by Greg Alder | May 1, 2026 | Citrus |
It all started when I identified my neighbor’s citrus tree as rootstock. The fruit was unpleasantly sour and very seedy, nothing you would ever eat. The leaves were in groups of three. I looked at the base of the trunk and could see where the intended top of the...
by Greg Alder | Apr 17, 2026 | Avocados |
Rootstocks are mysterious. They do their work hidden, underground. Yet, their influence on the trees above ground is real and measurable. For example, some rootstocks have demonstrated that they can induce the tops to make more than twice as much fruit compared to...
by Greg Alder | Mar 27, 2026 | Citrus |
“If I only had one citrus tree to live on for my entire life, this is it,” said our guide through the collection of about 1,000 varieties of citrus selected from around the world. That’s quite a claim. But, coming from Ottillia “Toots” Bier, we would be wise to...
by Greg Alder | Mar 20, 2026 | Avocados |
“Avocado trees are like Baby Bear,” says University of California farm advisor Ben Faber. As with Baby Bear’s porridge in the Goldilocks story, avocado trees need their environment neither too hot nor too cold. They need it just right. Well then, how...
by Greg Alder | Feb 27, 2026 | Avocados |
The most common mistake that I see made, and that I have made myself, when watering a new avocado tree is . . . well, let me show you: As an example, if your newly planted avocado tree needs, say, six gallons of water per week, then it must get that six gallons on its...
by Greg Alder | Feb 20, 2026 | Avocados |
I invite you to join me and John Schoustra at Apricot Lane Farms on March 7 for a workshop on “Growing Organic Avocados at Home.” What’s the workshop about? John and I will cover: Choosing the right varieties for your location and space Planting...
by Greg Alder | Feb 7, 2026 | Citrus |
At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the Citrus Greening disease, also called HLB or Huanglongbing, because it fails the eyeball test. Where are all the dying trees? I don’t see them. What is this HLB/Citrus Greening disease? It’s a condition where, I’m told,...
by Greg Alder | Jan 30, 2026 | Avocados |
The California Avocado Society will be putting on a seminar about pollination of avocados on February 10 in Oxnard, Ventura County. It is from 9 AM to 11 AM and can be attended in person or via Zoom. Inaki Hormaza is one of the world’s top experts on avocado...
by Greg Alder | Jan 27, 2026 | Fruit |
Winter is the season for the California Rare Fruit Growers “scion exchanges,” where growers cut small branches (scions) off their backyard trees and gather together to share. In addition to sharing scions, CRFG members often demonstrate grafting methods at these...
by Greg Alder | Jan 25, 2026 | Avocados |
I took a piece of a branch from my neighbor’s XX3/Holiday avocado tree and spliced it onto the top of a little seedling in my yard. This was my first attempt at avocado grafting. And I might have succeeded if I had had this post to guide me in selecting better scion...
Recent comments