Author Topic: Reed seeds question ❓  (Read 563 times)

Ado

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Reed seeds question ❓
« on: October 16, 2022, 07:23:45 PM »
I have several Reed seedlings that are growing nicely. I know it can take up to 8+  years for seeds to fruit if at all. But has anyone experienced Reeds fruiting faster? Wondering if I should let them grow out or just graft them? I know it's a crapshoot with seeds but  it would be pretty cool to have a new variety.

spaugh

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Re: Reed seeds question ❓
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2022, 08:00:22 PM »
Hello my friend according to avocado legend gray Martin you can take a sharp blade and girdle the lower trunk severing the cambium connection full circumcision in a thin line the width of the knife to force the plant to flower the following spring.  The circumcision should be done in October. I have not tried this but gray has probably done hundreds of these to speed up his selection processes.

That said, I have a Reed seed tree that fruited this year and is only 3.5 years old.  I was very excited to see these one the tree which is around 8ft tall this week.  I didn't know it had flowered yet.  The fruit are fuerte shaped but they are larger than reeds for this time of year.  I think they will end up being very large next year but we will see.  I never did anything to speed up the process, it just fruited on its own. 








Brad Spaugh

Ado

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Re: Reed seeds question ❓
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2022, 08:08:07 PM »
Hey Brad,

That's pretty cool. I can wait 3.5-4 years for fruit on a seedlings. I'm not patient enough for 8+ years just to have to graft and wait another 2-3 years. I still have time to make a decision to graft or not. But hope you get a winner with that one. Do you have many Reed seedlings growing? I've noticed they grow much better than Fuerte or Hass seeds.

spaugh

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Re: Reed seeds question ❓
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2022, 08:16:07 PM »
I just have 2 of them.  I had a few more that I top worked.  They do grow well but some can get lanky and tip over. 

Zutano seeds seem pretty strong and make the best rootstock.  Some Reed seeds are not very cold hardy and get chlorotic in winter.  If yours stays dark green during winter then it's not an issue. 

I have found planting seedlings in spring then grafting 1 year later works well.  The trees grow a lot better than a grafted tree in a pot. 

It's up to you what to do.  If the tree gets big and never fruits and you top work it, it will come back after just 1-2 years so you don't lose much really by letting rootstock get extra big.  They just become more difficult to top work.  The easiest size to top work is about 1-2" diameter bark grafts.  That size rootstock makes the scion grow super fast and you only need 1 or 2 grafts to switch the tree over.  Larger trees may require 4 or 5 grafts to ensure success. 
« Last Edit: October 16, 2022, 08:20:03 PM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

pagnr

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Re: Reed seeds question ❓
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2022, 05:22:18 AM »
That said, I have a Reed seed tree that fruited this year and is only 3.5 years old.

Looking forward to the taste test report on that fruit !

MasonG31

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Re: Reed seeds question ❓
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2022, 11:34:03 AM »
I have a Reed seedling that flowered at 4 years old.  I should've let it hold a fruit, but I topworked it to a few different varieties.  Oh well.  I've also noticed Reed seedlings do grow very well in general.