Q. I ordered an avocado tree online and followed the
directions for care. I understood it was
compatible with the Las Vegas climate but it kept loosing leaves. New leaves would grow but I finally gave up
on it. Just for fun, I presoaked a pit
from a fresh avocado and I planted it outside and it's doing well. Now that the weather is cooling down, should
I leave it in the ground or transplant it to a pot and bring it inside? What do
you recommend I do with it in the spring?
Would it ever bear fruit?
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| Super Avocado weighing in at over 2 lbs. (Photo courtesy Rare Fruit Society of the Philippines) |
A. A lot of people would really love to grow avocados
here but they are very "iffy" in our climate. For the most part, I
would discourage most gardeners from planting them. If you could get it to
survive here it would bear fruit.
The
usual reason for dropping leaves is a watering problem; going from dry to wet
and back again. If you are going to experiment with an avocado I would suggest
putting down a 4 to 6 inch layer of wood mulch around the trees but keep the
mulch a foot away from the trunk in the first five years. I think you will see
a big difference.
.JPG) |
| Avocados of Zimbabwe on display at local fair in Harare |
If you
just HAVE to grow an avocado tree, focus on the more cold hardy types such as the
variety ‘Mexicola”. Find a warm spot in the yard out of the wind. Store bought
avocado fruit, such as Hass or Fuerte, are not cold hardy varieties. These
would be destined as houseplants or grown in greenhouses.
Avocados
are really big trees. Another possibility is to try a dwarf avocado and put it in
a container. There is one true dwarf avocado called ‘Wurtz’ or marketed
sometimes as ‘Little Cado’. This variety does not tolerate any freezing
temperatures at all so you must move it into a spot that will not freeze at the
first hint of a frost.
If you
just want to play around and experiment then by all means do that. Just
remember that avocados are typically not tolerant of our winter cold.
They are hard to keep alive in the winter in Phoenix. I am very surprised it is possible in Las Vegas. As far as cold hardy:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.chestnuthilltreefarm.com/store/c/41-Cold-Hardy-Avocados.aspx
Avocados generally need a compatible cross pollinator. If you plant them remember south side near house with some east and west wind protection is usually best. A bit raised so cold air drains away.
Protect in winter as best you can. I know people who use army blankets and a 100W incandescent bulb underneath in severe frosts. Truly experimental in Vegas (or Phoenix). Once they get bigger they seem to be more cold resistant.
Protect them from sun as their bark lacks protection by painting white until canopy develops enough to protect the tree.