My personal suggestion is to either: 1) Buy a wagon that you can keep the pot on, move it in and out. 2) Build a structure around it or cover it during the winter. 3) Move somewhere from St. Pete Beach or further south on the west coast, or from Indiatlantic Beach south on the east coast. I'm about 5-6 hours south of you, a very reliable zone 9a, and I can tell you they are still a fool's errand here in Lakeland. Just from my own experience, even using a Jamaican Tall, putting it on the south side of a house didn't keep it alive through a single winter. To keep one alive here, I have to cover it or bring it in any time the temperatures go near or below 45F. Getting them to live here is a challenge enough, without even worrying about fruit. The coldest place I've seen them actually do well is around the lake in Sebring (9b/10a). That's another 2 hours south of me. I'm not sure how many are still alive down that way after our two very chilly winters before this last one. Even at Vero Beach, anything west of I-95 is either fried or darn close to it. If you are still bent on trying it out, make sure you keep the thing covered anytime the temperatures are predicted to go anywhere under 45F. It might keep the ground warm enough, and the frost off of them. Better yet, go to the career sites, find a job in Southeast Florida and save yourself the headache.

get over to the fruit forum real fast ... because of time constraints .... get him a gift cert from the best seller recommended in that forum ... there are very specific planting times ... and it usually has nothing to do with xmas.... but that might not be that big an issue in your zone .... this way.. he can do the research ... and find what he wants ... they arent the best trees ... with 4 kinds on one tree ... but they are fascinating.. for a newb ... and while they last ... part of the problem.. is that all 4 varieties may not bloom at the same time.. so there might be pollination issues .... and that is why you really need the experts in the fruit forum .... clay soil is irrelevant.. see link for planting guide and dealing with clay soil .... though the fruit nuts might argue with that ... as they do things differently than us tree peeps ... let him enjoy the whole process... from choosing... thru everything ... good luck ken Here is a link that might be useful: link

After growing avos for 35 years...I have heard some pretty weird and questionable statements. Unfortunately, just because the internet says it...that does not mean it is true. I presently am growing two Pinkerton's. They are a wonderful avo...but not a dwarf. I always recommend "Holiday" for anyone who wants a small (6-7') tree. The fruit is delicious, also. Several of the dwarf varieties are just not very good quality fruit.

Ironically, though (in light of what you just said) they advised me not to get their bulk topsoil product for raised beds because it is not "prepared soil." Instead they recommended a bagged potting soil product which they sell (much more expensive). It's unfortunate they do not understand how water behaves in various media. There are 2 things they do not consider. 1) With the earth acting as a giant wick, all water will be pulled downward from all spaces between soil particles, whether the medium is all or almost all mineral soil or it's some type of potting soil. This means, in the case of mineral soils, all water will be held on the surface of soil particles, at the interface where soil particles contact each other, and in the internal pores of the organic fraction of the medium. Potting media will dry out very quickly, resulting in the need to water frequently. 2) There will be a LOT of annual soil shrinkage due to natural composting and carbon gassing off as CO2 from a media that is nearly all organic. If you scroll up to my first pots, this thread, you'll see I offered cautionary words about soils with a high % of organic material (>50%) being difficult to keep watered and the shrinkage associated with their use in RBs. It's not that they CAN'T be productive, it's the extra work it requires, and to some degree the expense that comes with the necessity of continually adding a fairly large fraction (25-25%?) of OM to to replace what's lost to gassing off ,,,,, and that was a self-critique resulting from the lesson I learned from the soil I have in my OWN beds. Too much OM. If there is any info on the data sheet you think would help you determine whether it is a suitable topsoil for your raised bed blend ..... I doubt there will be one. It sounds like it will be a matter of mixing screened topsoil, which can vary considerably in physical properties which depend on the %s of clay/ silt/ sand, with compost that might come from an entity that contracts with a municipality to accept yard waste. A thought: If they have to mix it, why wouldn't you be able to order it with the ratio of soil:OM you prefer? Al