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Arizona Gardening

I need ideas for Successive ripening avocado and atemoya trees...

14 years ago

I intend to order these from Florida plant these in the fall ( currently digging out my hard caliche soil) and my goal is to plant trees with different ripening dates. I want 3-4 different vaieties of avocadoes

and 3-4 varieties of atemoyas in one hole. Please give me ideas as far as varieties that will help me accomplish my goal. I am in west phoenix (Tolleson). I will plant in NE SIDE of my house behind my Mesquite tree and near my house for protection

Does anyone out there have experience doing this?

Ant tips / shortcuts will help. All appreciated. Thanks

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Comments (6)

User
14 years ago
Shortcut: When the trees arrive, place them directly into the compost heap.

Seriously, neither tree will thrive in the Phoenix area, and they don't set fruit much.

If you are really determined, go talk to the Tropical tree nursery guy on Baseline and buy from him. His stuff at least has a bit of a chance.
rockmaker
14 years ago
For avocados, make sure you get one of the following varieties grafted onto Lula rootstock:

Brogdon, Day, Lula, Choquette, Marcus, Winter Mexican. Avocados grafted onto the mexican rootstocks they use in California will have little chance of surviving here.

For the atemoya, 48-26 and gefner will both set fruit but will need frost protection and shade cloth the first summer.
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Avacado trees are no big deal in much of Northern California. Choose among many hardier Mexican varieties, and graft (for pollination), if you can, from a successful tree from your neighborhood, so that if you can't have two trees that compliment for pollination, or one that is known to be self-pollinating, that you'll get fruit. For nearly my whole life we've had avocados from our own tree or from neighbors' trees. I think there was a Sunset magazine article that described good varieties. Avoid those from around Guatemala...too sensitive to frost and cold. One neighbor's tree survived below 20 degrees F. The trees should be hardier if planted in the ground to keep the roots warmer in prolonged cold periods when the trees get large. Do not trim to expose the trunks or major branches to the hot sun in the summer. Avocado trees can sunburn. Do lightly shade the tree from overhead summer sun until it is well established. As you do with pears, pick the fruit a bit before it is soft-ripe, and then ripen it in a warm spot off the tree. It will have better texture and flavor. A bit like most pears in that respect.
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phxplantaddict
13 years ago
If you have not done this yet attend the next ARFG meeting and talk to Doug.
wabikeguy
13 years ago
My tip is to not plant avacados, especially if you are doing this with the expectation that they will fruit. I am currently nursing one along outside on the north side of my house, under 50% shade cloth. It is not doing well. Avacados don't seem to do well in our rocky soil, high temps, lack of humidity, and saline water.

Figs and citrus can sure do well here though.

Dave
phxplantaddict
13 years ago
Avocado will grow here with a combination of good soil, mulch, shade first few years, and not overwatering. I dug down 40 inches to get out the Az soil. Growing from seed is the best way to succeed. I know of a few people here that have multiple 30 foot trees that fruit.
softmentor
13 years ago
Here ya' go. This will lead you to more info than you ever needed.
http://www.ucavo.ucr.edu/
Be aware that harvest season will vary from area to area. Generally, Mexican varieties are earlier than the others and more hearty against frost.
also be sure to get both A and B flowers for best pollination.
You may also want to consider ordering locally or from CA instead of FL, since they are growing varieties and grafting on root stocks that are better adapted to our soil and climate in the west. FL's humid climate does better with different choices.

Here's my 3 choices
Name - flavor - oil content - season - size - flower type - parentage - temperature hardness.

Mexicola Good Purple 20% Sept. to Nov. 4- 8 oz Type A Mexican Very Hardy to 20ÂºF

Stewart VeryGood Purple 18% Oct. to Dec. 6-12 oz Type A Mexican Very Hardy to 24ÂºF

Jim VeryGood Green 18% Nov. to Feb. 8-12 oz Type B Mostly Mexican Very Hardy to 24ÂºF

PS a good way to deal with TRUE caliche, is to use pool acid and let it soak in then peal back that layer. Learned that trick from my geology professor.

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