GEM avocado trees pollenized by a Bacon
Most avocado trees make plenty of fruit without other types of avocado trees nearby -- when the weather is good. But the spring of 2023 was cool, and that is not good for pollination. (The photo above shows GEM avocado trees flowering during yet another foggy day on...
Heavy bloom hastens avocado maturity
In the spring of 2023, many avocado trees throughout California had a superbloom. During that period I watched the avocados on trees with lots of flowers mature rapidly alongside the emerging flowers and even start dropping to the ground in some cases. For example,...
Citation rootstock for stone fruit trees: avoid?
“I'll be real blunt about this: I’m not a fan of the most common semi-dwarf rootstock that’s out there, Citation,” said Don Shor, owner of Redwood Barn Nursery. Don was speaking on the December 14 broadcast of the radio show he co-hosts, The Davis Garden Show. This...
Don’t prune apricots, cherries, and grapes in winter in Southern California?
“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...
Among the Oldest Avocado Trees in California, at The Huntington
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...
Why prune fruit trees in winter in Southern California? (And why not?)
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...
What to do in a Southern California food garden in December
I like to sit by the fireplace during the long nights of December and read my notes and reflect on the past growing year. Did I grow enough onions for the family? I suspect I watered my USDA 88-2 mandarin tree too much. How much water did it get? Should I plant...
Avocado grower, don’t be greedy: remove fruit
"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 one question: Is it best for...
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