Hi All, I've got a full sun spot next to my shed sheltered from the south. I'm planning to plant two 'Sun Avocardo's' (I think they are a variety apparently suited to temperate) in well worked soil. Has anyone had success growing avocardo's in melbourne ? (I meaning getting more that 10 a year from a tree). Any advice ? different varieties needed for pollination ? Also is full sun too much for avocardo, do they need some shade in summer ? Cheers All Damien
g'day damien, they get to be big trees so figure you must have a big yard. anyway if you selct grafted varieties that are suited to you area you should do well. with the fruiting some varieties are either classified as an 'A' or a 'B', not all but ok you need to ask your nursery and if they can't tell you then maybe find another nursery. the theory goes something like this: 'A' plants may have male flowers early in the season and 'B' plants may have female flowers early in the season (something like that there may be info that says specificaly which way it is) the other male flowers, so then one tree will cross pollinate the other tree so you get fruit set earlier. but either way both trees will grow both flowers at some time of the season so even with one tree you will get fruit how much could depend on a lot of variables just that planting both extends the season for you. now ahving said all of that tsome varieties are neither 'A' nor 'B' they ahve moth flowers from first flower, so if space is a concern then seek out one of those varieties. oh full on sun for sure a good warm north facing position wil be ideal, they like it well drained as well and mulch them heavily to keep your soil wartm in winter cool in summer and keep in the moisture. len
2 things ive picked up in the last week yes. they grow in melbourne i knew this anayway. you can grow in tassie or adelaide as well saw a lovely tree on SBS vasilis garden show second tha there is a correlation bwtween oil content of the leaves and cold hardiness Bacon has anise leaves, and fuerte has sassfrass smelling leaves its the mexican parenatge in there that gives them the aroma mexican races are the cold hardy one, as cold hardy as oranges still avos are wuss trees but worth pampering as they are so productive, and virtual money trees
Diggers recommend bacon and Hass for melbourne. I'm going to put some in this year. They fertilise each other too. You'll need to protect them from frost for the first 2-3 years. I have been thinking of a frost free spot, but I might use that for something that isn't cold hardy after 3 years. I plan to use 3 stakes in a triange - the point towards the frost- in my case the south and uphill - and put shade cloth around it. Apparently any where you can grow a camelia, you can grow an avocado. Love Tamara
Gardening Australia had a program on avocado's last week and they mentioned bacon variety for anywhere that didn't go below -8 celcius. I reckon that would do fine in Melbourne. However, if you were growing in a heat trap or next to a thermal radiation wall, you might be able to grow other varieties, like pinkerton etc. Hannah
avacardos I know at least 3 permies giving Digger's Bacon variety a go in the Blue Mountains. Hey with climate change we've got a better than even chance. Sue
bacon and hass. Thanks everyone for your advice. I've ordered a bacon and a hass from diggers. diggers.com.au They are being delivered in August. All I have to do now is prepare the ground. Damn you melbourne clay ;-) Cheers Damien