. ), If I had to choose a pair for your location, I think Id try the combination of Pinkerton and Gwen or Reed. Hass and Reed as numbers one and two are solid for me. So, I found an avocado variety calendar, on gregalder.com, https://gregalder.com/yardposts/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/IMG_20170831_071354-1-e1504273347755.jpg, https://gregalder.com/yardposts/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/WP_20160104_09_07_06_Pro.jpg, but I am still struggling and have no idea what second variety would be the best choice. They call it Standard or 4 mulch. Im going to find the least cold spots on and plant the less cold hardy avocados there. These trees are classified as evergreens, although some varieties lose their leaves for a short period of time before and during flowering. The variety was developed in Australia during the mid-1950s and it became the main commercial avocado grown in . The problem is that theres so much to say. I even made a chart a few years ago showing the harvest seasons of some varieties (in my post When to pick avocados), but Im not perfectly comfortable with it because every year is different and every yard is different, even within a small geographical area like a single county let alone all of Southern California. Hi Robert, dont know how to grow in your region, This is when I began looking for my trees abroad, within the EU. It is medium in size with rough green skin and yellowish-green flesh. If you only eat half, that's 1.3 grams of net carbs. Any new varieties being developed by Mary Lu Arpaias breeding program at UC Riverside take decades before theyre released to be propagated and sold to the public. I couldnt send the photos here. One of his favorites was the Nabal. In case you didnt know, Im also in Ramona. Wish Id read something like this a few years ago. Hi Greg, I live on the California Coast in between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay, were at about 800ft elevation and 1 mile inland from the coast. Thank you for your wonderful blog! Thanks so much for this update. Avocado - GEM - 3 - 4 feet tall Exotic Fruit Trees Limit 5 per customer. But first let me say thank you. Our Avocado Varieties. I wish I knew your yard in particular because there are always various microclimates within Sunset Zones and city limits, but unless youve got an unusually low and cold spot then these varieties should do fine. Daily 11 Avocado. What is the next most oil-based Avo after the Hass? . Otherwise other avocado nuts (like myself) might annoy the generous owners of the mother tree. Would you say these are still your top 3? I dont think youll regret a Hass/Bacon pair unless you dont like the milder taste of Bacon. (Not that Pinkerton avocados arent delicious though. There is a lot of great info here. And I also hope for mild heat this summer! I have to do that with my avocados here in Sunset Zone 20 too. Its just hard to start growing a tree that you: Pretty much. Others have noted this since the early days growing Gwen, and I have also noticed it in my tree. All the wood from the Gwen is going to the beach soon as possible for a bonfire. I wanted to tell you that it appears that there is a Fuerte/Hass cross in Lafayette which is in the bay but just over the hills and away from the fog. Youll just want to be prepared to protect them in cold snaps during their first winter or two. But the important thing is that Reeds taste great a couple months after Hass are at their best. This cultivar is responsible for almost 60 percent of commercial avocado acreage in Hawaii. Will likely be going with a Sir Prize based on that fact, but Eli at Subtropica has all available, its just so tempting to get all three and just try to plant the reed on the other side of the property. I would call them and see about buying trees from them if you have trouble locating trees elsewhere. You could eat Sir Prize fruits starting pretty early in winter, and then you could let the GEMs hang late and eat them even through summer maybe into fall except that Covina gets hot, so maybe not. Do you have any neighbors with avocado trees in their yard? The farmer found GEM to do very well on Toro Canyon and Duke 7 rootstock in his soil, however. More than half the fat in avocados is the healthy monounsaturated fat (the type in olive oil) and saturated fat is minimal. Avocado strains include Nishikawa, Sharwil, and Lamb Hass. Step 4. I ate my first ever Kona Sharwil today. Also I was thinking of grafting Lamb Hass onto the Hass so I can extend that season. Obviously the tree would look very weird, but would likely be weak or want to fall to one side or maybe the vigorous variety would pull more nutrients and starve the less vigorous variety. Hi David, This is how I got to this blog, but I never found any mention of high density. Might turn out to be yours though! I hope your trees grow lightning fast! Thanks for the update. Youd likely still have a window with no fruit, or no great fruit, sometime in fall. When I looked up the harvest time, it looks similar to a Reed. Its me from up North again. Should I plant a Reed to complement my other trees? It is only slightly pebbled with yellowish bumps, much smaller than the ones found on a Hass. I am not gaining anything just want the world to have another Fuerte variety available to them. Better now than never. The tree is around 12 ft. I dont know the growing habits of avocados generally in Hawaii compared to California. Thats a good question. Sometimes the selection and quality is terrible, but sometimes its excellent. Contemplated stopping by Fallbrook and talking to a grower, but returning on Sunday meant I was a bit eager to get home. Old mexicana only a few a year, sometimes none. The Reed avocado variety is a chance seedling of Nabal, selected by James Reed in California in 1948. Gwen has sensitivity to dry soil and heat. I watered it every day, but the young tree literally burnt alive and became all black in just one month. We may have an improved Fuerte. The only real negative was that the seedcoat didnt adhere to the seed. With GEM as tree 1, you would find that Sir Prizes harvest season is earlier whereas Reed and Lamb are later. Elevated a 12 foot circle 8 inches with landscape stones and filled with wood chips. I live in Sunland, CA, in a very sunny area where the sun is strong all day. But a couple are right on the cusp of that top tier. Thanks. We might be on to something. What I would plant after these is less solid though. Ill ask and post an update here as I learn. The only caveat Id make is that Pinkerton and Gwen both seem to like to have a B-type avocado nearby in order to produce their maximum. FRUITING VARIETY Hass Carmen Hass - subject to $5.18 + GST per tree royalty payment Maluma Hass - subject to $5.00 + GST per tree royalty payment Reed Sharwil Of course, they dont understand the function of that leaf litter. I made one for my mom in her backyard about six years ago and its doing well. A Florida avocado has the same kind of fats but in much lower quantities. Suggestions? Ive never eaten Green Gold. USDA Certified Production Facility: Volume up to 6,000 lbs. Is there another tree of comparable size that complements the GEM in season that could happily share this space? If your Reed is on Dusa and its doing well so far, then I would get those other trees on Dusa too. Someday you will be the resource of knowledge on avocado growing in Nice. I live in southern CA zone 10b near Los Angeles. (This is June 22, 2019.) In August I managed to order more avocado trees directly from Brokaw (Spain). 2 Reed (on Dusa) for me and the cathedral, and one Bacon (on Dusa) for the cathedral. I decided to follow your advice and plant one Reed and one Hass. I confess I began gardening only very recently, and I am super interested in all the different varieties and the scientific details. I wrote to the manager, asked if they had avocado trees available, sent a bank transfer, did the arrangements for the shipping and the trees were delivered to Nice. It is so hard to know when a variety will taste good coming from a tree in your yard based on the information of others, I totally agree. . Good questions, all. Because Cayucos is so cool, Id stay away from B type avocados in general, including Sir-Prize. Let me get things together on my side before I share too much about the Lamorinda tree. has a high oil content and is larger than the hass variety. But the other VIVEROSBROCKAW does!!!!!!!! Thanks so much in advance Greg, But Im guessing. My head was spinning, trying to develop the perfect avocado plan for my hillside. And a friend showed me an old tree of an unknown variety that hed found growing without irrigation near Shelter Island. The trees are doing spectacularly, especially the Nabal with 18 almost baseball size avocados on it. Should I avoid planting a Reed here? Once you have tried a GreyStar avocado, you will quickly conclude that GreyStar is several rungs up the ladder from Hass in flavour, quality and value. This is so fun! Of the more than 275,000 acres that nurture Mexican avocados, the hands-down favorite is the Hass avocado, with is creamy, nutty flavor. Thanks again for all the information. 'Greengold' and 'Murashige' are other green-skinned cultivars recommended by CTAHR for commercial planting. Medium spreading canopy. Hi! But the distinctive smooth texture and nutty yellow flesh of a perfect Fuerte is so appealing to me that I dont even want to adulterate it as guacamole. Now, less fat might sound good, but the fats found in Hass avocados are very healthy. Wish Maddocks was open on the weekend so i could check it out. If I didnt feel the need for lots of space, I would, no doubt. They will always stay true to who they are (unlike Hass, who with one whiff of heat or pressure shapeshift quicker than a Harry Potter character). One has more green on it than the other. I hope I can answer all of your questions on this topic there. Small seed - Sharwil seeds, possibly the smallest of all commercial avocados, are I thought you could know more about avocado rootstocks, reading articles is one thing, but having an avocado tree orchard is another))))), Also, Duke 7 and Dusa are highly tolerant to Phytophthora (Duke 7 is tolerant to Phytophthora citricola and Dusa to Phytophthora cinnamomi). Theres a little more about my opinions on choosing avocado varieties in this post: https://gregalder.com/yardposts/avocado-varieties-for-year-round-harvest/. Do remember how heavy the fruit is, and that it will cause branches to bend down significantly. Thanks so much for all the info and experience you provide! Ill suggest other varieties and give lots of reasons and scenarios in the upcoming post. I appreciate all the documentation! But I think its going to be a more common variety for Southern California in the future. Lots of dieback when it reached 117F for 3 days. I will be planting your suggested trio this spring. Also, this winter had me buying avocado from Mexico, which is either small and cheaper, or XL and pricey. So sorry to have somehow missed your earlier comment. Anyway, usually its for the best that trees shed some of their fruitlets. SHIPPING. Do you suggest shade clothes for all my trees (about 4 feet tall, 15 gal), or will it stunt growth too much? Thats because after choosing the variety I decided that time has come to choose the rootstock)))) or either OK? What could have caused this issue ? Thanks again! Ive enjoyed reading your posts as I consider my Avocado plant. You might find this answer boring, in which case Id be willing to bet that you dont already have a Hass tree in your yard. Two months ago my Nabal (in SoCal) was also developing a lot of yellow leaves with brown veins, and falling off. Theyre both great varieties, and good complementary trees for a Reed. (Actually, Lamb drops more fruit in spring compared to Reed. Maybe not the best. Reed is basically a summer-into-fall variety. Carmen Hass is similar to Hass Avocado but smaller 6-14 oz fruit. And then theres your commitment to pruning. Seeing as you can go buy a Hass avocado in your local supermarket any day of the year, maybe you might consider a different variety that you can't otherwise find. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I'm Greg. Thanks really enjoy your posts! Eli also sells his avocados at farmers markets, and the one closest to you is in Corona Del Mar. Hass, I love your articles!! See: https://gregalder.com/yardposts/how-to-plant-and-stake-an-avocado-tree/. (GEMs harvest season is basically spring into summer.) They should do well for you. Sharwils harvest season compared to Reed will likely be more similar to Hass at your location. They have been so helpful for me starting my garden. The challenge Ive heard others in your area having is with occasional cold snaps in winter (taken care of by your greenhouse) and such cool spring weather that B types dont set much fruit. (See more about Reed in my post, The Reed avocado tree: a profile.). We recommend storing your avocado at room temperature in the fruit bowl until it reaches the preferred ripeness for eating. Just so you and other readers know, my yard is in inland San Diego County near the town of Ramona. Same for my Sharwil and the Sharwils I know nearby, except that Im not sure theyll produce quite as much as Reed. This way, if one performs significantly better than the other, then you could replace the poor performer with a tree on the rootstock that you know does well in your soil. As your commenter mentioned above, this list might not be optimal for those of us in slightly cooler areas. There are some Hawaiians that do well in CA and FL, like Kona Sharwil. Actually, I have tasted someone elses Kahaluu fruit that was grown in California so I can use that for reference in comparing to the others. My son, who ate it with me, called it the bestest avocado ever. (Though only a kindergartener, he has eaten his share of avocado varieties and actually has an opinion worth listening to!). I feel like all of them doesnt have a good overlap in terms of flowering season, what can i do to make sure they get polinated enough? Is that the same down South? The information I am finding on Reed says that it is best grown in Zones 10-11. Just got some bee hives in this year and a decent fruit set, just hope the heat stays mild this summer. To mitigate the clay soil, the planting area is raised, and the adjacent rock wall is free standing to allow drainage. When your Hass avocado tree is newly planted, it will need to be watered every two to three days. My 15-foot Hass averages roughly 100 avocados per year, and Ive found that we need more than that during the Hass season. I have been trying to research this for a while now trying to figure out the best combination for me. Id probably have to give the edge to Sir Prize because Id rather have the most complementary harvest seasons in order to have fruit to eat more of the year. Im also always unsure what Im going to find at these types of stores, which is why I always have a look when Im shopping there. Seemed very mature, almost overmature, as the seed had germinated and the root was touching the peel on the bottom, and the seedcoat did not adhere to the seed. Im really benefiting from your observations. Will the new leaves burn? If you want it to grow both up and wide, Id plant a Hass. I dont know the nursery it is originally from. Reed (another type A variety) was a late season flowerer. I guess the mites are too small to interest Ladybugs. Yes, heat tolerance would be a desirable quality indeed. We have acreage The Land located above Hilo, Hawaii, at 800 foot elevation. Kona Sharwil avocado was introduced in Australia and is now a major commercial variety in Hawaii. Especially since I have a big interest in Hawaiian varieties it is difficult to know what the season will be in OC. Theyre for my parents and theyre concerned about consuming yield from two trees, but maybe after a few years, theyll be up for another! Could you make a suggestion and where I may obtain that tree. Unfortunately, they do not have a webshop, but I was able to call them, and they spoke both French and English. Due to the protracted nature of avocado flowering in this region, all varieties had some degree of cross-over. In terms of the harvest season complementing your Hass and Fuerte, advantage probably goes to Reed here also. Depending on the cultivar, avocados have green, brown, purplish, or black skin, and may be pear-shaped, egg-shaped, or spherical. In 1992, the USDA banned shipment of the Sharwil avocados after an oriental fruit fly larva was found in a Hawaiian packinghouse that processed Sharwil avocados and other local produce. In that case, one Hass tree might suffice. They're all from the same Mexican or Guatemalan stock, but they've been bred for the local climate. I have seen, in person, happy Hass and/or Reed trees in other parts of Southern California considered Sunset Zone 18, such as Rancho Cucamonga, Corona, and Redlands. Thank you! I want to reorder a Hass (on Duke-7), as you recommended earlier. Its just easier to maintain over the long haul. See this article about mulches and controlling root rot in avocados: http://www.avocadosource.com/WAC5/Papers/WAC5_p561.pdf. We do occasionally get into the mid-20s F in the winter, but it rarely reaches 70F in the summer. Plus 1 GEM, 1 Lamb and 1 Bacon. Thanks for your super helpful website! The second time I tried in on avocado toast and to my surprise it tasted even more like Fuerte. A couple of practices to consider from the UC IPM page: Excess fertilization, especially with quick-release formulations, may increase persea mite numbers and damage during late spring and summer due to increased foliar nitrogen. The flesh itself has a mild taste and is quite watery. And one concern would be pairing a vigorous upright variety with a slow spreading variety. In the meantime, well work on protecting it from sunburn when it hits 100 F or 110 F in a few months! Your help would be most welcome, In my yard, Reeds start to taste good as early as May, and can go through September. The Hass is a tough act to follow, but Backyard. If you want the tree to grow more vertically, Id plant a Reed. So since youre buying from Subtropica, Id get any clonals they have, if available, and then plan to wrap the trunk next winter to protect the rootstock and graft union area from cold. I listen for the sound of a chainsaw. Very happy with my Zutano. Greg, I have not been able to get a clear answer as to why this is not grown in South Florida. But Im game to attack it with a fun and practical twist: Im imagining that I just moved into a new house with a blank yard . Highlights. By the way, I have a few other Hawaiian varieties growing that Ive never tasted and am wondering if youd recommend giving any of them more or less attention and space: Murashige, Malama, Nishikawa, Kahaluu? The avocados are large and oblong with a small seed and thin green skin. Its great for grapes and pomegranates, harsh for avocados. Great and very informative information for us who are interested in Avocado farming.However I need more information on how I could distinguish different Avocado trees, for instance I understand that Hass avocado trees are ever green. They grow far better in the mild temperatures near the beach than they do in my yard which is twenty miles from the ocean. Also, there is nothing written about growing avocados in France. We do have a small green house, but its not really large enough for an avocado tree of any size unless we leave it in a pot, which would limit its productivity. (Then again I let mine hang until June.). I see the UC grafting resource you posted, but I am curious how to select varieties that would be well suited for grafting to the same tree. Hass is amazing in this way. Sadly, there are fewer and fewer every year. Terrific! Edranol, Ettinger, Sharwil and Zutano demonstrated a closer timing to Hass than Bacon, Fuerte and Shepard . Most of the other retail nurseries buy from the same wholesale growers (La Verne and Durling). So I have got as close as I can while understanding that the season is going to be affected by many other things anyway. That is, they have thick firm skin with rich and nutty flesh, high in oil content. Im still fairly new to farming and have a ~280 Hass grove (Fuerte rootstock) in inland San Diego (Ramona), so I am always fascinated with learning about these trees. I say sad because avocados must be the easiest trees on the planet to prune. I would stick to A types though. The avocados have smaller seeds inside and therefore produces a significantly larger amount of flesh to eat than other avocado types. Edranol, Ettinger, Hass, Sharwil and Zutano were mid-season flowerers. The tree is supposedly over 40 and is a seedling with both Fuerte and Hass characteristics yet again the flavor has that tanginess only Fuerte has. It is an effective way to manage closely planted trees. I have a hilly area for my trees and its not practical for ladders, so Im looking to plant avocado trees that are easier to pick, great tasting, high yielding and can hang for some time on the tree (ideally). For our San Joaquin Valley home we can get hard freezes so I have a Mexicola Grande since it is off in October before the freeze. I hesitate to even talk about the taste of Kahaluu since Ive only eaten one. They have both Reed and Hass, both Duke 7 and Dusa. Persea americana x 'Mexicola Grande'. The Hass avocado is one of the most delicious varieties of avocado around, with a rich creamy flesh and superior taste. I cant speak from personal experience about my own Sharwil trees because theyre too young, so this guess is based on what Ive seen in others Sharwil trees in Southern California. Where to find Sir Prize Avocados? If you knew a lot about your soil, then you could make a better guess as to which rootstock is likely to perform best, but I wouldnt worry about that. Today, the 'Hass' accounts for about 80 percent of all avocados consumed in the entire world. Not sure exactly what that is. Hi Greg, Which order would you recommend from the equator to the pole? In fact I find that Pinkerton here is actually better than down South and in fact better than Hass. Option 1: Reed. But not about the persea mites. A whole avocado contains around 11.8 grams of carbs ( 1 ). come up with some heat resistant varieties. Spacing with the Hass is important as well. I found several great articles: http://www.avocadosource.com/WAC8/Section_02/DeVilliersAI2015.pdf for avocados. But not until the end of summer. have you seen any truths to that? We also have a Cate Macadamia tree in the backyard which is doing excellent. I dont have a lot of firsthand experience with avocados in your area so I try to be keep quiet about what will grow well there and how to do it. Green gold can not compete with shawil but makes good quac. Hi Martins, I read that Duke 7 (American) and Dusa (South African) are to this day the best rootstocks. Youre right Walter. However, they often dont have any in stock, which means your only choice is to put in a request and wait for delivery as you noted. Watering. Im leaning toward Gwen or Reed for a fall producer, and Holiday, Pinkerton or Wertz for winter production. Our climate is supposed to be similar to South California (I have never been to California though))), we have no frosts, summers are a little more humid than in California. Give your avocado tree about 15 feet of space from other trees and plants. June of 2018 Finally picking a bunch of softball-sized, very tasty fruits. Sharwil avocados have a dense, nutty flavor and a high oil content. Greg The Reed is only two years old and have not harvested any fruit yet. D'Arturo Avocado. I was curious where you get all the wood chips for mulch? These are the first trees I have had success with and just dont want to mess things up. No matter your choice, Im excited for you to get a tree or a couple going in your yard. Shot hole borers being involved didnt even occur to me, but now that you mention it that seems like a definite possibility. Sharwil is not as 'nutty' as Hass, but has a mild but rich fullness of flavor and lingering creamy after-taste that transcends Hass. In contrast, most of the Type B avocados are considered "greenskins". Warm regards, http://www.avocadosource.com/Journals/2_Seminario/2_Seminario_Talks_Kohne_Rootstocks.pdf, This is when I realised the tremendous importance of the rootstock (some rootstocks have three times bigger yields than the others!). The answer depends on a few things. I have never tasted anything but supermarket Hass from distant lands so all I can do is read or watch videos of people describing how each variety tastes like. This is one of the reasons that Hass went from obscurity in 1945 to over 95 percent of the commercial avocado production in California today. I realize it cant live forever there but at least I will get to try the fruit someday. Youre very welcome. THANK YOU for sharing such a wealth of information! The main negative is that, to me, Pinkertons dont taste quite as good as Fuertes. But I still hesitate about the rootstock variety. But thats actually not why Id choose it to grow as my only tree. Hi Greg, thank you for your posts. BACK IN STOCK APRIL 2023. Yes, plant that Reed! But its good to keep in mind that the trees are small so you cant expect them to produce as much as fast as a vigorous variety like Hass especially when the Holiday fruit are much larger than Hass. Type B is a plus, but also read that it is not as great of a producer. It is a heavy regular bearer, with fruit averaging 10 to 18 ounces with skin black when ripe. The fruit is usually rounded or slightly pear-shaped. The soil holds water for long though 3. I have two Hass and a sir prize, and my next door neighbor has a Big Florida type avocado and a friend down the street has a seed grown reed type with round fruit. Hi Greg, 96 9GreenBox - Pineapple Guava - 2 Pack 1,083 Fuerte, On that note, I should mention a post that I wrote a couple summers ago after my yard reached 109.8 degrees one day. Its crazy that these bigger nurseries carry many more inferior varieties, such as Zutano, while less frequently have Reed. Holiday likes to drop its fruit before it is mature. Great to hear all of this. Holiday doesnt produce great in the heat (or even without heat) compared to Pinkerton. When it comes to Avocado, Temecula is the place to buy all your Avocado trees, famous for best Avocados in the WORLD. 7 years ago.