I know nothing about what you asked, but have great luck getting store-bought avocado pits to sprout by just laying them on the ground, not buried. Here's the latest one, pic from last week. Winter will probably kill it here, but fun to watch until then. Might pot one up for winter to see if it will live.

Viper75, thanks for the reply. Definitely blooms, doubt I will get any fruit, tho. It is blooming now in my greenhouse, in Southwest Arkansas. I have tried using a paintbrush around mid-day to pollinate, but most of the flowers are falling off. It may be to small to hold fruit anyway, as it is only about 3 feet tall. Lots of new growth as well.

So I bought two GEM Avocado trees, basically twigs, last October. I've kept them in pots to protect them from any frost which really hasn't been often, especially over the last month. I'm in 9b Northern California if that matters. Anyhow, one of the GEMs is budding. I'm not sure what to do, if anything. Do I pinch them off so the tree can grow? Do I let it run its natural course and let it decide what to do? I don't want to do anything without asking around first. I'm new to growing avocados as well. Thanks y'all!

Thanks for the input! I had it under gradual tension during the rainy season when the soil was soft and then left it disconnected for a few weeks now and it's not "falling over" but it went right back to leaning toward the sun... as long as she doesn't look like she's dying I'll just keep her trimmed where it's obnoxious and let her grow. The annoying thing is all the new growth (massive amounts) that I just had to trim were on the lower sunny side, hanging low into the driveway. I wish the fruit would grow up in the middle where it's safe :)