Question about when to pug my Pinkerton Avocado tree

[MangoMan2]

Does anyone know how tall I should allow my Pinkerton avocado tree to get before I top or pug it to stay small and bushy? My tree is about 4 1/2 foot tall now, with what looks like a lot of branch buds on the truck wanting to push out above the branches around the 2 1/2 height Mark.

Or should I leave it alone, and let it just keep growing upward?

Thanks, Joe.

[johnb51]

My experience with avocado trees is that you should let them follow their natural growth pattern.  Some just aren't bushy by nature, and when you try to force them, it takes away their vigor.  This has happened with my Simmonds and my Oro Negro.

[spaugh]

Pinkerton is not a fast grower here in CA.  You can probably just shape it.  I wouldnt pug any avovado trees.  Maybe top it when its 8 or 10 feet tall and then shape the sides how you want.

[JF]

Pinkerton is not a fast grower here in CA.  You can probably just shape it.  I wouldnt pug any avovado trees.  Maybe top it when its 8 or 10 feet tall and then shape the sides how you want.

Its fast here Brad sort of compact but you can you can prune each year and still get tons of fruits next year.



Here are two great varieties overlapping Sir Prize and Holiday this will put to rest Carlo's doubts

[spaugh]

Mine are slow pokes.  Slower than every other type of avocado.  They don't seem to need any size control.

[artfusionfab]

Tip it to make it bushy.

[JF]

Mine are slow pokes.  Slower than every other type of avocado.  They don't seem to need any size control.

you have space, if i don't keep growth in check I would be swallowed up by the jungle.

[MangoMan2]

Pinkerton is not a fast grower here in CA.  You can probably just shape it.  I wouldnt pug any avovado trees.  Maybe top it when its 8 or 10 feet tall and then shape the sides how you want.

Its fast here Brad sort of compact but you can you can prune each year and still get tons of fruits next year.



Here are two great varieties overlapping Sir Prize and Holiday this will put to rest Carlo's doubts

Very nice looking trees JF.  Bottom top is the pinkerton?

[Mark in Texas]

Its fast here Brad sort of compact but you can you can prune each year and still get tons of fruits next year.



Here are two great varieties overlapping Sir Prize and Holiday this will put to rest Carlo's doubts



Very nice looking trees JF.  Bottom top is the pinkerton?

Believe Pinkerton is the second one.  Amazing fruit JF!

Pinkerton is a seedling of Rincon X Hass.  Rincon is a compact tree.

[MangoMan2]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I think I'll let her grow until about 8 to 9 ft and see then.

[Mark in Texas]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I think I'll let her grow until about 8 to 9 ft and see then.

I topped a few avocado trees low and don't like the results unlike topping mangos real low.  As an example I have a Reed that wants to remain in a permanent goal post shape. I keep it topped to 10' but the shoot in the center that I'd like to become the dominant leader won't.  The thick scaffold branches on each side want to dominate.  I think JF's advice of waiting until it's 8-9' tall is sound.  You can always go back and give it a haircut later.

Where's Waldo? 

[JF]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I think I'll let her grow until about 8 to 9 ft and see then.

I topped a few avocado trees low and don't like the results unlike topping mangos real low.  As an example I have a Reed that wants to remain in a permanent goal post shape. I keep down to 10' with annual topping but the shoot in the center that I'd like to become dominant won't.  The thick scaffold branches want to dominate.  I think JF's advice of waiting until it's 8-9' tall is sound.  You can always go back and give it a haircut later.

Where's Waldo? 

Mark you took the words out of my mouth. Avocados develop their own shape it’s best you prune them when you want to control size. Avocados do not need any pugging and like Mark  I discourage it.
The first two pix are Pinkerton all but a few fruits are within reaching distance easy to harvest. The tree is 6 year old and 10’. 3 pix is sir Prize and Holiday fruits overlapping
Holiday is a true dwarf nothing needed. Sir Prize is a monster good luck

[Mark in Texas]

Holiday is a true dwarf nothing needed. Sir Prize is a monster good luck

Just a note....being that Holiday is a sport of Reed and a pure Guat. race like Reed it will need 18 mos. hang time.  That doesn't bother me because once you get past that 18 mos. cycle you have annual fruit.  Some folks get turned off if they can't pick the fruit say...... 6-8 mos. after bloom.

Sir Prize is a beast but I'm controlling its vigor by letting it hold 5 nice fruit.  It's was just grafted and is only about 5' tall.  Holiday is also holding a few fruit and is the same height as Sir Prize.  It's Pinkerton that's a runt for me and being overrun by its sistas.

[MangoMan2]

May I ask you guys what you spray your trees with. They look very clean.

[Mark in Texas]

May I ask you guys what you spray your trees with. They look very clean.

Dormant oil for mites and scale.  Don't have a real problem with fungi but if I needed to (and I have) I spray with MagnaBon CS.   It's a systemic copper sulfate pentahydrate.  Captan is a good one too.   Make sure you add a non-ionic surfactant to your mix or you're wasting your time and product.

Lost a fine Sharwil to some kind of branch/trunk black streak and it's hit my other trees a few times too.  Sent a sample off to U. of Fl. lab, results came back benign which suggest something cultural is going on.   All avocado trees produce and grow well so I don't let it bother me.