The trees seem to be okay, I’m just concerned about the roots rotting. I don’t know for sure. I have been told Winter Mexican do well in that range, any thoughts or suggestions of other Avocado trees that may do well here ? A tasty fruit I’m told and an excellent pollinator. Explain that. -Bacon foliage is OK, holding much young fruit. At least you have a good idea of what the problem was now. In addition, I had newly set fruit on my Reed (which was also still blooming at the time), Lamb, and Hass trees. What would be your top choices for backyard planting? Fuerte can be quite a large, spreading tree reaching a decent height of about 8m x 12m, so give it some space. I even had a cotton dishtowel shading it. You should fertilize your young avocado trees every 1 to 2 months during its first year, After the first year, apply fertilizer every 3 to 4 months. I think it was the north eastern part of Kauai that I finally focused on. Before I go on, let me note that this post is not about helping avocado trees cope with high heat. In that heat wave back in June of 1917, they mention its being especially destructive because the weather was mild in spring and then exploded with sudden, pent up heat that caught the avocado trees off guard, so to speak. I should have called Ventura and asked if they had one in 15 Gallons. I enjoyed reading your posts about avocado heat tolerance. Required fields are marked *. http://gregalder.com/yardposts/heat-tolerance-of-avocado-varieties/“. The number of average days over 86 degrees is the same for a part of south Florida as it is for part of the Coachella Valley, but those climates have little else in common. Avocado plants fall into three major categories: Mexican, West Indian, and Guatemalan. As far as I know, University of California researchers aren’t doing anything directly on heat tolerance right now, but they have picked up some incidental information over the years. stuff. Eric Focht, a researcher for the University of California, has said that a variety called Harvest did particularly well in the heat of the Coachella Valley, where the University did some trial plantings. I’ve never seen this heat zone map. Mostly, but not always, varieties responded the same as they did in my yard. My baby JB gets full after noon shade, so no wilt. Click the following article to learn more about growing and choosing zone 9 trees with low water needs. I think Pinkerton is underplanted. I have talked to one U.C. I have it under a shade umbrella but it still gets sun in the afternoon. GEM sounds like a good variety for you. Some foliage was damaged, however. I live in Myanmar,South East Asia. Avocado trees usually have one more flush of growth around now, but can also flush again around October — it depends on the weather and the variety. Also it’s amazing how many of my neighbors in Sylmar abuse their avocado trees by raking up the leaves. 3) Fruit is like a mild Fuerte. -Fuerte foliage almost as bad as Hass. I’ve been watching Gary Matsuoka’s videos from Laguna Hills Nursery and plan to remove all the sludge and replace with rock and sand. It is best to pick the avocado with the stem attached, to prevent the avocado from ripening too fast. Fall 2021? Heat is around 100 in late spring or over 105 anytime. No fruit drop either. Often, potting soil has some fertilizer mixed in so you shouldn’t need to add any in the beginning, but later you’ll need to. It is hot and dry but not as bad as Tucson. Our humidity is 5-9% many days. Our house is west facing throwing shade right behind the house by 3pm onwards. San Diego. Here is what Bob Bergh once said of Ettinger: “It is comparable to California’s Bacon and Zutano, but with superior flavor and general quality.”. Heat injury of fruit tissues is observed occasionally in nearly all commercial fruit species including avocado. I didn’t have my fans going. In other words, they are growing new leaves and blooming at slightly different times. -Ardith foliage excellent, maybe best of all, but hadn’t bloomed that spring. Yes, it is a smaller tree compared to some others, such as Hass. For example, this year a lot of the young leaves on my Fuerte got burnt to a crisp when it was 105 and less than 10% humidity for the first time last month, but the leaves have grown back already and they didn’t even burn at all when it was 106-109 on July 10th-12th. My Steward seems to take some of this high heat and has a lot of avocados this year. It likely comes down to watering and/or roots. Tropical tree which does not do well in California. Within the first two years of growing an avocado tree, pruning is welcomed to promote side by side branching. I have eaten a few, and I liked them. Additional rain water irrigation and continuous heavy mulching, for example. Do you think it would survive, with adequate water and judicious shade? The tree and fruit seem to hold up well to these heat spells. You can see some unpublished data from a trial of 30 rootstocks on Hass scions in Santa Paula, Ventura County at about 1:40 in this video. Thanks for this, Ken. I have a 2 year old avocado tree in a pot, not in the ground. Corona Calif, I have lived in that area. Tough trees in the heat aren’t necessarily tough all around. Try to gauge if it’s only the top of the soil that is moist or also down below. I am still evaluating this most recent heat event so reading the 1918 discussions was interesting. I doubt you get frost often if you’re off the valley floor there. Are you giving them enough water in respect to your sandy soil structure and how is the water quality? 2) They are an early crop. The leaves are falling off and I’m not sure if too much sun/heat is the problem. .I planted the Guatemalans on a slope while my Mexican varieties are in poor air drainage areas. The original tree is in Del Rio, Texas. Then summer hits the frying pan San Fernando Valley and it is suffering. If I lived where you do, I would probably plant a Hass, then Reed, then Fuerte. As you go east in San Diego the heat zone goes up really fast just a few more miles inland, just as the hardiness zone drops fast. It is very productive, precocious, tastes great, and in many of my Pinkerton trees, they seem to sprawl over the ground. Cover the soil around the root of the tree. Tastes “Good” not “Excellent”. East-side citrus farmers may be looking for other options if Huanglongbing (HLB) disease makes its way to the area. He didn’t have his tree like mine where there was only morning sun, his was out in his yard. It’s been reported that this tree was frozen back to … “We have heat, lots of it. Thanks for this, Richard. Here’s a nice history of the Duke avocado variety: http://www.avocadosource.com/CAS_Yearbooks/CAS_47_1963/CAS_1963_PG_28-36.pdf. It was also windy in my yard, but I imagine it was a lot windier in some other spots, and that’s definitely an extra stress on the trees. The popular, tasty Hass, now home-grown and ready to enjoy much sooner than seed-grown fruit. Although it’s an exotic tree, Acacia is widely adaptable to nearly any landscape, but they especially thrive in the heat. Heat-tolerant avocado trees differ greatly among varieties. The avocado fruit tastes like a Hass avocado. It apparently also shows good cold tolerance. by Greg Alder | Jul 18, 2020 | Avocados | 84 comments. I’ve never grown an avocado in such conditions, but I do know that when we get heat waves where it is over 100 for days at a time, the most helpful thing I can do is keep the tree watered. Zone 9 Drought Tolerant Trees: Selecting Dry Soil Trees For Zone 9. Marvel has been said to be on the verge of release for years. My Pinkerton, as well as all of the other Pinkertons I’ve seen growing in hot, inland locations like mine, gets some sunburn on its leaves and branches. On that day I observed excellent crop loads of mature or nearly mature fruit on trees of the following varieties: Hass, Fuerte, Carmen, Bacon, and Pinkerton. Was growing like a weed before two hot days. For other avocadoes, the optimum temperature is 68 to 75 degrees F. The trees can be grown for landscape use in the shade of other trees in hot desert areas, but they are not likely to fruit. I’ve read of avocados growing in the shade of date palms in the Coachella Valley. It’s done famously well in a pot, and i put it in our green house in the winter (i live in theSan Bernardino Mountains.) So what is “heat” for the purposes of this post? But it held onto all of its mature fruit. When the trees get big enough canopies without exposed branches, I’ll take them down. SHADE after 12pm to the rest of the day (For Corona that could be up til 2pm) (Fruit drop? And the Reed and Lamb trees appeared almost undamaged. That record heatwave had to occur at a time when I bought my first tree and hadn’t a clue what I was doing . Dropped fruit is a total loss. Thank you so much for being there for everyone with your expert opinion. When will Marvel be available Sounds like its a good variety. Lost my 1st crop and most of the leaves. You are so lucky. Add 4 inches of wood mulch over the soil. There are 3 major races of avocado trees, the Mexican, Guatemalan, and West Indian. We had a double whammy last year, a mild winter then a late sudden frost, a mild spring/summer and then the scorcher. Right now (21 Dec.) in Sylmar the fruit is at the end of it’s season and I think it has been a good season. The remaining leaves all look very healthy and no visible signs of overwatering. 4) Has a big seed. Here is how the tree is looking : Don’t believe them! We still have six original trees. Hardy to zones 9-11. What are two or three varieties that you would recommend for this regionAs I have limited space. I used a suphur based compound to reduce the alkalinity of the water, it’s on drip. Reed’s don’t peel well. He said, “It’s not about the variety; it’s about the management.”. Another info, I see a few avo trees around my property but I don’t know what they are! This year’s Labor Day weekend was similar. People can sometimes confuse pineapple guava (i.e. If they developed an avocado that doesn’t taste “excellent”, has a big seed and a short harvest season -Reed foliage looks good, but dropped all young fruit. The dense foliage of Reed seems to help shade the tender shoots. I would put most blame on poor drainage. Forecast for my area in Escondido is 95 so that means it will actually be 105 knowing how accurate the weather report is. Hoping to add a couple more profiles of summer varieties in August. One detail I would add is about Pinkerton. Avocado – Fuerte (B Flowering Variety): Another great cold tolerant variety, Fuerte produces small, pear shaped fruits with a dark green skin and a fabulous nutty flavour. Look for this soon, with hope! With good administration, a mature avocado tree can produce more avocados depending on its variety. I just mist them every other day because the soil is still moist. According to avocado aficionado Craig Hepworth, the Florida Fruit Geek, these trees can handle temperatures down to about 15°F and still produce fruit the next season. ); -And two, we’re not always comparing apples to apples (different rootstocks, size and ages of trees, timing of heat in relation to the different varieties’ phenological schedules, irrigation and other care for the trees). Second, what about rootstock? How should I care for it especially during our summer months? The Hass dropped almost all of its young fruit. I’m in Temecula CA and hit 115 last summer during that heat wave. Rising temperatures and drought in many communities make planting even harder. I make narrow slices like that for my kids and they peel the flesh off the skin pretty easily. The aravaipa avocado can withstand temps as high as 120 degrees and as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit. I’d love to be able to land on a short list of avocado varieties that have been shown to be superior in heat overall. Simply plant your Avocado Tree in a container and bring it inside during the winter months - it will continue to grow. One of the few commercial avocado growers in the Central Valley, located near Exeter, who mainly grows Hass and Lamb, once told me that his Hass avocados tend to be smaller than those grown in cooler locations. It seems to be doing okay. Finally, I discuss how the idea of heat tolerance is not as straight forward as it might seem. Also, I’d love to hear what you learn and what your experiences are. https://photos.app.goo.gl/1qEXL8kbvyHT72VT8. We live in Palm Desert/Indio California where it gets to 118. Now its leaves are shiny green and no more brown tips. As such, avocado trees are rated as being frost-sensitive and measures should be taken to either choose locations that are frost-free, or take measures to reduce the risk or severity of frost events. Keep in mind temps are given in the shade, so when I say 118F that is IN THE SHADE, so in the sun it is much hotter. I let the tree leaves hit the ground so I don’t have any bird problems, but then you might get mice problems. I figure “what the heck – give it a try” and I went back yesterday and spent $39.95. One thing I notice about California is that we have every zone, from 1 in the Sierras and up in the redwoods to 12 in the desert down south. As a whole, the Guatemalans, foliage-wise, did better. I wish I had been around to spray cool water on it. I only know what I’ve read about Aravaipa, which includes that it doesn’t have a good reputation for taste. Hi Greg: I bought 3 avocado trees (5 gal each – Hass, Pinkerton, Stewart) and I Iive in zone 9 (Hercules, CA (the bay area)). There are certainly other excellent varieties that I’d consider planting too. Of the trees that are not shaded at all, Reed and Nabal definitely performed much better in the heat, once they get some size. I’ve heard of varieties that are grown in marginal places like yours and parts of Texas and north Florida, but I don’t know anything firsthand about them. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. I live in Tucson Arizona, very hot and arid/dry place. We would love for you to leave feedback at thankyou@humeshed.com. You’ve got extremes on both ends. Best Heat Tolerant Trees for Your Landscape . I’d get in contact with some members of the California Rare Fruit Growers, Arizona chapter, and see what their experience is: https://crfg.org/home/chapters/arizona/arizona-2/. Acacia. Stewart, the one from Laverne Nursery, seems to be very heat tolerant also. I’ve seen no such differences as yet in my yard. Fuerte though to me has the best taste. I remember doing some research as I was curious if there was anywhere else like Southern California in the United States with regards to weather patterns and that’s when I found the heat map. You’ve got the research for it… the knowledge for it… the passion for it. I can’t speak for the taste of the Aravaipa (no fruit yet) but mine has handled the heat well. It’s all anecdotal and not rigorous scientific research, but it’s better than nothing. Frost freezes the sap in avocado trees, which results in cell damage. This week the leaves are brown and drooping. He’s like a citrus tree, likes drying out a few days before watering and not like his feet to be standing in water. Immediately after the heat subsided, it appeared that most of the fruit held. None of this fruit dropped during or in the weeks after the high heat. Moreover, the Hass trees that held their young fruit in the Redlands grove were young and old alike, from two years in the ground to more than two decades in the ground. Should I have mixed the potting soil with soil for cactus so that it drains very well? Mexican and Mexican-hybrid avocados appear to be the most heat-tolerant varieties, including Mexicola, Reed, and Lamb Hass. Discover (and save!) An avocado tree usually provides some fruits during 2 or 3 years of growth. I’ve never pruned the tree and the fruit is hidden inside a good canopy, so no bird problems. Strangely, some groves had trees that looked similar to mine after the July 2018 heat. It must be remembered that the July 2018 heat of 117 was an all-time record event, not a frequent, let alone yearly, occurrence. I’m not sure how I would make much use of that heat map. Less affected are the varieties Sir-Prize and Sharwil, which show blackening and curling on some new leaves. The greater space between young trees, compared with mature trees, allowed the heat to fully surround the trees, exposing them to high temperatures from all sides. I’d planned on scouting some avocado regions. Trees are fine. If you have rodent problems I recommend putting out some mice or rat poison (or traps) prior to the harvest season. In addition, I’ll share the observations that other people have made of different avocado varieties dealing with high heat in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley. These avocados would have been small fruitlets during the extreme heat of July 6 and 7, 2018. Heat-tolerant avocado trees differ greatly among varieties. Home-grown avocados, no matter where you live. RIP Lamb Hass of 2016. Do you find only avocado roots, which are generally fat, not very branched, and white at the tips? Fortunately, avocado trees can thrive in heat well above 75 degrees as long as they’re watered sufficiently. Zone 9 Flowering Trees: Growing Flowering Trees In Zone 9 Gardens. It could still be possible to save your tree with sufficient watering through the cold period. Can I ask whether your Stewart fruit hang long enough for you to be satisfied with the harvest? With the unpredictable climate patterns, one can only plan strategically when it comes to keeping cool long-term (and lowering energy-costs). It’s hit 112F this summer and most daily temps were 100F + especially in July. Thanks, Jeff. If you begin to notice the signs of heat stress on your trees, the best thing you can do is take action immediately. After 2pm NO SUN – possibly use 80% shade cloth after 2pm but just plain shade is even better. ), This farmer also mentioned that he isn’t so happy with his Lamb trees because of their habit of dropping fruit as soon as it is barely mature in about May. About 2-3 gal per 3’x3′ cubic feet if in ground (every 2 days) Are you loving HumeShed? An important side note is that heat tolerance does not necessarily come together with tolerance to the other end of the temperature spectrum: cold. Yet, other groves of Hass had trees that looked half dead. And I’ve left all of the comments from that original post below. On the other hand, the Reed tree’s foliage looked relatively unfazed but then it couldn’t hold onto its young fruit. Hi Greg, Pinkerton wilted worst, but no fruit drop. An avocado tree will produce a few fruit 2 or 3 years after establishment if it is a grafted variety, has grown well, and has been protected during the winters. The Pinkerton and Bacon I wasn’t too surprised about. I am thinking of putting the trees right behind the house facing East. I then irrigated during the heat on July 6. Didn’t note.). But what I’m actually left with is the feeling that there’s a lot left to learn about the heat tolerance of avocado varieties, and every variety that I know that is worth growing in other respects is worth trying in a location with heat. In my experience, as well as others in places with hot summers, Reed is one to recommend. But if you do, then I’d plan to protect the little tree during cold spells during its first winter. I also pulsed micro-sprinklers intermittently throughout the heat and even hosed down canopies a few times.). 1) Page 1 California Avocado Society 1965 Yearbook 49:55-60 Mean Max These trees may have the same scion variety on top but many have different types of rootstock underneath. When’s the last time it reached 120 degrees in south Florida? It can self-pollinate, but it’s recommended to plant a B type for better production. By the end of July, I could judge how each variety had held onto its fruit. We just purchased another home in Desert Hot Springs, and i was thinking of transplanting it there.