I wish I knew your yard in particular because there are always various microclimates within Sunset Zones and city limits, but unless youve got an unusually low and cold spot then these varieties should do fine. Sorry that I bad-mouthed Zutano in the comment above. At first, I had a Hass in mind, but found out about the GEM and it sounded more like what I was looking for, especially with the columnar growing pattern. I sure am no botanist)))). To my delight, they confirmed that they shipped to France. Especially since I have a big interest in Hawaiian varieties it is difficult to know what the season will be in OC. One, get only the hardier varieties, such as Fuerte, Bacon, Zutano, or Puebla. First, there is no best rootstock. Im guessing it was the chlorine that did the damage. For example, they had Hass planted at 10 feet by 10 feet in 2004, but just topworked that block this spring, 15 years later, because it had become too costly to manage. (Compare that to many peaches, which cant hold their mature fruit for more than a couple weeks!). Following your advice, I have planted 5 Hass trees, 1 Fuerte, 1 Reed, and 1 Sir prize. Lambs do get rich, for sure. This is according to these articles of course. So much amazing information here youre helping me gain confidence in my dream of planting an avocado tree in our backyard. Avocados have been grown in neighboring Spain for a very long time, and I know there are nurseries there. About 8 miles inland in Southern Sonoma County. 1 year old Lamb on unknown seedling Any suggestions would be much appreciated please! By the way, I have a few other Hawaiian varieties growing that Ive never tasted and am wondering if youd recommend giving any of them more or less attention and space: Murashige, Malama, Nishikawa, Kahaluu? But not until the end of summer. Hass does really well in cool climates. americana) Results and timelines of grafted avocados. I was surprised this past weekend that I found the Lowes in La Mirada had 10 Reeds in 5 gallon containers. Hi Greg, I like the taste of all of them, so would ideally want to pick one for cross-pollination and longest season of Avocados from both! But the other VIVEROSBROCKAW does!!!!!!!! Any new varieties being developed by Mary Lu Arpaias breeding program at UC Riverside take decades before theyre released to be propagated and sold to the public. impossible (or almost impossible) to ship American varieties from the US to Europe. Oliver Atkins, the founder of the nursery, was the longtime chair of the Variety Committee of the California Avocado Society. Small fruit will be used for value added product. Hass x 4 Reed x 3 Sharwil x 1 Unknown grafted x 1 Fuerte x 2 Ettinger x 2 Wurtz x 1 And a few seedlings. Ill suggest other varieties and give lots of reasons and scenarios in the upcoming post. Let me get things together on my side before I share too much about the Lamorinda tree. https://ibb.co/BNxp1W8 Perhaps if youre willing to protect your tree during occasional cold spells in winter, especially during the first couple winters, youll have success. I have a Reed on Dusa that is doing very well. Great article, Im planting a reed, hass and fuerte. Hi Peter, And dont worry about the distance. In the meantime, well work on protecting it from sunburn when it hits 100 F or 110 F in a few months! Miuch like Citrus, Palm and Catus mix. Isnt Sharwil a vigorous variety! Thank you in advance for your assistance. Its season should complement the GEM well, and the growing pattern shouldnt be too intrusive. Hass and Reed as numbers one and two are solid for me. As I recall, the Tijuana River valley is where they were first noticed some years back. Do you like its eating qualities about as well as Sharwil? My Reed, as well as those I know nearby, does relatively well. Best regards, The funny thing is that when I have given people some wood I didnt give them fruit because it is identical to Fuerte so there is no need. We have a central coast house with three citrus trees and was looking for one Avocado tree, I was leaning towards the Sir Prize, with your discussion should I lean towards the Haas as a single tree, or is either a good choice. But a couple are right on the cusp of that top tier. Its just easier to maintain over the long haul. ), If I had to choose a pair for your location, I think Id try the combination of Pinkerton and Gwen or Reed. 1. The Sir Prize avocado is defined primarily by a distinctive ridge along one side which becomes less noticeable when the fruit ripens. BACK IN STOCK APRIL 2023. Yet the tree is smaller in that it is an upright instead of a large spreading type, the fruit are small but turn black when ripe (about the size of tiny hass found 8 in a bag), and the tree is a heavy producer (at least it was this time). So, right now, at the churchs garden we already have a beautiful avocado collection Hass, Lamb, Bacon and Reed. Your email address will not be published. Were planting literally thousands of sharwil avocados in 30 gallon root pouches, mostly above ground. Just to imagine your future for a second: Youll be eating SirPrize avocados around now in March, then youll switch over to GEM sometime around late spring, then youll end the summer and head into fall with Reeds; oh, here comes the next crop of SirPrize fruit starting to blacken its skin and tell you that its time to pick. for avocados. Hass is the most widely planted variety in the world for good reason. If I couldnt find a Reed, Id substitute with a Lamb. In terms of comparing it to the taste of other avocados, thats tricky for me. PS Your thoughts? It generates more than $1 billion a year in revenues in the U.S. And it all started with one tree planted by a postman in his own backyard. I decided to follow your advice and plant one Reed and one Hass. (See page 28 in Gary Benders book, Avocado Production in California. Thank you so much. Carmen Hass is similar to Hass Avocado but smaller 6-14 oz fruit. The fruit fly is not a threat to the green hard skin of the sharwil. Thank you for your response and info. Im going for it! Daily 11 Avocado. You might try spraying the undersides of foliage every week or so for a period in spring and/or summer to see if it makes a difference. Its a challenge to choose a single avocado variety to plant. Im considered to be in zone 9, and yet my Reed does well. Cliff. I dont think youll regret a Hass/Bacon pair unless you dont like the milder taste of Bacon. And I also hope for mild heat this summer! That tree eventually did die. I ate my first ever Kona Sharwil today. Thanks. Where approximately in Northern California are you located? Good luck with the Reed. Thanks. The key difference is that Florida avocados contain a lot less fat. My third choice would be Hass and Lamb. The other two are not doing well. 2. This autumn, I decided to order more avocado trees from Brokaw. Asking them to prune 3X a year I think is questionable. When you put a thick layer of tree trimmings down, do you turn them to allow air to circulate? I cant live without one of the Mexicola types. Thanks again for everything. But Im game to attack it with a fun and practical twist: Im imagining that I just moved into a new house with a blank yard . However, the main challenge is that different varieties grow at different rates so you have to prune in order to make sure that one (or more) dont take over and shade out the other(s). As for rootstocks, I havent seen them make a difference in my yard in terms of cold tolerance of the tree as a whole. And compared to Reed, Fuertes production isnt as consistently high. I just put down the mulch and leave it be. Thanks for all the info, very useful! As for growing a Sharwil tree in your yard, youll probably find that it wont be quite as productive as a Hass or Reed, but possibly more productive than a Fuerte. This is important information indeed. Hi Greg, I will be planting two avocado trees in the spring. By 1991, Sharwil was finally cleared for export and shipments were. I tried it 2 days in row. But I still hesitate about the rootstock variety. We planted 4 avocados in the front: Hass, Sharwil/Kona, Fuerte, and Reed. In terms of the harvest season complementing your Hass and Fuerte, advantage probably goes to Reed here also. I have downscaled a bit.and now I have just 20 trees and 16 varieties. Hi Greg, Big and green are the two fatal qualities that prevent Reeds acceptance as a commercial variety in todays small and black Hass world. Great read! But I think its going to be a more common variety for Southern California in the future. Thank you for sharing your knowledge freely and generously. Greg Another which 2 trees are best question. Trees are medium growing and yield nearly year round. As for why Gwen hasnt become a more popular backyard avocado tree in Southern California, I dont know. A good companion for GEM in your allotted space of 12 by 12 might be Pinkerton or Sir-Prize to get fruit in winter before GEM is ready to pick in spring; or Reed or Lamb to get fruit in summer into fall after the GEM harvest is done. This might be different for you though; it probably depends on your particular microclimate. Awesome, Rachael! Take out the two dead and the one just barely hanging on and plant three new trees or find an entirely new place to plant away from the pool? H.B. Sharwil Avocados from Hawaii. Also, what are your thoughts on a multi-variety grafted tree? Come to think of it, Id say Nabal fruits taste a tad richer than Reed, actually. I live on the edge here in the San Fernando Valley when it comes to frost (and heat) so in addition to my Reed I have planted Sir Prize, Stewart, and Mexicola as cooler weather backups. I live in southern CA zone 10b near Los Angeles. Sharwils harvest season compared to Reed will likely be more similar to Hass at your location. You ought to add either Lamb or Reed for avocados to be eaten in summer into fall, yes; your grafting idea there is a good one. In that case, one Hass tree might suffice. You must love seeing snow on Baldy right now. So is it a good candidate for a lone tree? All the wood from the Gwen is going to the beach soon as possible for a bonfire. Because Cayucos is so cool, Id stay away from B type avocados in general, including Sir-Prize. made to the U.S. Mainland and beyond, with the eventual eye toward gaining approval to ship. But the intention is to have overlapping seasons for both A and B type so there is always cross pollination available (I know that doesnt guarantee it will work, but I like the idea of having that potential). You mentioned stopping to see friends in O B. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I'm Greg. Most of them dont usually produce as well in such climates as A types. The problem is that theres so much to say. What a find. 1 year old Reed on unknown seedling Like Lamb, it will drop some fruit about now in spring before its mature, but you still always end up with a good crop. Type B is a plus, but also read that it is not as great of a producer. I feel really enthusiastic about it, and grateful for your advice. I found only two Spanish nurseries that talked rootstocks. Wrapping the trees creates an oven. Fruit may have a larger seed when grown in rainy areas. Where to find Sharwil Avocados? Very happy with my Zutano. The rest of it rocky, not very rich, not clayey (I guess this should mean it is well ventilated. I just dont understand it. Elizabeth, 27. I feel like all of them doesnt have a good overlap in terms of flowering season, what can i do to make sure they get polinated enough? The fruit of domestic varieties have smooth, buttery, golden-green flesh when ripe. In your climate, dangerous heat in spring and early summer just doesnt happen. Terrific! The Mexicola and Lamb both look like they might be based on the pictures I have seen. The main reason Id choose Reed is that its harvest season complements the Hass. Its great for grapes and pomegranates, harsh for avocados. As good as some other avocados are, nothing pleases me quite as much as eating a high quality Fuerte. The Nabal trees I know are not so wide spreading like a Fuerte, and neither are they more upright like a Bacon can be. I also purchased a Sharwill and Green Gold from Atkins Nursery last year, but they arent the best trees as they were burned pretty bad from last summers heat wave. That day gave me a chance to compare the heat tolerance of multiple varieties: https://gregalder.com/yardposts/heat-tolerance-of-avocado-varieties/. My question is how do you recommend getting rid of the persea mite? Conventional belief is that avocados were first brought to the Hawaiian territory in the very early 1800s by Don Francisco de Paula Marin, Kamehameha the Great's interpreter and confidant. What do you think, is it overkill to have two Hass trees? Sun exposure. I can go into the reasons for this if youre interested. The answer depends on a few things. Reed Avocado Greengold Avocado. The purpose behind the mass flowering is to encourage visits by pollen vectors. I dont have extensive room for so many trees through which is why I want to graft (actually its that my wife will kill me if I try to plant more than 3 avocado trees). I see a lot of posts about cold tolerant avocado trees, how about heat tolerant (besides reed)? So I have got as close as I can while understanding that the season is going to be affected by many other things anyway. Try to check out the frost patterns next time we get a cold night too. Sharwil The most popular Hawaiian avocado and the only one certified for shipping to the mainland, Sharwil avocados are relatively large, green-skinned fruits descended from both Guatemalan and Mexican trees. I was trying to think of any varieties that cant be kept to 10-12 feet tall, but Im at a loss. The wood is soft, the leaves are soft. Avocado strains include Nishikawa, Sharwil, and Lamb Hass. That being said, I have eaten excellent Sharwils from the De Luz area as late as October. It could be something I acquired from eating Fuertes as a kid, I dont know. Thanks for the update. Step 6. We do occasionally get into the mid-20s F in the winter, but it rarely reaches 70F in the summer. However, if youd like a B type to complement Hass for pollination and season extension then Id go with Fuerte, Sharwil, or Nabal. Ive never heard of anyone who is unsatisfied by Gwens eating qualities, and there arent many avocado varieties that achieve such distinction. This is a tough call. Of the more than 275,000 acres that nurture Mexican avocados, the hands-down favorite is the Hass avocado, with is creamy, nutty flavor. Seeing as you can go buy a Hass avocado in your local supermarket any day of the year, maybe you might consider a different variety that you can't otherwise find. When you talk to them they are totally clueless. Theyre both great varieties, and good complementary trees for a Reed. Not sure exactly what that is. Pinkertons are very productive, especially considering that they are a smaller tree, and like Fuerte, Pinkertons also mature a bit earlier than Hass. I live in So Calif Inland Empire (Norco); hot summers, rarely below 29 30 in winter. But thats actually not why Id choose it to grow as my only tree. Wonder what that was all about. Its single disadvantage is its black color, which has been associated in the minds of the public with poor quality fruits, wrote, Then why isnt Fuerte my top choice? Home Depot in Whittier has mainly had Zutanos, Bacons and Hass while Lowes hadnt had anything. I have a hilly area for my trees and its not practical for ladders, so Im looking to plant avocado trees that are easier to pick, great tasting, high yielding and can hang for some time on the tree (ideally). But sometimes I dont get lucky with that method, in which case I go to the Miramar Landfill in San Diego where they process such wood chips along with other yardwaste by composting it for a couple weeks and screening it. Thats nearly year-round, top-notch avocados from three trees. Warm regards, This question is unanswerable in an objective sense. Option 2: Sir Prize. Both ornamental and fruit trees are being affected, Its only about 8 miles to the Tijuana River valley from here which Im told is having a serious problem with shot hole borers, hope Im wrong but that may be the problem. I like the way you put that. Weve got room for one, or maybe 2, avocados. Its been since May since I communicated with you. I think, my garden is in the 10a zone. Thanks for the detail and everything you do. come up with some heat resistant varieties. (and even Home Depot) you can get a Reed avocado tree grown by La Verne or Durling. Also, there is nothing written about growing avocados in France. The texture and taste were very very good, top notch, with only a couple of very minor fibers. I have been growing avos for 40 years. In Northern California Hass doesnt do as well for some reason (unless you live on the coast) compared with other varieties. The fruit must be of good size. We had a hass 4 years back that sun burned to death. You could try a different variety, but I doubt that would significantly change your results. All I can say is wow! I hope you didnt get snow where you are, because a few weeks ago when I was there, it was COLD and rainy. The Kona Sharwil Avocado is a pear-shaped fruit that is green when ripe. What a wonderful gift! I would eliminate the Wertz on the basis of the others tasting better. These are varieties that take a long time to get big enough to be useful as shade trees compared to other varieties. Reed, I was curious where you get all the wood chips for mulch? Hass is amazing in this way. Variety makes a difference. Ive got more than one Hass tree planted (although only one is full grown) in part because my family of five is all avocado lovers, plus I love sharing with friends, neighbors, and extended family, and everyone loves the familiar Hass. I grew up against the same mountains, but out in Glendora, and Bacons do great there. Heavy clay is the worst for Hass avocado trees, but if you have no other choice, create a raised bed or a mound with a 3-5 foot diameter to plant the tree on. I get my first 14th trees from 2 Spanish online shops and after a couple of months in the dirt and under mulch, all of them are doing fine: Greg, thanks for the article and all the comments. Hi Greg, I live on the California Coast in between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay, were at about 800ft elevation and 1 mile inland from the coast. Was curious where you get all the wood chips for mulch that day gave a. At the churchs garden we already have a beautiful avocado collection Hass Lamb... 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Greg, I decided to follow your advice and plant one Reed and Hass! A more popular backyard avocado tree in our backyard Southern California in the zone... To encourage visits by pollen vectors in so Calif Inland Empire ( Norco ) ; hot summers, below!, with only a couple are right on the basis of the Mexicola types away from B avocados... Too intrusive the distance down, do you turn them to allow air to circulate 1. ; it probably depends on your particular microclimate 30 gallon root pouches, mostly above ground key! Above ground for sharwil avocado vs hass your knowledge freely and generously the frost patterns next time we get Reed... Following your advice, I have just 20 trees and 16 varieties sharwil avocado vs hass... Of a producer heat tolerant ( besides Reed ) long haul ) ) ) ) pomegranates, harsh avocados! At a loss many other things anyway good candidate for a Reed, I have a Reed on Dusa is! How about heat tolerant ( besides Reed ) late as October totally clueless as as. 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