by Greg Alder | Mar 29, 2019 | Avocados |
I think of my Hass avocado tree as small even though it is far bigger than the newly planted trees above. As I looked at my Hass last week, it stood 17 feet tall. It was time to prune. I prune it every year in order to keep it down to 15 feet. This post is about...
by Greg Alder | Mar 8, 2019 | Avocados |
In 2013, I planted a Lamb/Hass avocado tree because its fruit was said to be ready for harvest in summer. I didn’t know much else about the variety, and I’d never tasted its fruit (knowingly). During the past five or six years I’ve learned a lot more about Lamb...
by Greg Alder | Feb 15, 2019 | Avocados, Fruit |
Cherries are tricky in Southern California. Only a few varieties will fruit here with our relatively warm winters. Six winters ago, I planted two cherry trees for my mom in her backyard. The two needed each other in order to fruit. The flowers of Minnie Royal could...
by Greg Alder | Feb 8, 2019 | Avocados |
When it comes to buying an avocado tree, is bigger better? In one major aspect, yes, because a bigger avocado tree is capable of giving you more fruit sooner. On the flipside, bigger avocado trees come with three disadvantages, which is why I have purchased and...
by Greg Alder | Dec 14, 2018 | Avocados |
I begin with the story of two avocado trees grown from seed. These trees are related yet separated by about ten miles and eighty years — and they illustrate a thing or two about what kind of tree you can expect when you plant an avocado seed. Seedling avocado...
by Greg Alder | Nov 9, 2018 | Avocados |
My attitude toward protecting avocado trees during winter cold snaps has evolved. I once lived close to the beach where I never thought about protecting my avocados in winter. Then I moved inland and watched the temperatures dive at night but shrugged at first, “Well,...
by Greg Alder | Oct 12, 2018 | Avocados, Soil |
Last week, I visited the largest organic avocado farm in California. It’s those hills in the photo above — they’re covered with 1,000 acres of avocado trees. And I felt vindicated when I saw that they care for the soil under their trees in essentially the...
by Greg Alder | Sep 14, 2018 | Avocados |
I’ve been buying avocados the last couple weeks. This is embarrassing because I have more than a dozen avocado trees growing in my yard. We have no fruit off our own trees at the moment, however, due to a combination of some trees having an “off” year, plus the...
by Greg Alder | Jul 20, 2018 | Avocados |
Looking to plant the common Hass variety of avocado in your yard? Looking for the less common Reed? Searching for where to buy a rarely grown avocado variety like Nabal, GEM, or Jan Boyce? Let me try to connect you with the grower or seller of the avocado variety of...
by Greg Alder | Jun 22, 2018 | Avocados, Watering |
I’ve always wished there were a simple formula that could tell us how much and how often to water an avocado tree. Alas, the variables are too numerous and complex: weather is ever-changing, different soils have different capacities, each method of watering creates...
I'm Greg. My goal is to help others grow some food at home, with a focus on vegetables and fruits -- especially avocados -- in Southern California. I write a new "Yard Post" every Friday. 
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