the reason named varieties won't pollinate the same variety is because they are cloned by grafting and all originated form one original tree. Therefore effectively are the same tree. Seeds on the other hand are individual offspring carrying different genetics. So near a 100% chance the seedlings will pollinate each other. The down side: Pests will have access to an easy breeding ground. Furthermore the fruit will rot quickly once it falls to the ground. This will happen at a time deer have plenty of other food options. If you plant turnips you will get the desired effect of winter food for deer after the turnip is frozen in the ground and other food getting thinner. But of course turnips are annual. Watermelons is another. Coyotes love them. Another thing you can do is gather acorns and read up on how to store them for the winter, then go around planting them in fence rows or whatever. Oaks grow slow but 50 years after you die wildlife will be eating from your big beautiful trees. Also, you can plant elderberry thickets. those grow from cuttings. google that. If you can't find an Elderberry bush to get clippings from I can send you some next march.

I live in zone 4b (central Wisconsin). I got a packet of Italian Parsley seed and was hoping to get several 3.5" starter containers of it going to surprise my mother with. She loves parsley and I thought it would be nice to give her a head start. When should I start the seed and when would be a good time to transplant it into the garden. I understand there is a deep tap root so I don't want to start too early. How many seeds should I sow in each container? When should I plant the seeds? And when should I expect to transplant them outside? Bruce

I have had fruit from 4/11 of my avocado varieties. They will all flower in the season as mine are grafted. Not all hold fruit if they are to young and drop them. But that is not true for everyone. There are many factors that play into a tree holding fruit set including weather, temperature, pollination etc....... I've known people who have had 2-3 year old trees that were grafted produce fruit and hold on the tree. I'm one of them who did so in containers with a Mexicola and Wurtz. You can see them in the Avocado forum under container trees. My Wurtz ( Little Cado ) has 30 plus fruit on it this year and is in a 24inch box and my Mexicola is in a raised bed now and I'm expecting it to fruit this year and several other trees that are now in the ground. I will update the group this summer. I'm expecting fruit from my Fuerte, Pinkerton, Stewart, Bacon, Mexicola and Wurtz. My other trees are still to young.

Wide pot (and deep too for now). Google Bonsai training pots (or boxes) for actual pix of actual specific design. You'll also need bonsai 'soil', usually a mix of very small (<1/8") bark chips, perlite (not vermiculite), and something like the quite-small size pebbles used in aquariums (you can Google Image 'Akadama' - an expensive Japanese bonsai component, to get an idea). You can substitute a little of the perlite and/or bark chips with a little (<20% of the mix) soil. And don't put crocks or pebbles on the bottom... just one complete mix throughout. And in NJ, you shouldn't need to worry about watering, though if you have a long hot spell, don't be afraid to water either because that mix will let it run right through, which is the idea.