Has anyone successfully grown an avacado tree outside of the tropics? I got a seed to sprout at work and now I have a foot tall tree..... I'm a bit fond of it now so I want to try and grow it out. I have it outside in the blast furnace and it's loving the heat. From what I've read my troubles would be from the cold blasts during winter. Suggestions?
Avacado Tree
- Thread starter woody3says
- Start date
i think you will have to graft a flowering avacado onto that one if you want actual avocados. dont you need a male plant too?
And from what I hear avocados grown from seed can take anywhere from 5 years to over a decade to produce fruit... not to discourage you, I have a couple pits that I'm growing for fun. However, its value is more as a decorative houseplant at this stage.
I frankly don't care if it grows out to fruit. I think it would be a unique addition to my yard IF the thing will live.
Didn't notice you're in Texas... at least you avoid the awkwardness of having to move it inside for winter.
In any case, good luck. Fresh avocado would be great, but they are attractive trees in their own right.
You're slightly outside of the temperature range for avocado trees, but trees seem to gain cold tolerance as they get bigger and more established so I think it might work, especially if you cover and protect the tree during cold spells or move it inside if you keep it potted for a couple years. I know there are quite a lot of large fig and paw paw trees growing a fair distance outside of their hardiness zones.
Here's a good link about growing avocado trees in Texas. Apparently salinity of the soil is the best problem, especially for Mexican varieties, and that's probably what you have.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/homefruit/avocado/avocado2.html
Here's a good link about growing avocado trees in Texas. Apparently salinity of the soil is the best problem, especially for Mexican varieties, and that's probably what you have.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/homefruit/avocado/avocado2.html
Probably best to grow in a container for a few years. Just bring inside during freeze. If you want in ground, you'll need to come up with cold protection. You'll have to protect it every year until it's a large tree.
I would only go through all this trouble if it was a Mexican variety. This type can take cold down to teens once established.
I would only go through all this trouble if it was a Mexican variety. This type can take cold down to teens once established.
Yes, it's a Hass. I'll pot it for as long as I can, hopefully the root ball doesn't get huge. It's a fast grower though. Been home for a week and it's grown 3in already!
Thanks Avon, good info. Omri, I haven't seen a tree for sale around here.
If you can't find one locally, there are a ton of places you can mail order trees from, such as onegreenworld.com. If you're going to grow one you might as well grow one that's going to produce delicious fruits. 
. They can produce something like 500 lbs of fruit a year fully mature.
. They can produce something like 500 lbs of fruit a year fully mature.
we only have 1 avocado tree and it produces fruit every year so I can say that it got a perfect flower to produce fruits.
The Avocado variety Bacon has the highest frost tolerance, apparently down to -5C.
I've got a 2 foot tall Bacon that I bought last year, as well as a Hass that I sprouted from a store bought Avocado which is in the garage under artificial lighting. Will be interesting to see how they go, not expecting fruit for years, but it's the fun of being able to get something to grow from the very beginning.
I've got a 2 foot tall Bacon that I bought last year, as well as a Hass that I sprouted from a store bought Avocado which is in the garage under artificial lighting. Will be interesting to see how they go, not expecting fruit for years, but it's the fun of being able to get something to grow from the very beginning.
There are several avacado varieties available here in Texas that will grow and produce. Haas avacados are hardy to 32f and will die after that. They are very sensitive to being replanted. I currently have 5 different varieties growing. I know the first 2 years the trunk needs to be protected from sunlight as they get burnt and will die, most people whitewash them to protect them. They also do not like wet soil, I treat mine like my pepper plants.
the avocado from seed you gotta get lucky for anything edible
it is pretty common to graft a known producer
{or a few good producing varieties}
onto your seedling
if you have any trees locally you can grow there in that climate also
and it is a good place to get information on making a grafted tree
here in los angeles area we can buy already grafted little ones for ± $20
on sale
bacon, hass, fuerte, and others are common
it is pretty common to graft a known producer
{or a few good producing varieties}
onto your seedling
if you have any trees locally you can grow there in that climate also
and it is a good place to get information on making a grafted tree
here in los angeles area we can buy already grafted little ones for ± $20
on sale
bacon, hass, fuerte, and others are common