I live in Anderson Indiana have started an avocado tree from a seed and will grow taller but the leaves drop off the bottom of it. I have it in front of my picture window facing south. Should I put it outside in the summer; put it in a bigger planter;water it more.... I have also been told to pinch off the top to keep it short and I will still get fruit... help please! Thank you!

I have not tried growing either variety but here is another dwarf. This place is known for their tropical fruits and could be a short drive for you http://shop.tropicalfruit.com/Wurtz-40Dwarf41-Avocado--3-Gallon--GRAFTED_p_141.html

Now that I have your attention. Here's the real deal---I have a 16 by 32 greenhouse with a Subterranean Heating and Cooling System (http://www.roperld.com/hycg/SGHwSHCSBuild.htm) in which I've planted citrus, figs, palms, camellias, tea roses and tons of other stuff. Some items are in pots but most are planted directly in the ground. Because I am in such a cold climate (-53F is the all-time low here in Lone Rock, WI) I've tended to select the very hardiest cultivar/species of each type of plant. For example the palms are Rhapidophyllum, Sabal minor McCurtain Cty. OK, Sabal xbrazoriensis and Trachycarpus sp. The reason that I've done this is because I don't yet know how cold the greenhouse might get if it's 40 below outside and the electricity or LP furnace malfunctions. This winter is the second season of operation and I've easily kept the temperature just above freezing (my winter goal) with a mere low of -20 outside. But during mid-winter the greenhouse day temperature might not rise much above freezing if the weather is cold and cloudy. I do have to have some midwinter cold because certain plants I have need a proper winter cooling period. Because the SHCS stores heat in the greenhouse soil mass, a full winter of operation might cool the soil significantly by spring. Sunny winter and spring days rise into the 60's and 70's regularly. I'm not sure how near-freezing temps for several days might affect different avocado cultivars or how low soil temps might affect different rootstocks. I'm thinking that I could stuff in one (or perhaps two) avocado tree(s) if I keep them pruned heavily although naturally smaller trees would probably be better. I want great fruit and I'd like the/(one of the) tree(s) to fruit over the summer and fall to coincide with our tomato season (guac rules!) After reading a lot of online material some things come to mind…. One variety that might work would be 'Mexicola' (not 'M. Grande'). It's relatively cold hardy and good tasting but doesn't appear to fruit until later in the autumn. (Sources vary a lot of course.) On the other hand then I wouldn't have to worry much about a January freeze wiping out the over-wintering crop of one of the 'Hass' types. 'Stewart' sounds like a better tasting Mexican type. It's relatively compact but has problems setting fruit in many areas? (including my greenhouse?) Either of these could make a hardier scaffold to have other varieties grafted to them eventually for pollination, variety, etc. Another route would be to go with one of the 'Hass' types and not worry too much about hardiness issues. But the usual (somewhat) compact suspects, 'Holiday', 'Wurtz', 'Gwen' and 'Reed' are among the least hardy trees although the latter three would likely bear some fruit in the summer if all else goes well. But these ripen the year after flowering. Will the fruit continue to ripen over a chilly winter? And what about 'Day', one of the Florida types? Generally I don't like the Florida avocados but 'Day' is supposed to be hardy to 22F and I read that it's creamy and more like the California types. Can anyone tell me from experience what 'Day' is like? Or if it ripens the same year that it blooms? Even if my eventual selection is not 18 degrees hardy like 'Mexicola' I'd like to have something that will tolerate freezing to some degree. I also read that 'Gwen' has a greater need for cross pollination than most others. Should this be a deal killer? Other than the 'dwarves', I could go on and on with pros and cons for various cultivars based on what I've read, but at the end of the day I guess my questions is still, "What's a girl to do!?" Any suggestions, thoughts about cultivar selections would be appreciated. Steve H. (loneroc1) at Lone Rock, WI USA USDA zone 3

Hi, Just to give an update on my planting plan -- after extensive research, considering factors like cold tolerance, taste, oil content, A/B type for pollination, and fruiting months, I have formed a tentative plan to plant: 1 Stewart 1 Mexicola Grande 1 Brodgen 1 Lula 1 Fuerte By the data I collected this combo of trees can give me almost year round fruits. I will plant them in a cluster, about 20' from each other. I plan to also build a simple greenhouse during winter months for the young trees. Fuerte supposedly can tolerate only low as 28F, but I want to take a chance on that one due to the good taste. I think I have all bases covered. Thanks for the tips and any additional advice is of course appreciated.