Author Topic: So Cal. (Glendale) Avocado Advice  (Read 709 times)

Stylezstar81

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So Cal. (Glendale) Avocado Advice
« on: October 11, 2022, 09:05:38 PM »
What's going on everybody!

I hope everyone is as well as they can be!

My name is Narine aka Styles. I'm from So Cal., Glendale (those who aren't familiar with Glendale, (I'm 5 minutes away from Hollywood and basically in Los Angeles county) to be exact. 8m 40 yrs old going on 30 haha. I'm currently unemployed, or going through a midlife crisis 😂 trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. I hated working as a surgical coordinator at the hospital. It sucks your soul and drains your life. So when all else fails, plant an avocado tree hahaha lol.

For MANY MANY YEARS NOW, I've been dying to plant an avocado tree. I had a go over 7 years ago. I bought a 5 gal pinkerton for $24.99(can you believe that price in comparison to now). I didn't do any reading on avocado trees because both me and my dad have a pretty good green thumb, but unfortunately the tree didn't make it and now I know why. Instead of having it on a mound I had it planted lower than the soil so water could collect. And now I know why the plant died. Big rookie mistake!

I signed up because I TRULY need some advice/help/opinions/education, WHATEVER you want to call it! LoL

I finally have space for an avocado tree. I want a dwarf variety or something that stays on the smaller side. The more I read, the more I'm lost! Haha. So it came down to lil cado, reed, Pinkerton, gem, and Joyce something lol.

The breakdown on my thoughts:

Gem: at first I read they get about 4 ft but the more I kept looking it up everybody had something different written about it or even to say I didn't come across anybody who had one for sale that stays 4 ft. And it made me wonder and worried to buy a jam. Because what if I buy something from someone who says it's a gym and it grows 30 ft or higher? And if it was the 4 ft. Variety, I got worried that anybody and everybody who would walk by had easy access to my prized plant.

Pinkerton: I know they stay small and they taste pretty good from what I've read, but it's the last one on my list because of my first fail and I feel like I should just try a different plant this time around.

Reed: I've heard nothing but good about the read avocado. But I'm also a little lost on the size as well. Most places tell me it stays around the 15-ft range but there's still some places that come across that say they get about 25 30 ft high. Yes I'm well aware. I can prune the tree and chop it down if need be but in case finances or I don't know anything gets in the way and I don't. I still want my tree to be manageable.

Lil cado or wurtz: Not much to say about this one. It stays small. I don't need another tree for it to pollinate but no one ever talks about how it tastes. Everybody just mentions the pollination and the size of the tree. And recently I came across one thing that somebody said it tastes grainy and that just doesn't sound too good to me.

Joyce: Sorry everybody, I cannot remember the name of this tree of my life depended on it, but I heard it's one of the best tasting avocados and because I can't remember the goddamn name, I can't look up how big it gets and what type it is and if it's good for SoCal.

So everybody that's the breakdown for each type and then my mind came up with this idea and I don't know what's the right way to go about this. So I really need some input on this part.

I thought to myself well if I can't have two trees let me get the one I really want and then graft another type on top of it. But which way would you go on then? Which tree do you know to put first and graft on top? Is there a right and wrong on that? I don't even thinking of maybe buying that 4 ft jam if I ever found one and then Grafton or read on top or vice versa. How do you do that? What's the right way?

So there it is folks a little bit about me and my dilemma lol. I be so happy if anybody can give me some input and even a great place that's affordable to buy some trees near me.
Obviously I want a tree that would fruit most of the year with tasty and big avocados I mean doesn't everybody right? So yeah I can really use some help and I'm open to all and every opinion thought, comment whatever you want to call it and I will read every single thing you guys right? Because I'm so ready to plant this tree.

Thank you to all who's read this and looking forward to hearing from all of you!!!!!
« Last Edit: October 12, 2022, 10:52:57 AM by JakeFruit »

JCorte

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Re: So Cal. (Glendale) Avocado Advice
« Reply #1 on: October 12, 2022, 02:54:15 PM »
Hi Narine,

Welcome to the forum.  Here are some helpful threads to help you get started and maybe narrow down which variety to choose.

Simon has a great thread on how to successfully plant an avocado tree.
https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=12844.0

Brad has a thread on avocado winners and losers.
https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=47583.0

Greg Alder has a youtube channel describing different avocados and their growth habits.
https://www.youtube.com/user/gregalderdotcom/videos

Good luck!
Janet

johnb51

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Re: So Cal. (Glendale) Avocado Advice
« Reply #2 on: October 12, 2022, 08:37:12 PM »
Jan Boyce avocado.  Don't plant it, and don't plant Wurtz.
John

spaugh

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Re: So Cal. (Glendale) Avocado Advice
« Reply #3 on: October 12, 2022, 08:50:29 PM »
Go with the Reed.  Sharwil is a better choice than Jan Bryce and stays smaller also. 
Brad Spaugh

wussero

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Re: So Cal. (Glendale) Avocado Advice
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2022, 12:24:46 AM »
Avacado's love tree mulch.  Organic Mulch heavy.  Yes drainage is important.   My father planted a a Reed tree at our old house.  It struggled in 1st year, then took off.

The tree needs a lot of water, especially year one.  Dont sprinkler water.  Hand water.

Lastly. Stay away from dwarf rootstock.  They do not do well.  You want a rootstock that is sub dwarf or full.

Your best bet is to buy a avacado from your local nursery, etc. 
They are grafted and will produce the most fruits.

Look for a tree with good growth all the way around and healthy. 
Best time to plant is winter.  Prune and head off too when planting.

Buying from a pot.  If you notice roots are too long in a pot,  and girdling is occurring.  Cut the  roots in an x pattern.  That will help tie establish newer healthy roots.

When planting.  Dig a hole 3 ft deep. Backfill with native soil, and more than 1 root ball wide. 

If planting on clay soil.  Score the sides of the planting soil to help increase drainage.  Them get other native soil and build a mound.  Should be about 5 ft above the hard clay soil.


The graft should be .5 Inch to 1.5 inch above the soil level.  Plant also North East the graft, to avoid sun burn and etc.

Do not add fertilizer, until at least one 1 year.  A little organic amendment is okay. 

When the tree grows , fertilize organically on the edges near the canopy.   That will encourage root growth outwards too.

Stake according so the root ball doesn't move.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2022, 12:47:55 AM by wussero »

nullzero

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Re: So Cal. (Glendale) Avocado Advice
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2022, 03:45:45 PM »
Reed has a dwarf bushy growth habit. I would plant Reed.
Grow mainly fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

johnb51

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Re: So Cal. (Glendale) Avocado Advice
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2022, 09:30:24 PM »
Reed has a dwarf bushy growth habit. I would plant Reed.
I thought Reed grows straight up.
John