by Greg Alder | Dec 22, 2023 | Fruit |
“Prune apricots and cherries only during July and August in inland areas and during August near the coast,” reads advice from the University of California. “In grapes, which are commonly pruned during winter, delaying pruning to as late as possible in the dormant...
by Greg Alder | Dec 15, 2023 | Avocados |
It feels like a rain forest under them. In 1908, Henry Huntington, the railroad magnate, had avocado trees grown from seed and planted by the hundreds on his property near Pasadena, in what became known as the first commercial avocado orchard in California. Some...
by Greg Alder | Dec 8, 2023 | Fruit |
Winter is when I do most of my fruit tree pruning. Why? Which kinds? Why most and not all? Let’s dive in. See branches in winter Fruit trees that lose their leaves in winter – deciduous fruit trees – offer a view of their branch structures at that time. When they’re...
by Greg Alder | Nov 24, 2023 | Avocados |
“Always do what’s best for the tree,” says an avocado farmer that I respect. What he means is, when deciding whether to do something to the tree — water or stake or whitewash or shade or prune — base your decision on the answer to just...
by Greg Alder | Nov 3, 2023 | Citrus |
As the weather cools in fall and the citrus fruit on my trees start turning from green to yellow, they catch my eye. It’s been so long since I’ve eaten a tangerine or a navel orange. I can’t wait until this new crop is ripe. And I look at the amount...
by Greg Alder | Nov 3, 2023 | Avocados |
Thille is the low-pro link between numerous famous avocado varieties. Even though Thille trees barely exist anymore, and not many were grown in the first place, it is the daughter of Hass, the mother of Gwen, and the grandmother of Lamb, GEM, and the new Luna. So the...
by Greg Alder | Oct 27, 2023 | Fruit |
Last week, I took my kids to the San Diego Zoo and we headed toward a less crowded area where the giant Galapagos tortoises reside. As often happens, on our walk I pointed out the plants as much as the animals. “Do you see this avocado tree over here?”...
by Greg Alder | Oct 25, 2023 | Avocados |
If avocados have a royal family, this is it: Hass and its heirs. Take a look at the family’s most prominent members, as well as some lesser known relatives. Where and when were they born? Who first grew them? Is there a next generation on the way? I hope you...
by Greg Alder | Oct 20, 2023 | Avocados |
From sunrise to sunset on October 14, it was avocados for me. I was touring groves, talking to farmers and researchers, stuffing my head with more than I could process. But I took photos. And here I share some with you. My morning began with an offshore breeze at...
by Greg Alder | Oct 12, 2023 | Avocados |
In 1916, not long after graduating from Pasadena High School, Wilson Popenoe headed south to explore the highlands of Guatemala on horseback for avocados to bring back to growers in California. He rode over three thousand miles, he tasted a thousand different...
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