I always wished there were a way to taste the fruit of an avocado variety before deciding whether to plant that kind of tree in my yard. I also wished there were more places to buy avocados of varieties other than Hass.
I know that some of you also have these wishes; this is my attempt to fulfill those wishes for you.
Variety schedule for year 2022
I will only be harvesting and selling each variety during the peak of its season, defined as the pinnacle of its eating quality. How do I know when that is? First, I’ve been eating these varieties from many trees in many locations for many years – and taking notes. I know each variety and what it is capable of tasting like.
Second, before putting a batch of a variety up for sale I do a pre-harvest taste test. Why be so meticulous about this? Because I want to give you a true sense of each variety’s character. I want you to be able to buy a box of, say, Gwen and eat them and then confidently decide if it’s a variety you love (and perhaps want to grow).
Below are the varieties that I have in mind for this year and the months in which I’ll likely harvest them:
February- Fuerte
March– Fuerte, Pinkerton
April– Sir-Prize, Carmen, GEM
May– Hass, GEM, Gwen
July– Reed, Lamb
August– Reed, Lamb
However, I reserve the right to add surprise harvests. If I get the itch to sell certain varieties of avocados from my own trees, I will. And I know many growers with other delicious varieties so if they are willing to share their bounty I will not deny you the opportunity to taste it.
I appreciate the suggestions you have made as to which additional varieties you’d be interested in trying. I’m searching for ways to get them for you. Keep the variety suggestions coming.
Price
I’m in the experimental stage with this venture so please be tolerant of fluctuating prices – or more realistically, prices that inch up. I’m still figuring out where the price needs to be in order for the growers to be paid well, and for the marketing, harvesting, and shipping work to be worth my time. I’m looking for a price point that is as low as possible for you while also attracting me and the growers to want to continue doing this beyond 2022.
Quality
A couple weeks ago, after I had given my neighbor some Fuerte and then some Hass, she asked me what my secret was. “They are delicious and they’re all perfect inside. How do you do that?”
There’s no secret. You just have to harvest varieties at the right time of year, as I talked about above, and then not roll them around like rocks on conveyor belts, keep them for weeks in cold storage, truck them and boat them halfway around the globe, gas them with ethylene, and then dump them onto shelves at a grocery store so people can squeeze bruises into them. “Is this one ripe? Is that one ripe? Is that one ripe?”
Almost every single avocado you pick off a tree in your own yard will be perfect just because it hasn’t gone through the ordeal that a typical commercial avocado goes through. And if I do my job right, then the avocados that I pick for you experience almost none of those challenges either.
Availability
I hadn’t known what the demand for these avocados would be like when I put that first batch of Fuertes up for sale back in February. I still don’t, but I do know that it is bigger than I can currently satisfy.
I’m sorry to those of you who have been trying to order but finding things sold out. I’m trying to improve this situation in three ways. One, I’m looking for (and growing) more avocados.
Two, make sure you sign up to receive my Friday email because that is where I announce the avocado sales.
Three, share a few bucks with me to support my general work here at The Yard Posts and get added to my Supporters list. I make all sales of avocados (and other items) available to Supporters before putting them on general sale. More about supporting options here.
You probably already know this, but let me say it explicitly: I’m having a ton of fun with this. Well, printing shipping labels isn’t a blast, nor is navigating the crowded freeways of the Southland to make harvests. But I’ve been obsessed with avocado varieties for many years now, and bringing some to your doorstep is deeply gratifying. It feels like fulfillment. Thank you.
All of my Yard Posts are listed HERE
Count me in. I want to try them all. Suggestion, if you have more than one variety at shipping time, offer a mixed box and offer a pre-sale. We can order and pay in advance and you ship when you get the fruit. Those Fuertes you shipped were simply the best ever. I would not have been able to get those anyplace. I enjoyed every bite. Thanks.
Glad to hear it, Marie! Coincidentally, I have a mixed box planned for next week. We’ll see how that goes. Details coming soon.
I would love to get my mouth on ,Kahalu, Jan Boyce, Nabal, Mayo, Gwen, Gem. Would you consider meeting somewhere or dropping them in a secret spot to save on shipping costs? I could pick them up in Ramona.
Hi Monty,
I’ve registered your variety requests. I would definitely like to offer pick up. Let you know if I figure out a good way to do that.
Count me in for Kahalu’u, JB, and Sharwil too. The Fuertes were great, by the way!
I’ve always wished there were a way to taste the fruit of an avocado variety before planting TOO! Thank you for taking on this venture!
Yes! I knew I wasn’t alone!
I look forward to trying different varieties. I haven’t been quick enough yet to order.? Thank you Greg!
Unfortunately I‘ll not be able to try your avocados, I live in Europe…
But can you tell me which variety is the brown-yellow one in your picture? It looks interesting… thank you!
Hi Annette,
That is why I added it to the photo — because it is a strange looking fruit, but actually it only tastes OK. It’s not one that is good enough to want to buy. It’s from a tree that is normally used for rootstock.
Thank you for your post. As my husband and I ease into our retirement. We are landscaping our backyard in Eastlake, Chula Vista California. They are can get hot and after reading many of your articles and watching your YouTube videos. We are planting a read in the north part of our yard where the sun is abundant. Knowing this is an a tight avocado, we know we will get more Productivity with another avocado tree in our yard. It was recommended that we also place a Gem or a Sharwill on the South Side of the yard. The sun is abundant, and there is also shade throughout the day. Both trees we planted in an above ground flower bed filled with soil that you have recommended. I’m able to read at the gym is not a large tree in statue. However I cannot find any information on the heigh a Sharwill will grow to. If possible, are you able to direct me, or share your knowledge on a Sharwill? We will be choosing our avocado tree this week. We would like to get them acclimated to our backyard. Thank you again we are amazing knowledge and time you dedicate to your post. I recently joined a FB group for Southerner CA avocado growers. I often read your name…so cool and kind of the group for directing us. I truly see your passion behind your post, words and videos. TIA?, Pam and Jim
Hi Pam and Jim,
Sharwil takes a more spreading shape than Reed or GEM. It’s not the most vigorous avocado variety in the world but neither is it slow growing. I’d consider it moderately fast growing. I don’t know the ultimate height a Sharwil tree might reach, but you have control over that. You can keep it pruned to whatever height you want.
Hi Greg, we decided instead of a Reed, to get an Edronal. We are hoping it will complement the other semi dwarf; Hass. I watched some of your posts and one of your videos and read more an article from UCANR. Although the Edronal May not look as pretty on the outside, I hear that the taste are excellent. Sure wish I could try one. Do you ever offer the Edronal for sale? Thank you again for replying to my post.
I’m all in! After my 2 fledging trees (Jim Bacon & Reed) froze after frosts in NorCal this winter, I’m excited to try warm weather (perfect growing condition) avocados with your detailed info sheets. I belong to multiple CSAs in the Bay Area and Frog Hollow is usually where I get avocados from their own fields or partner sources but they are the more predictable varieties like Hass. Can’t wait for the Pinkertons to ripen!
Thank you Greg.
My husband I truly love your post. We also live in Southern CA in a growing named Eastlake Chula Vista. As we ease into retirement our new adventure will be full redesign of our flat 80 x 56 ft yard, that face almost full north.
After reading many of your post/articles, and watching videos I feel a much less stressful on moving forward.
Here is our list of desired small trees. The feet are the desired mature widths of the trees.
One of each:
12′ Mango, Ataulfo (Manilita, Champagne, etc.)
10′ Avocado, Reed
8′ Grapefruit, Star Ruby
8′ Tangelo, Minneola
8′ Lemmon, Eureka
8′ Orange, Cara Cara
4′ Avocado, Gem
4′ Loquat, (dwarf) “Florida Plum”
The Reed (NW area) and Mango NE area), will be planted in an above ground wall type planter. We are using recommend soil and drainage.
I did my best to only want one Avocado (Reed) tree. Now, I have decided to plant the Gem in a much smaller area on the South-West end of the yard. Also In the back of my head, I keep on thinking maybe I should plant the Sharwill (which I can’t find height info). The reasoning behind this, is that I want a second small in height tree, based on the area the Gem, or Sharwill tree will be planted. What is your opinion or advice on moving forward with the choice of the two smaller avocado trees?
Thank you again, I am thankful your passion, your talent and time you place into your post and videos.
If you’d like an image of the plan, I’m happy to share with you. I just was not sure how to go about that.
With much respect and admiration, Pam
Hi Pam,
GEM is certainly a narrower, more compact tree than Sharwil. You are going to have an amazing yard to eat from in the near future!
I’m hoping to get a taste of the GEM avocados. I’ve read about them and I am hoping to buy one of these trees for my small backyard. It would be great to actually taste one before I get the tree. It seems, however, that by the time, I act on any of the orders, you are already sold out. Wished I knew how to go about ordering the GEMs avocados before you’re sold out.
Good news, Laura: I plan to harvest many more GEMs than I have of the previous varieties — so many that I can almost guarantee that you’ll be able to get your order in.
Great news indeed! I look forward to ordering when you make your announcement! I’m also looking forward to a taste of the Sir Prize as well. I finally transplanted my young Sir Prize from my half wine barrel into the ground on a mound successfully after watching/learning from your videos. It’s doing really well in the new location. Thanks for all your great newsletters and videos.
Hi Greg: Great News; I hope to secure an order this season; was always to late before. I’ll be checking every Friday. Thank you
Joseph Oceanside
I love this idea so much. I started various ones, with the intent of “year ’round” harvest. If you ever do anything local, I would help in exchange for tasting 🙂
Thank you for this fabulous idea.
Annette
I would love to be able to order some. But what I’m really hoping is that you’ll be able to work out shipping outside of California. I have a friend in Washington who I would love to send avocados to.
Lucky folks your guys in California to have Greg around!
I “needed” to plant a few varieties like Hass, Hass J2, Lamb Hass, Pinkerton, Reed, Bacon and Fuerte to taste…
Let’s hope some fruit and we can start to taste them next year.
Thanks, Vasco
Hello! I live in Vista south of Fallbrook and would like to try them all except I have a Fuerte! I can easily pick them up or meet you somewhere to get them. How exciting and how very generous of you!
Hey Greg! Man, I sure wish you shipped to Texas/out of state. I would love to try a variety of box of different ones.Hopefully in the near future you will start to ship out of state. Hope you are well!
Hi Aiden,
I’m working on it. I just need to figure out a way to make it efficient. I don’t want to have to charge an arm and a leg. Thanks!
Hi,
Please let me know if you are shipping avocado’s at this time?
I live in San Pedro, CA and would like to put in an order. Thanks.
John
Farmer Alder,
We would like to buy a box. ASAP.
Are the Reed/Lamb still available?
Hi Adnan,
Reed/Lamb mixed boxes are all finished, but boxes of Reed will go on sale next week: Thursday (8/25) for Supporters and Friday (8/26) for general sale.