Avocado pollinating and crops

Photo above: Avocado Joey - very buttery fruit, cold hardy variety.

Q: I bought an anise leaf-scented avocado from you, and it is finally quite large and doing great. I live in California, the coldest temperatures we seem to get in some winters is around 25 to 28F, and it never lasts long. The tree might get a bit of frost nipping on the new growth, but it has done very well. It has flowered profusely for the last two years but hasn't set any fruit. What variety you might recommend to help with pollinating?

A: We are glad your avocado is doing great. Anise is one of our favorite varieties, with the wonderful smell of leaves and tasty fruit.

Cold hardiness and flower quality

It is true that cold damage may affect avocado production, especially in setting fruit. To improve the tree's cold hardiness, make sure to provide balanced plant food, especially during the season of active growth. For our avocado trees, we use Sunshine C-Cibus year-round.

If you prefer to use dry (granulated, slow-release) fertilizers, make sure they contain micronutrients, or apply Sunshine Superfood microelement complex once a month.

To improve flower quality (including the ability to set fruit), we recommend a special micronutrient supplement called Sunshine Honey. It contains Boron and Molybdenum - elements that are responsible for setting fruit and for developing fruit (meaning not dropping at the early stage of development).

Cross-pollination and crop

In general, every avocado tree is self-fertile, meaning it can produce some fruit with its own pollen and doesn't necessarily require a second tree for pollination. So even if you don't do anything, sooner or later your tree will set fruit. However, it is also true that the amount of fruit and crop reliability depends on pollination factors. One type of avocado classification is by flowering and pollination behavior - type A or B.

When both types of trees are grown in proximity to each other, their overlapping flowering patterns significantly enhance the chances of cross-pollination. This can lead to improved fruit set and higher yield, making it especially important for commercial production and, to a lesser extent, for home growers.

Therefore, it's advisable to plant different varieties of avocado in your garden - the more, the merrier! The greater the diversity of avocado trees with overlapping flowering periods, the better your crop is likely to be. If you're growing an avocado tree without other avocados nearby, it becomes helpful to have more than one tree with different flowering patterns (A and B) to increase yield in your garden.

Anise Avocado is type B. So to increase your crop, you may consider planting type A variety from the list: Bernecker, Black Prince, Catalina, Choquette, Day, Donnie, Fantastic, Florida Hass, Lila, Loretta, Lula, Mexicola, Mexicola Grande, Red Russell, Reed, Russell, Simmonds, Ulala , Waldin .

To learn more about avocado types, fruit characteristics, cold hardiness and much more, refer to our Avocado Variety Guide - a page with very convenient interactive chart allowing you to quickly sort types of avocado by requirements of your choice (just click on column header to sort data). You may also buy a Book or download a PDF.

Avocado Variety Guide Page

Shop Avocado Trees

Photo above: 15 gal Avocado trees for local pick up. Delivery and installation available!

See 15 gal Avocado varieties available

Follow on

Pin

Share

Cat Horoscope
Libra Zodiac Cats 09/23-10/23

By Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats

Scooby, the Libra Cat

How to know the astrological sign of your cat?
The astrological sign of a cat can be determined by either their date of birth or adoption, as adoption is often considered a second birth for cats...More >>

Cats that change their minds...

...Like all representatives of the Libra sign, the temperament of Libra cats is characterized by variability... They frequently change their preferences, which can range from their food to their activities. What they love one day, they might completely ignore the next. One day Libra Cats can help you to plant flowers, next day or week, or until the wind changes, they fast dig out all that you planted on previous days…and so in everything!... Speaking of their preferences, all Libra cats have an affinity for plants... Continue reading >>

Shaka, the Libra Cat

See Libra Zodiac Plants

Follow on

Pin

Share

Yuca Fries Recipe

Food from your garden

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized Yuca Root
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, to taste
Optional: spices or herbs of your choice (paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, etc.)

Instructions:

Prep the Yuca: Peel the Yuca root with a sharp knife and remove any fibrous parts. Cut the Yuca into evenly sized sticks or fries.

Boil the Yuca: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the Yuca fries. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the fries become tender but not mushy. You should be able to pierce them easily with a fork.

Drain and Cool: Drain the boiled Yuca fries and let them cool for a few minutes. Preheat your oven to 425F during this time.

Seasoning: Toss the slightly cooled Yuca fries in olive oil, ensuring they are evenly coated. Add a pinch of salt and any additional spices or herbs you prefer for added flavor.

Baking: Arrange the seasoned Yuca fries in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the Yuca fries for about 25-30 minutes, flipping them halfway through to ensure even browning.

Serve: Once they turn golden and crispy on the outside, take the Yuca fries out of the oven. Serve them hot as a delicious and unique alternative to regular fries. You can enjoy them as a side dish with your favorite dipping sauce or as a snack on their own.

These Yuca fries are not only tasty but also a great way to introduce friends and family to this delightful tropical root vegetable! Enjoy your yuca-culinary adventure!

Buy Yuca Root Plant

Follow on

Pin

Share

Prepare your plants for Winter with Sunshine Boosters

We usually stop using dry slow-release fertilizers from November to March. However, liquid Sunshine Boosters, which are natural plant food, can be used all year. They help your plants survive winter. When it gets colder, we water less, so the fertilizer decreases too. The plants only use what they need. To learn more about how Sunshine Boosters work and why they're safe and helpful, check out this blog: Using Sunshine Booster during Winter.

Apart from giving your plants nutrients during winter, you also can improve their ability to handle the cold. Try the Sunshine Boosters supplement kit for tropical plants. Follow the schedule and use three different supplements: SUNSHINE Superfood, SUNSHINE Epi, and SUNSHINE-Power-Si. Read more about treatment with Sunshine boosters supplement kit.

Follow on

Pin

Share