JoeS475

Early this summer I buried the large seed of an Avocado in a flower bed behind my house just for the hell of it. I forgot all about it until yesterday while playing ball with the dogs, I found a strange weed unlike the others. Turns out I have a 8" Avocado tree (Hooray for Google Images, which made ID a snap)! I dug it up and potted it (in the same mix I use for bananas), because a NJ winter is brutal to say the least.

Anyhow I just figured I'd mention it since I've never grown anything from seed before, and I feel a little proud (although I did nothing, Mother Nature gets all credit).

If anyone has Avocado experience or advice I'd appreciate it!

Take care...

~Joe

BTW: Avocado with Thousand Island dressing and small shrimp (tiny prawns are even better) is one of my favourite snacks ever!!!

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jmilligan1976

Nice!
I've done the same here in Zone 9b.
I have never been able to take them much more than 1' tall though....strange death.
You can also get them to sprout from seed by suspending them in a jar of water with toothpicks and leaving the pointy end 1/3 out of the water.
Good luck. Jay

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Because growing a plant suited to your climate is just too simple.........

TE

Joe, Just from personal experience, I find the young trees need adequate watering, but are very susceptible to over watering. Sure seems strange when you can sprout and grow them in a jar of water for a long time. Miraclegro potting soil is deadly on most plants except annuals. At least that is true here in Florida, although I do like their fertilize. You would need a good porous potting soil, not the dense stuff usually carried in the garden centers. But that stuff can be amended with perlite, vermiculite or bark chips. And they can be grown in the north with a little dedication. I brought back 2 seedling plants about 2 years old after my stay in Pa. They were 6 and 7ft tall and I lost them to a Florida freeze that next winter Happy gardening, TE

JoeS475

Thanks for the tips Jay and TE - I put it in a pot with 1/3 Scotts potting soil, 1/3 Perlite and 1/3 Peat Moss. We'll see how it does. The plant has very few roots and the pot is possibly a little big, so I'll be really careful about watering for a while.

Regards,

~Joe

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MediaHound

My two avocado trees:
Choquette Avocado


Beta Avocado


We love guacamole around here.
Can't wait till we can start making our very own. These trees have a few years till they produce... sigh

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jnstropic

Joe you ask what to do. Come on down to south Florida, that's were an avocado will flourish. South California grows the Mexican strain successfully. They are smaller than the Florida avocado and have a higher fat content. Ours are much bigger with less fat and more water. Interesting enough, I grew mine from seed. But when they were a year old Herald Kendall had his main grower come to my yard to graft them. I have three named trees that span the season, starting in late June through late October. We are now eating the latest bearing Monroe variety. You can grow the plant but not the fruit.

jnstropic

For some reason the jpg didn't download. Here is the address from both of my sites: http://groups.msn.com/tropicalgarden...o&PhotoID=4994

Scroll down on this page:
http://togofcoralgables.com/FlowersofOct06.aspx

momoese

In the yard area of the place I used to work we had a 40 year old Fuerte that produced the best fruit I've ever had. FYI I don't think there is any variety we can't grow here. You should see all the different ones at the farmers market!

jeffreyp

I have about 10 trees I started from seed. I also have two mature trees as well. They seem to like rich damp soil...I'd keep yours well watered.


Best,

JeffreyP