Avocados

The spider mites don't actually LIKE copper but it is toxic to the predatory mites that keep them in check.

well keeping my fingers crossed that I got rid of them. I haven't seen any since I took everything outside and washed it off. I even let a few regular spiders stay put in the sun room when I saw them hiding behind plants as I was moving everything. As long as they stay in the sun room!

Well, the trees are now two years old. One has been adopted by our landscaper, and he reports that it is flourishing. Mine lost a few leaves -- and had some browned out -- but the tree is healthy, and almost ten feet high. It is also sending out new branches along its trunk, but I am just letting them grow, (I should probably cut them off.)

I had been advised that it would be many years before the tree would bear fruit -- but, lo and behold, it is sending me advance notice that something is cooking.

This is the first of several bud tips that are starting to show. Some winged things are sniffing around them, but the buds are still tightly closed.

Does this mean that I may have fruit this year? It is barely two years since I first planted the original seeds.

Experts wanted.

: )

.

You might. Mine did that last year but did not have a cross-pollinator. This year they do and I expect avocados.

Here is Opal right now. It is self-fertile but had cross-pollinators in the nursery.

This is a Haas I think. The flowers just opened.

This is my Marcus Pumpkin. I hear the avocados get as large as grapefruits. This is the first year for this one to flower.

They look great.

Did you start them from seed?

We have neighbors (1000 feet away) that have gigantic trees, so maybe they'll get cross-pollination. (If they need it.)

Be well

: )

No, but I really want to see if I can get a cross with the Opal and Marcus Pumpkin and grow the seeds. You should go clip one of their branches with flowers at your neighbors and stick it in the soil of your pot. Hopefully the flowers will keep opening.

Great idea. (Mine is in the ground -- but I am sure it'll work.)

Thanks.

Be well

:)

This message was edited Mar 21, 2009 1:46 PM

I lost all of mine :-( I'm not sure if they were too far gone with the avocado fungus or if the copper sulfate fungicide did them in. All I know is I followed the directions on the bottle and they just got worse until my DH one day said "honey, they are dead, give it up." Sigh. Now I have to wait for someone to visit me from my old stomping grounds and bring me more fruit from our old neighbor's tree.

I am happy that I didn't keep this on the patio.

Help.

So what are these two, long, fronds reaching for the ground.?

They are each about four feet long -- with no leaves.

: )


This message was edited Apr 19, 2009 8:30 PM

O K. It's now four years.

Does anyone have an avocado tree -- and when does it blossom? And when does it fruit?

Please sing along with me: Darling I am growing older.

Be well

(o_O)

My Wilma is blooming right now.
It is a Mexican variety.

Flyboy,

According to CRFG, it can take 8 - 20 years for a seedling to produce fruit. Have you considered grafting? One site I looked at said they may never produce fruit, but I question that otherwise native avocados would have disappeared long ago.

http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/avocado.html

8 to 20. Golly, I don't have that long.

But what do the blossoms look like?

I can see little bumps on some of the branches.

Be well

(o_O)

You will see bumps on the braches and they will either turn into leaves or tiny 4-7 pronged flower buds. I suspect this will be your year.

juju~

From your mouth to G_d's ears.

Be well

(o_O)

Does anyone still smoke cigars?

i am passing them out.

Look what peeked its head out of the leaves. I confess to having helped it along with a Q-tip (artificial insemination). But, who cares.

Be well

(o_O)

FlyboyFL,
That is a nice avocado! As I recall, it looks like a Pollack which is (or was) a common S. FL avocado in the 1950's. Anyhow, I am amazed that you got a fruit after only 4 years from seed. I would have guessed it would take 10 years. You just have the magic touch!

Here is a photo (30 May2011) of some green Greek figs on a 5' tall tree grown from a 8" cutting an old friend sent to me in 2009 There are a lot of figlets this year!
Paul

Nope.

This seed came from Haiti.

Anyhow -- this is yesterday's haul. The odd ones are Green Ischias.

Don't pick any until the necks droop.

Be well

(o_O)

Who says that one cannot get fruiting trees from avocado seeds?

I got one skimpy one last year -- and it fell off of the tree before it could ripen.

But now -- five years later -- look! It is loaded.

I hope -- I hope -- I hope.

(o_O)

AttaBoy! its the seeds inside the gro stores that dont usually germinate- nor grow- nor fruit- but, then most folks dont have the patience to stick it out, Grats again!!!

Thanks -- kittrina:

Luckily I was still young enough when I started it.

Be well

(o_O)

I planted the seed six years ago. Now, maybe, we'll be making guacamole.

(0_O)

I figured I don't have time to wait for seedlings to bear (just turned 76) so I bought 2 grafted avocada trees from Lowes for $29.99 each. I planted them in Feb. 2013. Each is about 3 1/2 feet tall and one already has buds on it. The other is supposed to bloom in the Fall. There are a lot of avocadas in my (Port ST Lucie, FL) neighborhood so I may get good polination for free. If not, I will use some of Brads Q-Tips techniques to pollinate a few.

Paul

Brad and others, take a look at : http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/MG/MG21300.pdf which is the U of FL extension service bulletin on home growing avocados.

Paul

Paul:

Let me confess. if I have to follow the instructions in that link about how to get avocados from avocado trees, I give up. I'll just go back to buying the green stuff already turned into guacamole at my nearby Sam's Club.

I am resigned to just saving the seed from a good specimen and sticking it into the ground -- and wait, and wait; and then just hope, and hope..

Thanks for offering to help.

Be well

(o_O)

Brad, I agree with you, it was a pretty badly written guide. I guess they have to 1st year grad students write the homeowners guides. I tried to use the charts in the back to select which 2 kinds or avocados I should buy at Lowes. I thought I had figured it out then realized one bloomed in Feb and one in Sept. Cross pollination would be quite a stretch! But you, like I, have neighborhood trees for help with pollination.

If I have any fruit, I will certainly post a picture.

Paul

I have a few fruit so far. But some of the blossoms have not yet opened. I am waiting.

Be well

(o_O)