Avocado question..

[Florence]

I would like to order a few trees from Forbidden Fruit Trees and pick them up at the Gardening Expo… and one of these is a grafted dwarf Avocado tree, but there’s two varieties available.. Wurtz and Pinkerton … Does anyone know the difference between these two? Like suitability to Brisbane, yield, size, level of care required etc?

[Donna]

There are two types of Avocado A or B - one is sufficient to produce adequate crops for the home garden, however by planting a tree from both groups the harvest will be much greater. I am sure either will be fine for SE Qld as they are
Wurtz is a natural 'dwarf' so grafted on dwarf stock would be even smaller and better suited to backyard gardens. It is an 'A' type but should be okay self pollinating as well. 'A small tree popular for the back yards. A moderate cropper of medium sized rich, high quality fruit. Pear-shaped with dark green skin.'

Pinkerton is an 'A' type as well and as it is a dwarf also should be fine for backyards. 'A small seeded rounded fruit with the later crop being more pear-shaped. The fruit is medium sized with green leathery pliable skin. The thick flesh has a smooth-texture, good flavour and high oil content. It shows some cold tolerance and bears consistently heavy crops. H June to August.'

I have a baby Wurtz as well as a 'giant' avocado that I got before I learned anything about varieties. Not sure how you would go about it, but it would be best to get a taste test of both to see which you prefer. I have done a google search but can't find anything. I know that some varities are better suited to salads and some better to mash but not sure which - I usually buy whichever is cheaper!

'Avocados are very fussy about their soil conditions and will not tolerate wet feet or heavy soils, it is essential to prepare the ground for an avocado well before planting. Young trees are susceptible to sunburn and damage from frost so a small shelter while they establish is a very good idea.'

Gradually learning the hard way to prepare the soil before you plant - so dig the hole today and get it ready for planting! and water regularly for at least the first year of a baby tree is a lot better than neglect - trust me on this one! Also don't use raw chicken manure in the hole, compost it first as I 'burnt' my coffee and wurtz and nearly lost them.

Good luck, and whatever you choose is going to be better than none - the best time to plant a fruit tree was five years ago, the second best time is NOW!

A lot of info above was sourced from daleysfuit.com.au, they also have a forum Q/A style.
http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/fruit%20pages/avocado.htm

[Anthony Foo]

Well done D, you no longer seem to be an amateur gardener.............
A

[Donna]

Just getting better with google ;) Plus already researched this one for myself!

[Scarlett Patrick]

I've planted something - I can't remember what, will have to go and have a look - and am not up to fruit yet. I got mine from Daleys. I'm going to get another one I think - will make sure I get two that overlap slightly but have different seasons. Apparently some are more biennial than others. Sorry I can't help. When I was hungry in Havana a mature avocado tree was like a miracle.

[Florence]

Thanks Donna. I did google too, but there appears to be not much information.. Especially of the Pinkerton variety.. I also tends to buy whichever avocado’s cheaper at the time.. so I wouldn’t know which one taste better :P

I have the same problem with not preparing the hole properly before I plant too… that’s why my fruit trees seems to be struggling… so.. I am planning to prepare well for the Avocado this time, and get some gypsum to break up the clay soil in the hole first

There appears to be an article on Avocado on the current issue of OG, somebody gave me an excerpt and it appears Wurtz is the true dwarf and is better suited to subtropics, and the Pinkerton is a semi-dwarf suited for more temperate areas? But according to daley’s information they seem to fruit more … um… I will decide sometime today and get my order in..

[Elaine de Saxe]

>>get some gypsum to break up the clay soil in the hole first
Eeek! If you have a clay sub-soil, forget Avocado! Plant well above the clay, bear in mind Avos have very long taproots - metre perhaps, forget details now - and are very subject to root rots.

[Florence]

Yeah, the person from the nursery I purchased it from almost suggest against planting avocado (from the look on his face) when I told him we've got clay soil ^^
The tree's in a pot at the moment, we'll build a raised garden bed for it, but it's not going to be a metre high though... far from it in fact... but I really want to give it a go as I love Avocado ~

[Florence]

You've lived in Cuba before?

[Scarlett Patrick]

only for 6 months- i did a permaculture project over there in 1993-4

[Florence]

I was reading something interesting about Cuba being the only country in the world farming like post peak-oil, where most of their capital city's fresh produce (all organic) comes from local urban farm and gardens due to oil shortages after the collapse of the Soviet Union .. if I remember correctly.

The transition was in early 90s, must be exciting to be involved in something like this ^^

[Scarlett Patrick]

yes, it was really amazing.
there's a good DVD about it - it's called "The Power of Community, How Cuba Survived Peak Oil". It's on the net from powerofcommunity.org or something like that .
I designed a permaculture project for the overseas services bureau that helped them transition when they were starving. i did it for my work experience subject at uni in my horticulture degree (!)
they produce 60-80% of their own fruit and vegies (60% in havana, 80% elsewhere), organicallly. food producers get paid more than electricians

[Anna Fanning]

I had a massive avocado tree with huge fruits but the whole tree died during a very wet season. They absolutely hate wet feet. They grow really well up at Melany, and a friend who had an avocado orchard told me to plant above the ground. Like a no dig method. It needs good drainage. Good luck!