Giant Avocado-what is it?

Hi Guys! I went to a small market today and bought a 3 pound avocado. I never saw anything like it!!! I can't open it yet....it isn't ripe but I sure am impressed. I'm gonna grow the seed! I'm real good with starting avocado from seed so this got my attention. I searched on the 'net and there are several Guatemalan avocados that are large and round but no way 3 pounds!
The market is a "mom & pop " store so I know the fruit was picked here in Southern Florida. Can anyone give me any info?

cyber... that's a baby. LOL!

I grew up in Miami and the Pollock avocados generally run about 6-7 to a bushel. I'm assuning that's what you have although it really is a small specimen. They do not ship/keep well so you seldom see them in stores, only local markets. Taste is wonderful.

GUACAMOLE- yummmmmmmy!!!

Thanks, Darius! Wow! They can be even bigger?! It's good to know also that the tree will thrive here.

I am excited that it really is a Florida avocado. I am definetly planting the seed!

I need a grove of those-at $1 a lb hmmm just ship those seeds to CA yummmm

Would you like me to go back to that market and see if they still have some?

cyber... if you grow some, I may have to come visit and buy some. They are a wonderful avocado and hard to find if one doesn't live in south Florida!

Good morning darius! I hope to grow as many of those Pollocks that I can get my hands on! Avocados will probably be our largest grove. I seem to finally have got it down for growing the seeds. I opened my Pollock that I already bought and the seed was already sprouting! That's a first for me so I hope it makes it- the growth tip looked alittle shriveled. I'll pamper it.
I would love for you to come visit our farm!

The giant avocado seeds are sprouting!!!!

Yea!!

Yea!! those avacados make great quacamole. They grow in CA too. i have a friend in San Deigo that has one growing in his back yard. He was up here visiting this summer and brought 3 bags with him. oink! oink! is all i can say

I did alittle more research on my monster avocado and I think it is called a "Marcus". The Marcus is rounder and has a rounder seed than the Pollock.

In my research, I ran across a 'must have' avocado called a Brodon that I absolutely must find! It's supposed to have a fantastic flavor, cold resistant and has a purplish skin. I'll first watch for it to show up at the grocery store before I dish out a few $100 dollars at a nursery.

The reason for getting crazy with the avocados is they're a huge seller here and I hear that avocado blossoms make for the best honey. (Yep, back to my 'anything for a buck' farming venture!)

My hubby was a roofer most of his life and now that he's older, every part of his body hurts, has had surgery or needs surgery. He wants to retire so bad and I know we can't make it on just my income. The faster we can get things going (growing?) for us on the farm, the faster he can get his wish!

Tonite (Friday) I am taking over about 20 avocado seedlings to the farm. These are some of the smaller trees (under 6 ft) so that they will fit in the van along with my 5 dogs and sister-in-law. ..........for a 3 day weekend.

We got a new shotgun for out there (smack in the middle of the Everglades) so when just us girls are out there working we will feel safer. That and a bottle of vodka!!!

cyber... I guess I've never had a 'Marcus'... the only giant avocados I knew growing up in south Florida were the Pollocks. But now that you mention shape, I do remember Pollocks had more of an elongated shape, generally, but not always.

So, you are going to be a "bee keeper" too?

Enjoy your weekend and just don't mix the vodka with the shotgun, LOL.

The shotgun part is actually goofy- When we see a gator or a cottonmouth we run away from it but the dogs run AT it. One shotgun blast into the air and the dogs eyeballs almost fall out of their heads and they take off for home. I'm a terrible shot to shoot AT something.

Once (about 20 years ago) I lived in the 'glades up further north. I was running late for an appointment and wouldn't ya know it- there was a moccosin wrapped around the hardware on my gate. They are so aggressive, I was afraid to poke it with a stick and chase it off. I'm sure it would have chased me. So the redneck I am I went back to the house and got my gun. Boy did I mess up that wood gate! I shot eveything BUT the snake. Needless to say- he won and I missed my appointment.

Yes Pollacks are more pear-shapen but now, so is the new variety "Slimcado", which has 50% less fat. It's very tastey too and I believe now that people are being so fat conscience, will be the more popular variety to grow. HOW it will do for my zone, I don't know- I haven't checked on the net for it yet. It's fairly new. I have I think about 5 or 6 seedlings going tho.

I think bee-keeping would be another healthy thing to do. I can't eat refined sugar or anything that has it in it so I use a lot of honey. Back to people wanting to be healthy- I think I could make a few bucks there too AND help people get healthy. Then there's the wax! To make candles using bee's wax is expensive! (Buying the bee's wax, that is!)

I got internet out at the farm now so I can get alittle computer work done and maybe drop into "Dave's".
You have a wonderful weekend too, Darius!

LOL
'rageous = 0,
snake = 1,
gate = -1

Great story.
~'spin!~

Did you really like the taste of those avocados? They are big, that I admit but I don’t think they have much taste to them or not like other varieties. I’m a Florida born girl and I sell all kinds, however if I was to pick my favorites they would be Brogdon (Mention in post above- the purple almost black… nutty flavor, high fat content which makes it yummy yummy and its cold hardy. The other would be Lula for its fat content and taste. Less water and more dense.

Pollack is definitely not cold hardy and to be honest there are so many avocados far superior which leads me to …. Avocados from seed…

I’m not sure what nursery you’re seeing avocado trees for 100.00. If you spend 100.00 on an avocado tree then it better be 15 gallons or larger. A 15 gallon tree is fruiting age. If you plant a seed do you know how long that tree will need to grow before it produces IF it produces at all? It would take a seedling avocado at least 4-6 years to begin producing fruit and I’m being kind. Sure it will throw some flowers and produce a fruit here and there but it will be years before you see any serious action. You’ll be buying avocados for a while.

Save your money and buy a 3 or 7 gallon tree. A 7 gallon tree should not cost more then 50.00 and if it’s grafted you can have fruit in just a few years- maybe 3-4 if not sooner. (3 gallon tree no more then 29.00) There is a trick in getting them to fruit sooner and I believe it to be true. You keep it in a container and step it up as it out grows its pot. So if you start with a 3 go into a 7 and keep it there for a while. Then to 15 and it should start to fruit or try. When this happen put it in the ground or keep growing it in a container. It won’t produce as much fruit but let’s face it, when the season rolls around there are always more then you can eat and you can’t freeze avocado like mangos and other fruits.

Good luck on your seed tho. Be careful in the Everglades for flooding and keep the roots of avocado wet. I am outside La Belle.

Slimcado? Lol- are you kidding me? Avocados are supposed to be fatty and creamy. Taking the fat away is ewwwwwwww.


Cheers,
Tamara

Thank you for all the info Tamara!
I haven't found a Brodon yet but will keep looking.
So you're saying that the avocados like to stay wet? I keep water dishes under my seedlings but I thought it was a seedling thing. If they can handle wet, it sure would open it up for where I can plant!

The slimcado is a health fad but I go with the flo. They really are tastey. I am planning to grow for my family and for a little fruit stand on the side of the road- alot of tourists pass this way on the main road so some fruit will be for "the show of it all"- like the giant avocados.

I didn't realize that growing from seeds might not produce fruit. I didn't know that. Being from here too- I never knew anyone to buy an avocado tree- they started from a seed and ended up with a huge bounty.

I imagine you're just north of me. I am 18 miles east of Everglades City on SR29.

I always took half an avocado in the skin, punctured it all over with a fork, added juice of half a lemon and lots of salt. Who knew what it really tasted like, LOL. If I'm just adding some chopped avocado to a salad I actually have had some good Haas avocados from CA but I grew up on FL avocados and am more accustomed to their taste. Besidea, a Haas is not large enough to stuff with a shrimp or crab salad.

I think I read somewhere that the fat in avocados ia heart-healthy fat. Cannot verify right now.

edited for spelling typo

This message was edited Jun 11, 2005 10:41 PM

Has anyone had any experience with the Don Gillogly variety? http://www.avocadotrees.com/

I went to the Avocado website that you put up the link for and it sounds awsome! I might order one!!! Thanks!