With all the pitfalls Growing Avocado Trees in the backyard is still a favourite of Queenslanders and NSW people with Victorians usually growing the Bacon Avocado Tree which can handle their colder climates.As kids we had a seedling Avocado Tree which took 15 years before it fruited and then straight after that with a big downpoor it died. This is why Grafted Avocados are best. You can usually get fruit within 3-4 years and the Secondo Avocado Tree is known to give crops in 2 years.
Now I mentioned that they are "fuss pots" and that is why I am not just using any pot but the King of all pots so I can give their root system maximum drainage and room to spread it's roots. Avocados like water going past their roots but it can be fatal if their roots are immersed in water.
The Secondo which is a staff favourite at Daleys is pictured above. I am also growing in an identical pot the Wurtz Dwarf Avocado Tree (very top photo). My bet is that the Secondo will out perform the Wurtz so I think it is a good controlled test. The Secondo and Wurtz are both A-Type varieties and although the Secondo is known to set fruit with no other B-Type avocado in sight you can get an even bigger crop by growing B-Type avocado close by. My choice will be the Sharwill over the Fuete because the Fuete sometimes fruits every second year and the Sharwill every year. The Sharwill usually is flowering when the Secondo is which should enourage good pollination.
My other choice of Avocado which I won't be growing but will someday is the Reed Avocado which is out of this world in size. You could fit 3 Hass avocados inside one Reed and the taste although a little different is still just as good I think.
Avocado Ripening Tip: Place it in a paper bag with a banana or apple and it will ripen quicker.
Another point is that avocado varities don't all ripen at the same time. And like mandarine trees for example where you get early, mid and late varieties by getting a few different varitites of avocados growing you can have avocados ripening for most of the year and what could be better than that? I guess after just planting these avocados I am a bit obssessed with them at the moment.
I bought a dwarf avocado in early July and am finding it difficult to source details of just how big a pot you need to keep it growing well over its lifetime. What did you use as the 'king of pots'? Also what is the fertiliser regime for a potted dwarf avocado? I live in Brisbane.
ReplyDeleteI'm about to buy my first avocado but can't get over how expensive they are ($50+).
ReplyDeleteIt's unfair they are so expensive when successfully growing them is so ... hit 'n miss!
Just for clarification, can you successfully grow an avocado in a pot?
ReplyDeleteSo is it advisable to grow a Wurtz Avocado tree in Melbourne? I love avocados so I'm hoping to save lots of money as they are so expensive in the shops :)
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking Wurtz as people say they're much smaller and can deal with colder climates.. Is this true?
Thank-you,
Jon
I thought it was the bacon Avocado Tree which was best for the colder climates and more cold hardy. The dwarf avocado tree called wurtz is a much slower grower and is likely to stay smaller. However I think you are better off getting a vigerous grower and keeping it small with pruning.
ReplyDeleteSo you'd recommend a bacon? Can they be kept in a large pot?
ReplyDeleteJon
Not unless it is an absolutely huge pot like the one I have in the pic. You also have to remember that they will need repotting every 2 years.
ReplyDeleteIf you can put it in the ground then it is worth while building up the soil especially if you don't have sandy soil that is very easily drained. Probably worth while doing a soil drainage test.
Yes we recommend the bacon if you aren't in the subtropics it is the most frost hardy.
ReplyDeleteOkay, Ive reconsidered and realised there is quite a bit of space in the back of my garden, once I remove a small tree.
ReplyDeleteWould you recommend planting a Bacon and a Gwen avocado tree in close proximity so that they can cross pollinate? Are the Bacon fruits good?
I'm in Melbourne BTW.
Thanks,
Jon
I am buying my first avocado trees but wanted to get an A and B plant what would you suggest for the WA Goldfields region?
ReplyDeletehi, I have (what I believe) is a Hass avocado I grew from seed about 8-10yrs ago, it was cut back severly after damage a few years ago and took forever to grow prior to that, then suddenly had a growth spurt and is about 15ft tall over the roof, it looks healthy and has survived every winter with minimal damage to the leaves (it's somewhat protected by a queen palm above it) It gets filtered full sun but my main question is WHY WON'T IT FRUIT?? I've never seen it flower. I have a dwarf of another cold hardier variety and it only fruits a little. What am I doing wrong? Or does it take a long time to fruit? Need another tree to pollinate?
ReplyDeleteOh adding to my previous post, I'm in Central Valley California a 9a or 9b zone (it rarely dips below freezing mid winter nights). Is temperature a factor? We have hot dry summers and cool moist winters. It's been milder than usual the past few winters (winters have been shorter too). I just don't understand why my 10 yr old avocado tree (growing in the ground w/ occasional fertilizing) won't fruit??
ReplyDeleteAfter all these years of hard work, you won't want to hear this, but they don't fruit when you grow them from seed. Only grafted trees fruit (although I'm sure there are some miraculous exceptions, yours is clearly following the rule:(
ReplyDeleteI've had a Wurtz dwarf in a half wine vat for 3 yrs. Flowers like mad but no fruit. Can anyone recommend a pollinator (pref dwarf also) I am on the WA sth coast, coolish climate, but never seen a frost.
ReplyDeleteI just purchased a Wurtz from Bunning a month back and its totally thumping.
ReplyDeleteMy 2 tips that I learnt from an Bio-dynamic farmer is to keep the tree Christmas tree shape so it get light all over the tree to produce larger yields.
Also leaving the shade leaves low is a great way to keep the roots cool.
Happy Gardening
Marty,Karin and The Potted Vegetable Garden
I live in souther california and want to plant an avocado tree in a pot. What type do you recommend growing?
ReplyDeleteYES! you can successfully grow an avocado in a pot!
ReplyDeleteCorey,
ReplyDeleteI am thinking of planting my Avocado Bacon tree in a 190 liter olive drum.
What would be a good height to maintain it at?
Dwain