Author Topic: Avocado thread  (Read 183208 times)

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #825 on: August 03, 2020, 08:38:03 PM »
You have to dig out the roots of the pups and bring the corn back to a small size. 

Or spray the whole thing with glyphosate. 
Brad Spaugh

venturabananas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #826 on: August 03, 2020, 11:51:30 PM »
Do you have any tips for how to manage the banana root/base so that it will stop focusing on new growth/shoots/pups and just direct its energy into the one main shoot?

You can't just decapitate the banana shoots, you need to dig them out.  If you leave the corm in the ground, you'll just get more shoots.

z_willus_d

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #827 on: August 04, 2020, 12:45:53 AM »
Dig them out?  Seriously.  Ouch.  That sounds like a task for 80's Arnold.  Right now, the whole thing is like a brutish, organic mass of impenetrable dinosaur hides.  The pick fork just bounces off the dried-over, leather decapitated base.  I guess I could try a jack-hammer.  A few years when I tried killing it, I hit it with a ton of glyphosate, but it seemed not to have an impact.  I'm banned from using the stuff now, and I'd like the tree to survive but in a more controlled fashion.  I'll see what I can do to dig into it.  Corm is a new term to me, so I must have some research to do.

Thanks guys!

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #828 on: August 04, 2020, 12:51:59 AM »
Bro, work boots and a proper shovel.  Digging bar if you need it.  Maybe a pair of work gloves and a farmer hat.  Time to tame the beast.  All it takes is once or twice a year go out and nail it.  Just get it nice and wet and soft and get at it. 
« Last Edit: August 04, 2020, 12:54:39 AM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

z_willus_d

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #829 on: August 04, 2020, 03:56:30 AM »
Brad, I feel like your attacking my manliness (Lol).  Hey, no one ever called me lazy in the yard; instead, I get in trouble for getting after it too much.  But, yeah, there's something about this banana tree that's intractable for me.  It's rooted into a bunch of river rocks, bounders, brecia, maybe some cement.  I'll give it another go.  I assume digging all the surrounding pups will have some damage on the roots of the one or two I want to maintain.  I'm sure they'll bounce back in time though.  Thanks.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #830 on: August 04, 2020, 07:09:53 AM »
Brad, thanks for sharing the video.  I  hadn't seen you post it before.  I'm enjoying the watch through (thumbs up).  So, I have one banana tree (from previous owner), and I tried to cut it to the ground at one point, but it just will not die.  So I then tried this last year to limit it to one main "stem", but it just keeps throwing up shoots all around its base.  I decapitate the shoots, and in 1-2 days they replace themselves.  Do you have any tips for how to manage the banana root/base so that it will stop focusing on new growth/shoots/pups and just direct its energy into the one main shoot?

I've killed about every kind of weed, cactus, thistle and tree you can imagine.  Based on what I've got and how lazy I am the method and chemicals I use is my call for a particular problem.  For starts you must add a surfactant to your mix or it's worthless for foliar sprays.  Couple of months ago I killed about 200, 4-6' mesquite trees in the field that came up from seeds.  I did drive bys with a broad leaf herbicide called PastureGard HL concentrating on the multiple trunks and leaves.  OR....you can take any such hardwood tree cut it down to a stump and paint on a mix of PastureGard or even glyphosate on the stump.  Same with banana.  Since banana is a monocot glyphosate would work well like Brad said.

I load up with about 20 gals. of glyphosate and edge burn 4,200' of deer fence, edge our 1,000' drive, do around the house including along and in beds, in the greenhouse including weeds growing on top of the pots.  Here's some tree rings in "you can't kill bermuda grass".  ;D



Spring, pecan tree.



Whatever.....your target must be actively growing in moist ground for an herbicide to be effective.
« Last Edit: August 04, 2020, 07:15:25 AM by Mark in Texas »

Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #831 on: August 04, 2020, 07:21:35 AM »
We ate a Reed last night, OMG!  It was probably the most delicious, richest, creamy, buttery avocado I've ever eaten in my life.  Close but a bit different in profile to being the all time best was a Hass a friend in SoCal sent us. 

My Reeds now have about 15 months hang time. 

venturabananas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #832 on: August 04, 2020, 08:58:24 AM »
Brad, I feel like your attacking my manliness (Lol).  Hey, no one ever called me lazy in the yard; instead, I get in trouble for getting after it too much.  But, yeah, there's something about this banana tree that's intractable for me.  It's rooted into a bunch of river rocks, bounders, brecia, maybe some cement.  I'll give it another go.  I assume digging all the surrounding pups will have some damage on the roots of the one or two I want to maintain.  I'm sure they'll bounce back in time though.  Thanks.

Commercially, glyphosate is sometimes used to kill banana shoots, and it is injected into the shoots to be removed.  Kerosene is used in some places, too.  Personally, I just use elbow grease, especially since the goal is not to kill the entire plant.  The easiest approach I've found is (1) use a wide toothed saw to chop off every shoot you want gone as close to the soil as practical, then (2) use a very sturdy shovel to chop straight down through the remaining stump and corm and pop it out of the ground in pieces until there are no more pieces.  That way you don't actually dig in the soil much, which sounds hard in your situation, you essentially just use your shovel as a cutting blade and crow bar.  You need a really tough shovel for this.  I use one of the Fiskars one with 100% steel construction.

Yes, you will disturb roots of the shoots you want to keep, but you can keep your chopping of roots pretty localized to the shoots you want out.  You'll probably be tired and sore when all is said and done, but it's definitely doable as a one person job.

palmcity

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #833 on: August 04, 2020, 12:17:13 PM »
But, yeah, there's something about this banana tree that's intractable for me.  It's rooted into a bunch of river rocks, bounders, brecia, maybe some cement. 
I'm in sand so much easier. But I have separated some oak roots & they are a pain. My favorite tool is this variety with two nice cutters on both ends. The smaller for the really thick roots and the bigger for the rocks & easier root removal.  This one is currently not available but here is an amazon picture/description ::: https://www.amazon.com/Truper-31638-5-Pound-Mattock-Fiberglass/dp/B002UF7R72/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=root+axe&qid=1596557111&sr=8-6

I was unaware of the need to remove the root mass so thanks for the information....  But I have previously removed pups etc. from a group & this tool cuts through the banana root mass easily easily easily; no where near as difficult as oak tree root removal. Using a shovel is much more difficult than using this tool listed above for cutting banana mass or oak tree roots (almost impossible if big oak roots & don't try it with a shovel lol )

3:05 minutes into youtube video shows the use of small end cutting off tree roots of a guy removing a tree.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePOh3nfN08Q
« Last Edit: August 04, 2020, 12:45:53 PM by palmcity »

venturabananas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #834 on: August 04, 2020, 01:09:24 PM »
I have enough accumulated injuries that I'm always looking for ways to avoid exacerbating them.  A mattock is a useful tool, but unnecessary for bananas, and is a lower back killer.  Any shovel will slice through banana roots.  And through the rest of the plant if you are cutting downward (not across the fibers), using your body weight.  Hence the lopping off the tops with a saw, then using the shovel.

BTW, you don't need to remove banana roots.  You need to remove the entire offshoot ("pup") including all its bulb-like corm.  The severed roots will die.

For severing woody roots on trees (not bananas), I find a small handsaw that I don't care much about easier on the body than a mattock.

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #835 on: August 04, 2020, 02:08:11 PM »
It helps a lot to have a good shovel with wings on the top area for stomping down on.  Not all shovels have the wings.  And a good pair of work boots so you don't wreck your feet stomping on the shovel.  Makes popping out banana corms fairly easy.  Usually a couple stomps downwards and then lay the shovel over and they pop out. 

Then I take the removed material and use a large machete to chop it into small pieces and drop in place.  I keep big 18" wide log slices every 15ft in my banana area to use as chopping blocks. 

I should do a video on this.
Brad Spaugh

Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #836 on: August 04, 2020, 02:46:01 PM »
Glyphosate gets roots and all.  No need to complicate this. 

quesofreshcoh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #837 on: August 04, 2020, 03:25:49 PM »
I just planted a 'Super Hass' in my yard. Its in a pretty consistently moist spot and gets some shade throughout the day, but so far has pushed a new flush of growth. Its sitting where an old Curry Leaf tree used to be, which I did not like as it smelled very strongly and littered the ground with suckers. It's nearly impossible to get them all even after the tree's been gone. The avocado is about 3 feet tall growing straight up. I fertilized and it looks like it might push another flush. I have heard it sometimes produces unevenly ripened fruit, but out of the 10 I have tried from someone else's tree, only 2 were unevenly ripened. I don't know why it might be but I hope it produces well in a few years.
-Gabe

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #838 on: August 04, 2020, 04:02:54 PM »
Glyphosate gets roots and all.  No need to complicate this.

Right, but banana shoots in a mat are all connected by a shared corm and rhizomes, so how do you not kill the whole plant in this case where he wants to keep some parts of it?

palmcity

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #839 on: August 04, 2020, 04:35:41 PM »
I have enough accumulated injuries that I'm always looking for ways to avoid exacerbating them.  A mattock is a useful tool, but unnecessary for bananas, and is a lower back killer. 
Sorry you have lower back pains; perhaps increase walking and sit ups if allowed by your physician to increase your core strength. Hopefully the requester does not. Also sit as little as possible as sitting vs. standing increases odds of muscle pains in lower back, at least in my opinion.

I thought I had quoted the requesting party describing the digging site.... Oh, I did...........The requesting party said "It's rooted into a bunch of river rocks, bounders, brecia, maybe some cement."

If they know what they are talking about and I assume they do as they requested advice, IMO a shovel is a poor choice for getting through boulder, river rocks, & cement..... But the tool I listed with a much stronger thicker blade with 5 lbs weight would create enough force per square inch on the thick smaller sized blade to easily break apart rock and cement in most situations..... IMO definitely Far Better than a flimsy shovel just waiting for you to bend the end of the weak thin shovel blade on cement or a boulder rock as you spend way more wasted time hitting the cement and rock without penetration. I would NOT recommend the use of a shovel in cement rock combinations....

konan99

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #840 on: August 05, 2020, 01:45:18 AM »
We ate a Reed last night, OMG!  It was probably the most delicious, richest, creamy, buttery avocado I've ever eaten in my life.  Close but a bit different in profile to being the all time best was a Hass a friend in SoCal sent us. 

My Reeds now have about 15 months hang time.

How do you tell if Reed is ready?  We got just one fruit and our very first one.  I just don't want to waste it.  Thanks!

spaugh

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #841 on: August 05, 2020, 12:35:29 PM »
We ate a Reed last night, OMG!  It was probably the most delicious, richest, creamy, buttery avocado I've ever eaten in my life.  Close but a bit different in profile to being the all time best was a Hass a friend in SoCal sent us. 

My Reeds now have about 15 months hang time.

How do you tell if Reed is ready?  We got just one fruit and our very first one.  I just don't want to waste it.  Thanks!

Its not ready yet in cupertino.  Wait until october.
Brad Spaugh

zephian

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #842 on: August 05, 2020, 09:21:11 PM »
Brad, I feel like your attacking my manliness (Lol).  Hey, no one ever called me lazy in the yard; instead, I get in trouble for getting after it too much.  But, yeah, there's something about this banana tree that's intractable for me.  It's rooted into a bunch of river rocks, bounders, brecia, maybe some cement.  I'll give it another go.  I assume digging all the surrounding pups will have some damage on the roots of the one or two I want to maintain.  I'm sure they'll bounce back in time though.  Thanks.
Our clay sucks. I had a really thick mat I spent ALOT of time on last year. Pick. Shovel. repeat. now I have one or two popping up again and need to get at it. Previous owners used to grow bananas for leaves and it's some variety that never fruits.

Naysen, how are your avocados doing this year? Mine are hating the sun. I've been working longer hours so haven't had time to address them, and it's too hot by the time I get outside but I need to paint/spray them with surround for the third time this year. Looks like they are liking the night time temps but this 100+ every day is rough
-Kris

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #843 on: August 06, 2020, 08:22:07 PM »
Brad, I feel like your attacking my manliness (Lol).  Hey, no one ever called me lazy in the yard; instead, I get in trouble for getting after it too much.  But, yeah, there's something about this banana tree that's intractable for me.  It's rooted into a bunch of river rocks, bounders, brecia, maybe some cement.  I'll give it another go.  I assume digging all the surrounding pups will have some damage on the roots of the one or two I want to maintain.  I'm sure they'll bounce back in time though.  Thanks.
Our clay sucks. I had a really thick mat I spent ALOT of time on last year. Pick. Shovel. repeat. now I have one or two popping up again and need to get at it. Previous owners used to grow bananas for leaves and it's some variety that never fruits.

Naysen, how are your avocados doing this year? Mine are hating the sun. I've been working longer hours so haven't had time to address them, and it's too hot by the time I get outside but I need to paint/spray them with surround for the third time this year. Looks like they are liking the night time temps but this 100+ every day is rough
When will reed and holiday be ready in Oxnard CA?

CA Hockey

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #844 on: August 06, 2020, 10:11:34 PM »
My reed tree set fruit for the first time this year.  They're sizing up quickly. Already baseball size. I should be harvesting them next year right? Is that normal? For them to get so large so fast? It's on toro canyon rootstock.


V

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #845 on: August 07, 2020, 12:54:43 AM »
My reed tree set fruit for the first time this year.  They're sizing up quickly. Already baseball size. I should be harvesting them next year right? Is that normal? For them to get so large so fast? It's on toro canyon rootstock.


Your tree looks big. Yes, the fruit will ripen in a year.
You can check 2-year time lapse of my Reed and Lamb Hass avocado trees: https://youtu.be/Z6kESLYFUr8

Mark in Texas

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #846 on: August 08, 2020, 11:08:41 AM »
Yep, Reed tastes best with over 12 mos. hang time.  Mine are at 15 mos. and super rich.

LuisC

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #847 on: August 14, 2020, 12:12:35 AM »
I just planted a 'Super Hass' in my yard. Its in a pretty consistently moist spot and gets some shade throughout the day, but so far has pushed a new flush of growth. Its sitting where an old Curry Leaf tree used to be, which I did not like as it smelled very strongly and littered the ground with suckers. It's nearly impossible to get them all even after the tree's been gone. The avocado is about 3 feet tall growing straight up. I fertilized and it looks like it might push another flush. I have heard it sometimes produces unevenly ripened fruit, but out of the 10 I have tried from someone else's tree, only 2 were unevenly ripened. I don't know why it might be but I hope it produces well in a few years.

Gabe,

I just bought 2 Super Haas trees that were grafted and are 3-4 feet tall.  I am planting them tomorrow.  What do you mean by some don't taste good?   I am in zone 9B myself. 


z_willus_d

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #848 on: August 17, 2020, 09:51:14 PM »
Sorry to ask a question (on the wrong thread none the less), and ditch for a couple weeks.  I have been out of town and then hard at work hacking away at those banana roots.  I finished up yesterday in the 113F heat.  I think I've got the tree in shape, but I'd love for any keen eyes to review the pics and make suggestions on what more to do.  The goal is (1) to keep the tree in check; (2) focus its energy into one or two main branches; and (3) maybe produce a viable fruit or two.  Thanks all.
-naysen

Here's what I had after an hour of hacking at it at the start:










And this is where I left off after finishing up yesterday evening:










z_willus_d

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Re: Avocado thread
« Reply #849 on: August 18, 2020, 05:28:05 PM »
Brad, what do you think?  Did I do a good job prepping that banana tree for success going forward?  Would you recommend removing all but a single shoot, or leave the two (with a baby for backup) as I Have it now?
Thanks man!