Author Topic: Avocado thread  (Read 183170 times)

z_willus_d

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #250 on: May 07, 2018, 03:47:31 PM »
That's a lovely tree yo uhad there Mark.  Did it get some protection or shade from an overarching tree?  I have a front-yard that's sparse with just a lawn into which I'm thinking of planting an avocado tree, or two, or three.  Maybe I'll transplant the Fuerte next Spring if I can't get any of my Duke from Oroville grafts to take.  If I do plant out front, I'll definitely setup a raised bed similar to what you have there, but likely without the cemented bricks (that's a skill beyond me).  Too bad they lost the tree.

Got a little shade from an adjacent tree part of the day.  If memory serves me correct that tree was only about 2 years old there.  Got it by mail about 3' tall.

Same here, concrete skills suck.  First try at mudding.  Ended up running a band around the base.

Check out this expansion I did yesterday to an Oro Negro pot.  It's now 100 gallons!  Oh my broken back.  :-\ Took about 3/4 of a tractor bucket just to backfill the 4" space around the perimeter.  Avocado seedlings on the left, recovering citrus in the back, new rectangular 6' W pitaya bed in the rear left.  Sharwil, Jan Boyce, Pinkerton and GEM scions should arrive within the hour via USPS.  Will top work this Oro Negro, completely change it over.  its' OK fruit.  Not great like Reed.


That's some large container you've got there.  I can see you've expanded it at least once before (tie-wraps).  I like the rectangular expandable setup you show in the back left-hand of the pic.  If you don't mind, please document your top-working process with some pics, before/after, and a visual progression of their healing process over the coming months.  I'd love to see how you work those water-sprouts.

Thanks!

Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #251 on: May 07, 2018, 06:31:25 PM »
If you don't mind, please document your top-working process with some pics, before/after, and a visual progression of their healing process over the coming months.  I'd love to see how you work those water-sprouts.

Thanks!

Don't mind a bit, kicker is the scions received today are a poor match girth wise for the shoots so they're probably going on 6 seedlings I have in pots, unless I do side veneer grafting.  Will see.......

Have grafted to 7 shoots from a Mallika and all those Zill varieties took and grew like crazy.

z_willus_d

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #252 on: May 08, 2018, 12:06:29 AM »
If you don't mind, please document your top-working process with some pics, before/after, and a visual progression of their healing process over the coming months.  I'd love to see how you work those water-sprouts.

Thanks!

Don't mind a bit, kicker is the scions received today are a poor match girth wise for the shoots so they're probably going on 6 seedlings I have in pots, unless I do side veneer grafting.  Will see.......

Have grafted to 7 shoots from a Mallika and all those Zill varieties took and grew like crazy.
Did you grow the six potted seedlings yourself off of used avocado seeds, and if so what variety?  How long did they take from start to what you have now?
Thanks.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #253 on: May 08, 2018, 08:58:02 AM »
Did you grow the six potted seedlings yourself off of used avocado seeds, and if so what variety?  How long did they take from start to what you have now?
Thanks.

Yeah, harvested from fruit that froze during our Jan. freeze.  Seedlings of Reed, Oro Negro, Sir Prize.  I dumped about 200 immature fruit. 

z_willus_d

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #254 on: May 14, 2018, 12:01:09 AM »
I was visiting my wife's aunt's house for a Mother's day get together in the midtown area of Sacramento, CA.  I walked into the backyard and encountered a beautiful, wildly trained Avocado tree loaded with small fruitlets.  She said it's been there for many years, and that she's never harvested fruit from it.  It's not regularly watered, though it seems to be fine, and it is never given fertilizer.  This just goes to show that a well established, healthy tree can overcome cold temps, as I know this spot was freezing for a week over the past Winter.  It looks like a Hass to me, but I don't really know.




Bush2Beach

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #255 on: May 14, 2018, 04:02:50 PM »
It was below 32 Degree's for 1 week in Sacramento area this winter?
There's large mature Citrus around Sac so I planted a White Sapote 15 Gallon last Fall east of downtown and It's looking good.
Slight micro climate changes and indicators in different neighborhoods.. Seen any Citrus in Roseville yet?

I was visiting my wife's aunt's house for a Mother's day get together in the midtown area of Sacramento, CA.  I walked into the backyard and encountered a beautiful, wildly trained Avocado tree loaded with small fruitlets.  She said it's been there for many years, and that she's never harvested fruit from it.  It's not regularly watered, though it seems to be fine, and it is never given fertilizer.  This just goes to show that a well established, healthy tree can overcome cold temps, as I know this spot was freezing for a week over the past Winter.  It looks like a Hass to me, but I don't really know.




z_willus_d

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #256 on: May 14, 2018, 04:40:14 PM »
Right up the hill in Newcastle, they have hills upon beautiful hills of citrus farms, mainly planted to Satsuma Mandarins.  Citrus does quite well here, except for the occasional freeze, where some varieties require protection.  I ran C9 Christmas lights over my potted citrus, and I only saw some slight die-back on the young new shoots that were pushing out from a Late Fall pruning.  At my place, I measured down to 18F on one night, and we had at least 5 days below 32F.  I assume it hit Sacramento similarly, though the rivers there have a way of buffering the temps somewhat.

zephian

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #257 on: May 14, 2018, 04:55:14 PM »
I live just north of sacramento and grew up in the auburn/lincoln area. Tons of citrus! seems to do just fine out here with some love when they're young.
I live now in suburbia, feather river to the east, houses to north and west and sierra gold nursery / orchards to my south. stone fruits and nuts are the most common but theres very large citrus here doing great, as well!
-Kris

z_willus_d

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #258 on: May 14, 2018, 05:18:43 PM »
Yesterday, walking through Capitol park in central Sacramento, I came across a gigantic, stately Orange tree loaded with Oranges (at least those out of reach).  It had a placard that read "Largest North America (or was it US) Valencia Orange."  The trees in Capitol park, including citrus, are very impressive to see (if you've got your tree eyes open).

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #259 on: May 28, 2018, 12:44:24 PM »
Mark heres some photos of the tree flushes and fruit set so I don't derail the jamie rose thread.  Took these photos today.

stewart flush


stewart new fruit


stewart



mexicola flush



reed flush




New gwen tree.  I saw another thread where someone said to shade avocado trees until they are 5ft tall.  This is unnecessary.  They need full sun to grow and gain vigor.  Even here in the hottest area of san diego they can take full sun as babies.  This seed was planted in January and grafted a couple months ago.



Jan Boyce new tree, same thing, no need to baby them.  They need lots of sunshine to grow.



Bacon Flush and tree





This is 2 separate Kahaluu grafts.  The top is from Hawaii, the bottom from someone in CA.  Not sure if one is fake or what.  The bottom one looks like a zutano flush, maybe they gave me rootstock instead of good wood?



Holiday




Ardith baby



Nabal baby



Brad Spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #260 on: May 28, 2018, 01:44:53 PM »
Mark heres some photos of the tree flushes and fruit set so I don't derail the jamie rose thread.  Took these photos today.

THANKS!  Great photos!!  Looks like you need a Jamie Rose tree to test.  ::)

Samu

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #261 on: May 28, 2018, 01:49:21 PM »
Your trees look very healthy, thanks for posting them Brad!  my avocado young leaves look decent now, but usually by mid Summer or so, browning starts  near the outer edges of the leaves. I think my city water is too hard for avocados, but seems ok for other trees...
Sam

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #262 on: May 28, 2018, 03:17:09 PM »
Mark heres some photos of the tree flushes and fruit set so I don't derail the jamie rose thread.  Took these photos today.

THANKS!  Great photos!!  Looks like you need a Jamie Rose tree to test.  ::)

I will grow it.  From your pics both the fruit and leaves look pretty hass like.  Maybe its a hass seedling or already named hass type. 
Brad Spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #263 on: May 28, 2018, 03:30:44 PM »
Very nice collection of avocado trees, everything looks super healthy good job Brad. 👍

ricshaw

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #264 on: May 28, 2018, 08:27:02 PM »
Mark heres some photos of the tree flushes and fruit set so I don't derail the jamie rose thread.  Took these photos today.

THANKS!  Great photos!!  Looks like you need a Jamie Rose tree to test.  ::)

I will grow it.  From your pics both the fruit and leaves look pretty hass like.  Maybe its a hass seedling or already named hass type.

I wished I had picked up another tree for trade.

Samu

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #265 on: May 28, 2018, 08:52:23 PM »
Hi Brad, on your last photo, is that the adjustable 90 degree sprinkle head you mentioned previously? If so, could you do a close up photo on it or if you would post the link? Thanks Brad, still looking for a better way to irrigate my trees and roses too...😀
Sam

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #266 on: May 28, 2018, 11:33:59 PM »
Yeah the 90 degree quarter circle sprinkler head is adjustable and you can use these two threaded elbow pieces to wobble the head any way you want it.  You can put a third one on there to get really creative with the spray pattern.  2 seems good enough though.

Member Shaneatwell turned me onto the 90 degree black elbows.  You can use those to wobble any sprinkler head.  For avocados I like it.  Especially since the ground is not flat here. 



I have 2 different heads I use.  For avocado its the quarter circle sprayers, for everything else its an adjustable 8 stream micro sprinkler.




« Last Edit: May 28, 2018, 11:37:38 PM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #267 on: May 29, 2018, 04:23:17 AM »
I really love your trees Brad!  :)
Lorenzo

Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #268 on: May 29, 2018, 07:51:39 AM »
Yep, just incredible.  Thanks for sharing.  Your gardening skills aside, you must have some really nice soil.  What you showed a while back looked great.

Regarding shading young avocado trees I have a Californian farm ag instruction sheet, Leaflet 2904, Sept. 1983, on growing avocados in the hot Joaquin valley.  They insist that the trees should be shaded for a year.  Really depends on your location and climate I think.  I planted a young Joey tree here in Texas and didn't shade it. It did fine.  So, hoo nose?  If one chooses to shade/paint then there's no easier solution than to spray them with Surround, a kaolin clay.

Here's a field shot from that publication showing newly planted trees wrapped in burlap:



Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #269 on: May 29, 2018, 08:14:27 AM »
Mark heres some photos of the tree flushes and fruit set so I don't derail the jamie rose thread.  Took these photos today.

stewart flush

mexicola flush



Appreciate these pix but now I'm totally confused!  I've been going by the attached chart in lieu of not having personal experience with Mexicola and Stewart.  This is from THE go-to book on avocados, Avocado: Botany, Production and Uses  http://ucavo.ucr.edu/General/WhileyBook.html    What I noticed is your new Mexicola leaf flush has no red, Stewart does.  I may have kicked an ant bed in our Facebook fruit growing group for nothing.   :-\  I remember my Joey having no red tint to the leaf flush though.  Innocent, ignorant mistake on my part, crap! 



spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #270 on: May 29, 2018, 11:08:09 AM »
Yep, just incredible.  Thanks for sharing.  Your gardening skills aside, you must have some really nice soil.  What you showed a while back looked great.

Regarding shading young avocado trees I have a Californian farm ag instruction sheet, Leaflet 2904, Sept. 1983, on growing avocados in the hot Joaquin valley.  They insist that the trees should be shaded for a year.  Really depends on your location and climate I think.  I planted a young Joey tree here in Texas and didn't shade it. It did fine.  So, hoo nose?  If one chooses to shade/paint then there's no easier solution than to spray them with Surround, a kaolin clay.

Here's a field shot from that publication showing newly planted trees wrapped in burlap:



I don't know, if you plant them when its not 100 out they should have enough time to flush and shade themselves from the sun on the bark.  paint works also.  I grew up in the san juaquin valley, its every bit as hot where I live not if now hotter.  Accumulated heat units per year are much higher here.  Central valley is not known for growing avocados either.   There are very few if any groves up that way.  Heres a breakdown of where they are grown in CA

« Last Edit: May 29, 2018, 11:25:06 AM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #271 on: May 29, 2018, 12:12:11 PM »
Brad, thanks for that photos on your sprinkler head set up; yes,
I can see, with tandem 90 degree angle treaded pieces the head can be aimed to just about every directions. Glad that you found this system works fine on your avocado trees growing on your slope without run offs...

By the way, between you and Mark, I notice both of you have lots of resources in your possession, just to show how serious you guys are in this avocado growing endeavor, so thanks to both of you for sharing those to us, the little avocado home growers... ;)
Sam

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #272 on: May 29, 2018, 12:29:45 PM »
Yep, just incredible.  Thanks for sharing.  Your gardening skills aside, you must have some really nice soil.  What you showed a while back looked great.

Regarding shading young avocado trees I have a Californian farm ag instruction sheet, Leaflet 2904, Sept. 1983, on growing avocados in the hot Joaquin valley.  They insist that the trees should be shaded for a year.  Really depends on your location and climate I think.  I planted a young Joey tree here in Texas and didn't shade it. It did fine.  So, hoo nose?  If one chooses to shade/paint then there's no easier solution than to spray them with Surround, a kaolin clay.

Here's a field shot from that publication showing newly planted trees wrapped in burlap:



Soil is good, its void of organic matter and nutrion though.  Its just very heavy rocky sandy soil.  Good for anchoring in a tree and good at draining.  It needs mulch and fertilizer to really grow things.  When I say heavy I mean it literally weighs a lot.  You fill a five gallon pot with it and it feels like a bucket of lead.

Funny story this article reminded me of.  Where I grew up in san juaquin county we had a small lake in our yard.  Around 1985 or 1986 we had a really cold winter and the lake froze over hard.  Probably and inch of ice on it.  I would not be surprised if those avocados in that picture died off from that winter. 
« Last Edit: May 29, 2018, 12:48:51 PM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #273 on: May 29, 2018, 12:52:05 PM »
Yep, those avocados are gonners. 

Interesting that the "north" has more groves than the south.

Glad to share the info Samu.  20 years ago I was considering getting into the avocado biz commercially.  I have accumulated a file that would choke a horse.  Have 20 collectors books on grapes and winemaking too, like T.V. Munson's book.

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #274 on: May 29, 2018, 12:56:20 PM »
Brad, thanks for that photos on your sprinkler head set up; yes,
I can see, with tandem 90 degree angle treaded pieces the head can be aimed to just about every directions. Glad that you found this system works fine on your avocado trees growing on your slope without run offs...

By the way, between you and Mark, I notice both of you have lots of resources in your possession, just to show how serious you guys are in this avocado growing endeavor, so thanks to both of you for sharing those to us, the little avocado home growers... ;)

You are welcome.  I didnt get down to the avocados to take a photo but snapped one of the stone fruit micro sprinkler.  These I use on every tree except avocado.  They would probably work well on them too.  You can swap them out for the little spinning sprinklers also.  My problem with the spinners is they throw really far and dont flow enough water when adjusted to a smaller circle.

Brad Spaugh