Tropical Fruit > Tropical Fruit Discussion
Avocado tree spacing
pineislander:
I have two rows where I want to grow avocado trees. Each is a raised bed 120 feet long, and spaced 20 feet apart, with adjacent rows also 20 feet apart but other species, jackfruit on one side and sapodilla on the other. I have direct seeded avocado seeds to be grafted once they reach a large enough size, hopefully by early spring 2022. I planted 2-3 seeds at each position on a 4 ft spacing along these beds. Some seedlings are emerging now.
The close spacing is to asssure myself plenty of seedlings ready to use and also to eventually select the best trees to keep.
I understand that this spacing is too tight long term but if I get a good population for a very low cost I would be able to gradually thin the trees with little loss, then maybe even pot up some trees for sale. During the first years I may also get a very high production while the trees are small, almost an avocado hedge, with the option to remove trees as needed.
What are your thoughts about this, pluses and minuses, pros or cons?
Finca La Isla:
To me that sounds pretty well thought out. I’d be interested to know how many different selections you intend to graft onto your seedlings.
What sort of spacing are you using with the jackfruit and sapodilla, are you also grafting them in the field?
Peter
CTMIAMI:
Let's start with some questions:
Are these trees for commercial production or for family and friends? If commercial what varieties you expect to end up with?
When you say "seedlings" are they of one variety or multiple?
What soil do you have in the raise beds?
pineislander:
--- Quote from: CTMIAMI on October 19, 2021, 06:49:23 AM ---Let's start with some questions:
Are these trees for commercial production or for family and friends? If commercial what varieties you expect to end up with?
When you say "seedlings" are they of one variety or multiple?
What soil do you have in the raise beds?
--- End quote ---
Carlos, you could say the intent is mixed, for small scale sales and personal consumption. I already have more avocado than I can eat but the trees I have were already here when I bought the place. I want to add more.
I am planting seeds that come from my current trees as they ripen and I eat them I plant a few every couple of days. I started with Brogdon and am now using Marcus Pumpkin and an unknown I think is Hall.
The soil is our native sandy stuff raised up about a foot and topped with six inches compost then 4 inches good mulch.
--- Quote from: Finca La Isla on October 18, 2021, 11:38:35 PM ---To me that sounds pretty well thought out. I’d be interested to know how many different selections you intend to graft onto your seedlings.
What sort of spacing are you using with the jackfruit and sapodilla, are you also grafting them in the field?
Peter
--- End quote ---
Peter, I have Mexicola, Day, Marcus Pumpkin, Brogdon, Choquette, Nishikawa, Golden, Winter Mexican, Donnie, Hall and a few others not sure of variety but grafted types of early mid and late varieties so I usually get six months picking. I'd like to duplicate and maybe add some other varieties.
The jackfrruit are seedlings of several different types. I planted groups of 4-5 seeds each group at 4 ft spacing and would like to try multi-rootstock grafting on these or just select the best growers and eventually thin them out.
Sapodilla are air layers of medium sized fruits. My neighbor has multiple trees and I took air layers from some of the best ones. I'll probably do 10 ft spacing for about 20 trees in two 120 ft beds.
here is a video showing the layout:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naJy3mRjZ44
CTMIAMI:
Is not that many trees to be a concern but just let me tell you my observation may be you find some useful:
The idea of multiple seedlings in the ground do not appeal to me since some of the cultivars you mention you have may not be good rootstocks. Example: Doni makes a strong trees on a Waldin or Lula, however their openly pollinated seedlings are very weak.
All my new plantings are on Waldin or VC-801 seedlings. Proven rootstock that do well . Is not the ideal because they are openly pollinated but is as close as you can get. The rest of the world uses clonal rootstocks we in Florida have no access to them.
Laurel Wilt is here to stay in Florida, you may not have any in Pine Island but sooner or later will happen. Lula is very susceptible to it. I would rule out Lula as a rootstock in Florida. Also Laurel Wilt moves very quickly from tree to trees via roots. Once in underground you need to pull out 2-3 clean trees to stop the transmission. Very hard thing to do. The closer the trees are the fastest it moves,
My main objection to 8' spacing besides the wilt is the growing rate of our trees in our summer months after the 3-4th year trees will explode and can grow a lot in one year. I prune and hedge every year, is expensive but I keep the trees at 16' and trimmed the sides to the herbicide line. I do have 10' spacing but my rows are 22' apart to allow the light to come in. However I do see that the tress that get more light have better production
All my new planting to replace dead trees are at 20'. Avocados need a lot of sun to produce and grow well.
Good luck. Let me know if you have any additional questions.
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