frankencado_June29.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/62e3yphj1/)

Immature or frozen, most are Oro Negro.  Much bigger pile outside of the greenhouse and in the house. 

(https://s22.postimg.cc/i49hsvlml/Greenhouse_Feb15_6.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/i49hsvlml/)

John, are you feeding the tree?   Mine get a 12 mo. slow release 18-4-9 with micros.

(https://s22.postimg.cc/51dv9pikt/Polyonsend.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/51dv9pikt/)
Title: Re: Oro Negro Avocado Always Slow-Growing and Shy-Bearing?
Post by: johnb51 on July 01, 2018, 09:01:56 AM
Thanks for weighing in, Mark.  Glad to know there's hope.  Yes, I feed it regularly.  It appears healthy.  I'll give it another year.