RootMaker RootBuilder 2 / II Expandable Container for Side-Yard Avocado Project

[z_willus_d]

Brad, that's some serious flowering you've got there.  Do you think it's worth chopping off the flowering shoots, or just the fruit (if any sets)?  Honestly, I haven't had much success even setting fruit in the young small trees I've grown in containers, let along holding.  This last year was my first to set and hold a few fruit on 6-7 year old trees.

[alangr088]

An update on Sir Prize and Lamb Hass. Sir Prize is flowering a lot (Sir Prize pics are from March 09) compared to all the foliage that lamb hass is putting out and not so many flowers (picture of lamb hass from a couple of days ago) ... The Queen in the middle died due to sunburns. I’m trying to tie down the branches up against the trellis...we will see how that works out though.

[spaugh]

Brad, that's some serious flowering you've got there.  Do you think it's worth chopping off the flowering shoots, or just the fruit (if any sets)?  Honestly, I haven't had much success even setting fruit in the young small trees I've grown in containers, let along holding.  This last year was my first to set and hold a few fruit on 6-7 year old trees.

I will just let it flower then once the blooms are done if theres any fruit will get removed. 

[z_willus_d]

An update on Sir Prize and Lamb Hass. Sir Prize is flowering a lot (Sir Prize pics are from March 09) compared to all the foliage that lamb hass is putting out and not so many flowers (picture of lamb hass from a couple of days ago) ... The Queen in the middle died due to sunburns. I’m trying to tie down the branches up against the trellis...we will see how that works out though.

Your trees are looking great -- lots of new, healthy growth.  I worry a bit about how close they are to the side of the house there, and the windows can send sun-laser-beams to fry plants, but I take it you've got it under control.  I think the Lamb-Hass will send out its flower buds some time later in the year.

[alangr088]

Thank z_willus_d...I figure I make use of the baby side yard since I never walk thru there anyways.

[Mark in Texas]

In the old days I about killed a row of grapevines cause I let them hold fruit on "2nd leaf".  When to let a tree hold fruit is your call. It depends on several factors  regarding canopy mass to fruit load. For starts avocado trunk girth speaks volumes when it comes to whether or not the tree is ready. That trunk should be mature - woody and thick. 

Your project is well designed.  You'll need to expand those "raised beds" probably by next year since avocados have spreading but shallow root systems.  I have a a mass of fine white roots under a 4-6" mulch.  When they get up to 60-100 gal. use 4 heavy black cable ties running vertically spanning 3-4 holes.  I begin with the second hole from the top, drop down to the 4th hole and tie.  When done wrap a 18 ga. wire around the midsection and cinch it up tight.  I've had quite a few citrus and avocado pots bust at the seams.  Then again, i have Texas sized root systems.   

I also like to hand water.  I can control the flow and area insuring myself there are no dry holes in the medium.  I'll go thru 200 gals. of rainwater when I really get after it.

Have fun!

[Mark in Texas]

A little off topic but since we're talking about blooming, check this out.  In Feb. I grafted 4 varieties of peaches and one apricot variety, 30 in all, to an old peach tree that I had stumped in 2018 for shoots production.  I raided my commercial peach growing friend's orchard and got sticks to extend the season on my cocktail tree.  About 2 weeks ago we had some nasty lows from an Arctic front, we're talking 21F for many hours.  I lost some blossoms on the old tree (and that's OK) but the grafts are OK...... many pushing pink blossoms thru the Buddy Tape!  Noticed yesterday a lot of the new grafts are now pushing green foliage.





Point being, never underestimate a tree's ability to take severe cold, IF, it's been subjected to cold temps (acclimated) prior to when the big one hits and is in good health.  My beloved Reed is a perfect example - supposedly not cold hardy below 30F or so, froze back during the 18F 2018 freeze and is now this 12' beast with a huge flush of beautiful new RED leaves with flowers beginning to open.  Pollinators are having a ball and the greenhouse smells so fine.  I'll post an updated photo soon.

You can pretty much guess the heritage of your tree if you know which races have what colors with their juvenile new growth.  Reed is pure Guatemalan with red juvenile leaf color.

[Mark in Texas]

An update on Sir Prize and Lamb Hass. Sir Prize is flowering a lot (Sir Prize pics are from March 09) compared to all the foliage that lamb hass is putting out and not so many flowers (picture of lamb hass from a couple of days ago) ... The Queen in the middle died due to sunburns. I’m trying to tie down the branches up against the trellis...we will see how that works out though.

Trees look great!  Don't mean to be an alarmist, but I can't help it.  I've seen the roots of a large avocado tree bust a slab, big time, when planted 2-4' away. It cracked and lifted the slab about 4".  Couldn't believe it but since avocado roots are shallow it stands to reason.

Here in Texas we keep our oaks at least 20' or so away from our slabs.  My slab has 5/8" rebar in the beams and I still planted my trees at a distance.  I hope your foundation is pier and beam.

[alangr088]

Thanks Mark in Texas. Yea I was a bit hesitant of doing it at first. Only time will tell. Ill keep them pruned to a small size though which should help. I am from Houston so I know what you mean about those Oak trees. My parents have a Pecan tree that's huge maybe 100 feet tall, I wont let these avocados get that big!

[z_willus_d]

In the old days I about killed a row of grapevines cause I let them hold fruit on "2nd leaf".  When to let a tree hold fruit is your call. It depends on several factors  regarding canopy mass to fruit load. For starts avocado trunk girth speaks volumes when it comes to whether or not the tree is ready. That trunk should be mature - woody and thick. 

Your project is well designed.  You'll need to expand those "raised beds" probably by next year since avocados have spreading but shallow root systems.  I have a a mass of fine white roots under a 4-6" mulch.  When they get up to 60-100 gal. use 4 heavy black cable ties running vertically spanning 3-4 holes.  I begin with the second hole from the top, drop down to the 4th hole and tie.  When done wrap a 18 ga. wire around the midsection and cinch it up tight.  I've had quite a few citrus and avocado pots bust at the seams.  Then again, i have Texas sized root systems.   

I also like to hand water.  I can control the flow and area insuring myself there are no dry holes in the medium.  I'll go thru 200 gals. of rainwater when I really get after it.

Have fun!

Great advice all around Mark.  I miss the white roots, though I've seen them from time to time on my older Avos.  I now find more of a yellow, beige colored root generally when I lift the mulch.  We've had heavy rain 9 days out of 10 for the past three months, so I expect many of the avocados are a bit damp in their root systems.  The soils is well draining in the "raised beds" at least.  I like to hand-water everything as well, but as the number of trees and vegetables has increased and with limited time, I find that I will miss several days of irrigation without automation.  In our 110-degree summers, that can spell disaster.

[z_willus_d]

A little off topic but since we're talking about blooming, check this out.  In Feb. I grafted 4 varieties of peaches and one apricot variety, 30 in all, to an old peach tree that I had stumped in 2018 for shoots production.  I raided my commercial peach growing friend's orchard and got sticks to extend the season on my cocktail tree.  About 2 weeks ago we had some nasty lows from an Arctic front, we're talking 21F for many hours.  I lost some blossoms on the old tree (and that's OK) but the grafts are OK...... many pushing pink blossoms thru the Buddy Tape!  Noticed yesterday a lot of the new grafts are now pushing green foliage.





Point being, never underestimate a tree's ability to take severe cold, IF, it's been subjected to cold temps (acclimated) prior to when the big one hits and is in good health.  My beloved Reed is a perfect example - supposedly not cold hardy below 30F or so, froze back during the 18F 2018 freeze and is now this 12' beast with a huge flush of beautiful new RED leaves with flowers beginning to open.  Pollinators are having a ball and the greenhouse smells so fine.  I'll post an updated photo soon.

You can pretty much guess the heritage of your tree if you know which races have what colors with their juvenile new growth.  Reed is pure Guatemalan with red juvenile leaf color.

Mark, the girth on that Peach tree trunk is impressive.  It seems like ones success with grafting is tied to the health of the host plant, and one with such a mature and robust trunk can't help but take off.  I'm envious.

[Mark in Texas]

Mark, the girth on that Peach tree trunk is impressive.  It seems like ones success with grafting is tied to the health of the host plant, and one with such a mature and robust trunk can't help but take off.  I'm envious.

About 12" girth.  Before I butchered it it was 25' W X 15' tall and that's in spite of the scaffold branches being about 18" to 24" parallel to the ground.

2/24/2018



I understand about the heat but my avocados et al seem to take it well.  Again, if you start to get some sun scald a spray of Surround will take care of it.

Just posted some pix of Reed, etc.  http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=7511.175

[z_willus_d]

Mark, I can tell you did a great job training that Peach tree.  It must have borne some beauties in its day.  It will be neat to see how your cocktail evolves over the coming years, and what kind of fruit you get out of it.

[Mark in Texas]

Mark, I can tell you did a great job training that Peach tree.  It must have borne some beauties in its day.  It will be neat to see how your cocktail evolves over the coming years, and what kind of fruit you get out of it.

I'd get eight 5 gal. buckets off that tree.  Wife makes a great peach/blackberry cobbler.   I have a commercial peach grower friend that has 42 varieties.  He gives me free run on any of them for scions.  I chose varieties early midseason to late to extend the season.

[shot]

In south florida if you trim that hard on a peach the tree will decline because of rot to the large limbs removed,cannot callus over wounds.Might work in more arid conditions.

[Mark in Texas]

In south florida if you trim that hard on a peach the tree will decline because of rot to the large limbs removed,cannot callus over wounds.Might work in more arid conditions.

So true.  I just got thru pruning the vineyard with many cuts to thick wood using loppers instead of Felcos. I have never treated/sprayed after pruning.

In Florida I'd probably hit the cuts with a copper fungicide like Phyton 35.

[shot]

I can get MagnaBon’s CS 2005 good price,company in state.I think the company may been bought out now.

[Mark in Texas]

I can get MagnaBon’s CS 2005 good price,company in state.I think the company may been bought out now.

Frank Miele is the man. I assume he still owns it?

[z_willus_d]

Here's an update with some pics from the first of the month (5/1/2019).  In order, I have Lamb Hass (2x), Stewart, Holiday, Sir Prize (2x), and Pinkerton (2x).

[z_willus_d]

And here's a pictorial update from earlier this morning.  We've been having unseasonably cool weather with a lot of Spring rains this past week.  The trees seem to be happy enough.  In order, I have Lamb Hass, Stewart, Holiday, Sir Prize, and Pinkerton.

[z_willus_d]

Also, I want to point out that Surround is damn near impossible to remove.  It's withstood direct hosing, several inches of sustained rain, wind, squirrels...  I think my biggest issue with it is that aesthetically, it's really a bummer.  I'm surprised I'm as affected by the looks of it as I am.  It's also irritating the way Anakin describes sand and dust at the end of some prequel or another.  Other than that, the only thing to note is the Holiday is the most insipid of the bunch, while the Lamb Hass the most robust and strengthy, that despite probably getting the least light.

[Mark in Texas]

Looking good. Anything that repels squirrels can't be half bad.

[SeaWalnut]

A little off topic but since we're talking about blooming, check this out.  In Feb. I grafted 4 varieties of peaches and one apricot variety, 30 in all, to an old peach tree that I had stumped in 2018 for shoots production.  I raided my commercial peach growing friend's orchard and got sticks to extend the season on my cocktail tree.  About 2 weeks ago we had some nasty lows from an Arctic front, we're talking 21F for many hours.  I lost some blossoms on the old tree (and that's OK) but the grafts are OK...... many pushing pink blossoms thru the Buddy Tape!  Noticed yesterday a lot of the new grafts are now pushing green foliage.





Point being, never underestimate a tree's ability to take severe cold, IF, it's been subjected to cold temps (acclimated) prior to when the big one hits and is in good health.  My beloved Reed is a perfect example - supposedly not cold hardy below 30F or so, froze back during the 18F 2018 freeze and is now this 12' beast with a huge flush of beautiful new RED leaves with flowers beginning to open.  Pollinators are having a ball and the greenhouse smells so fine.  I'll post an updated photo soon.

You can pretty much guess the heritage of your tree if you know which races have what colors with their juvenile new growth.  Reed is pure Guatemalan with red juvenile leaf color.

That peach its a work of art.

[Mark in Texas]

That peach its a work of art.

Thanks.  Some folks really get carried away this this stuff.  I have a Facebook friend growing near San Francisco that put 250 apple varieties on his tree.  Does the same crazy stuff on other fruits like pear.

[zephian]

Zombie post!

Hey z_willus_d, do you have any updates on these trees?