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Of the various subtropical fruits that do well in our area, avocados are one of the most cherished. A few of the more tender cultivars don't always survive our winters but most avocados thrive in the Santa Cruz region. Most become large trees, requiring substantial space but for a small garden, the dwarf, 'Little Cado' matures at 8 - 12 ft and is suitable for growing in a container.
There is some disagreement about pollination needs of the avocado flowers. All avocados produce both male and female flowers. Trees are either type A (female flowers open in the morning, male flowers open in the afternoon of the following day), or type B (female flowers open in the afternoon and male flowers open the following morning.) In commercial orchards, where extremely heavy crops are important, growers plant both types for better pollination. In the home garden, most growers will tell you that having both types is not necessary, that one mature tree will produce all that the average family can consume. Other growers maintain that our day and night temperature swings, unlike the more constant day/night temperatures in their native Central America, promote the production of both male and female flowers simultaneously, making trees self-fertile. Pollination issues aside, there is an excellent reason to plant more than one avocado. By having several trees with different ripening times, it is possible to achieve harvest year around. For example, the well known 'Hass' can be harvested spring through fall. 'Fuerte' ripens fall, winter and spring. 'Bacon' is harvested fall and winter, 'Pinkerton' winter into spring. So choose the cultivars to insure the longest harvest period, as well as by cold hardiness and flavor. Most of us are familiar with the flavors and characteristics of 'Hass' and 'Fuerte' since they are the most widely grown commercially. Many other cultivars with excellent and distinctive flavor are also suitable for home growing. If you would like to sample some less common avocados, such as 'Gwen', 'Pinkerton', 'Zutano', 'Gem' and 'Bacon', an avocado supplier, Will Brokaw, will be supplying ripe fruit for tasting at San Lorenzo Garden Center, 235 River St, Santa Cruz on Saturday July 8 and Sunday July 9, from 10am to noon both days. Will's family has farmed avocados and other subtropical fruits for over 30 years. He sells his fruit at local farmer's markets, and on-line through the website www.willsavocados.com. This is a rare opportunity to experience the flavors and textures of avocados not usually available in the stores, allowing gardeners to make a more educated selection of trees for the home orchard. |
Avocados
Avocados are not
difficult to grow successfully if their few requirements are met. They need
full sun, and perhaps most important to avoid root diseases, perfectly draining
soil. Avoid heavy clay soil. They need regular irrigation during the dry
season, with a heavier irrigation every third or fourth time to wash excess
salts out of the root zone. Allow fallen leaves to build up under the tree as a
mulch. Young trees should be fed only lightly; older trees should be fed once
in spring and then again in summer with a fertilizer containing nitrogen. If
yellow leaves indicate chlorosis, apply iron chelate.
