Jesspierce
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Growing avocado from seed

I started growing 4 avocado trees from seed about a year ago. They look great so far (mind the one on the end - he's the runt). I am determined to get these to fruit at some point in my lifetime, but the web is determined to convince me otherwise.

Any pointers on what these guys like to make this happen? I used topsoil and manure 50/50 for the pots, and I water a few times a week. Other than that, that's all I've got. I ordered a PH tester this week in case I need it. Oh, and I read somewhere that they need a male to meet a female in order to fruit (which is why I planted 4 - may the odds be in our favor!).
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hendi_alex
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I have two large avocadoes grown from seed. They are not very good candidates for container plants. We Have to move ours inside during the winter so the trees must be topped yearly to fit under our 8 foot ceilings. Avocadoes do not like being topped. One of our plants bloomed one year when about 5-6 years old. No fruit set and there has been no bloom since. Topping probably disrupts flowering and fruit set. Still the plants make interesting specimens and always look great on the deck during mild weather. These plants are probably 12-15 years old now and are in about 20 gallon pots.

Good luck with your avocadoes, but don't hold your breath for fruit unless you have a mild climate or very tall greenhouse.

AnnaIkona
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They'll need to be grafted. If the tree is not grafted, it may or not produce fruit. If it does, the fruit will not taste like how it's supposed to. Once the stem is thick enough, graft a bud of a fruit-bearing avocado tree onto the tree and it will bear fruit! :)

Also bring it indoors if your winters are cold (below 10 C)

Have fun!

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

It takes about 7 years from seed to fruit. Avocados can grow to be 50 ft trees. they can be kept lower with pruning but you are still talking about a large plant. Avocados need to be polinated by another tree with flowers that bloom at the right time. A trees need to be polinated by B trees. I heard there is a self polinating tree, but I have not seen one. Grafting can reduce the time to about 3 years but you still need to get it polinated. Avocados are designed not to self polinate. The male and female flowers on the same tree will not be open at the same time. In Hawaii there is no problem since the trees are everywhere, they get polinated, but where the trees are rare you will need one of each type.

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applestar
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Here's a thread I have been adding to from time to time. You might find some details in your interest.

Subject: My potted avocado is going to bloom! ...now what?

Note though that I have yet to succeed in getting even the store-bought, grafted, BLOOMING avocado tree to successfully bear fruit. Hopefully you live in a climatically more suited location. My big seed grown trees were neglected this year though they continue to grow huge. So I'm not really expecting them to bloom yet. I should update that thread to report that I lost the original store-bought tree to some kind of disease. :( (but I managed to successfully graft it onto a couple of my smaller seed-grown trees :-() -- also neglected this year however :roll: )

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applestar
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Hendi_alex, I believe you are topping them at the wrong time, though I understand the dilemma. You probably need to cut them in winter or early spring, then allow the year's growth to remain on the trees over the winter to see them bloom.

I'm going to be in so much trouble this fall when my biggest two need to come inside....

One "trick" I've come up with to manage the height is to bend the upward shoots down while they are still flexible. I still have problems even doing this due to space limitations, but you may be able to get away with it when you bring them into your converted barn (I think that's what you have, right?) -- you could still place your shade tolerant plants (like maybe post-bloom period resting orchids?) under the tree's canopy.

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hendi_alex
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While the tree gets topped, all of the laterals usually remain untrimmed. One tree bloomed one year. That is ok though as we enjoy the large specimens. My effort at tropical fruit has shifted to citrus where success is probably a little more reliable.



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