Date: 25 Feb 2024
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.
Photo above: 15 gal Avocado trees for local pick up. Delivery and installation available!
Date: 7 Feb 2026
How to grow an Avocado tree on your patio
Yes, you can grow an Avocado tree on your patio - here is how to do it right
- If you would love to grow your own avocado but don’t have a big yard, good news - avocado trees can grow very well in containers. Compact or dwarf varieties, often called condo avocados, are especially suited for pots, patios, balconies, and even indoor growing near a sunny window.
Pick a compact avocado variety
Choosing the right variety is the most important step. Standard avocado trees grow very large, but condo or compact varieties stay much smaller and adapt well to containers.
Good choices for pots include:
· Wurtz (Little Cado) - a true dwarf, perfect for containers
- · Fuerte - a semi-dwarf that stays manageable with pruning
- · Joey - naturally compact and easy to keep smaller
Choose the right pot
Start with a pot about 12 inches wide (around 5 gallons). This size is easier to water correctly and helps prevent root rot. Avoid planting a small tree into a very large pot too soon.
As the tree grows, move up gradually. A mature potted avocado will need an 18- to 24-inch container. Repot every couple of years when roots show through drainage holes.
Always use a pot with excellent drainage.
Use well-draining soil
Avocados love water but hate wet feet. Use a loose, fast-draining mix, such as Abundance Professional Soilless Mix. You can improve drainage by adding perlite or coarse sand. Avoid heavy garden soil.
Water deeply, but not too often.
Water thoroughly, then let the soil dry before watering again. Always check moisture first. In summer, watering may be needed once or twice a week; in cooler weather, much less.
Overwatering is the fastest way to kill a potted avocado.
Give plenty of sun
Avocado trees need at least 6 to 8 hours of full sun daily. Outdoors is best, but indoors place the tree near a bright south- or west-facing window. Grow lights can help if light is limited.
Fertilize and prune
Feed during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer such as Green Magic (every 6 months) or liquid Sunshine Boosters (safe to use with every watering, year-around). Prune lightly to keep the tree compact and well-shaped.
Protect from cold
Most Avocados are sensitive to hard freeze. When temperatures drop below 35F, move the pot indoors or into a protected space. Reduce watering in winter as growth slows.
Cold hardy varieties can take cooler temperatures down to 18F once established. For example, Joey is both cold hardy and dwarf - perfect choice.
Final thoughts
Growing an avocado tree in a pot is practical and rewarding. With good drainage, sun, careful watering, and the right variety, you can enjoy homegrown avocados even without a yard.
Small space? No problem. Just think condo avocado. According to Southern Living, Lemons can be grown in pots - and so can Avocados!
✔️ Check outAvocado Variety Guide interactive chart. Sort them by flower type A or B, tree habit, fruit shape and quality, cold hardiness, origin, season and more!
🛒 Explore Avocado varieties and Dwarf Avocado
📖 Our Book: Avocado Variety Guide, Snack or Guacamole?
- ·
📚 Learn more:
- · Avocado Variety Guide
- · Posts about #Avocado
- · Avocado tree (Persea americana) in Plant Encyclopedia
- · How to grow tropical fruit outside the Tropics
- · What is so unique about Wurtz avocado?
- · How to protect Avocado from cold and how hardy is it?
- · Avocado that laughs at frost: Mexicola Grande for cooler climates
- · Cold hardy Avocado Joey - you eat it with the skin
- · Cold-hardy avocados: how cold-hardy are they?
🎥 What is a Dwarf Condo Avocado that fruits at 3 ft tall? 📱
#Food_Forest #Avocado
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals
Date: 14 Mar 2026
Not just guacamole - 6 unusual avocado recipes from top chefs
Not just guacamole - 6 unusual avocado recipes from top chefs
Avocado is rich, creamy, and loaded with healthy fats and fiber. It is also packed with vitamins C, K, B6, E, riboflavin, folate, niacin, and pantothenic acid, plus minerals that support digestion, bone health, heart health, and immune function.
Most people stop at guacamole, smoothies, or avocado toast. But in professional kitchens, avocado is treated as far more than a spread. It becomes a sauce base, a frozen dessert, even a chocolate mousse ingredient.
👉 Here are six unexpected avocado ideas inspired by well-known chefs:
1. Tuna avocado timbale
This plated appetizer looks restaurant-level but is surprisingly simple.
Small-diced fresh tuna is mixed with minced shallots or red onion, fresh coriander, pickled ginger, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. The mixture is pressed into a small ring mold, then topped with diced avocado and garnished with sprouts.
The avocado adds cool creaminess against the bright citrus and savory tuna.
2. Avocado hummus
Blend two creamy favorites - chickpeas and avocado - into one smooth dip.
Combine drained chickpeas, ripe avocados, tahini or peanut butter, garlic, cumin, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and salt. Process until silky. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of herbs and paprika.
It is lighter than traditional hummus and naturally vibrant green.
3. Stuffed avocado with blue cheese sauce
Avocado can also be the bowl.
Mix Dijon mustard, blue cheese, sour cream, a splash of wine vinegar, salt, and pepper into a thick dressing. Slice the avocado in half, remove the seed, and spoon the sauce into the center.
Eat it straight from the skin for a bold, savory appetizer.
4. Creamy avocado ice bowl
For a quick chilled dessert, cube ripe avocado and mix with cream and a light sweetener. Serve over ice.
It is not quite a smoothie and not quite ice cream - just cold, creamy avocado with clean sweetness.
5. Frozen avocado with condensed milk
Mash ripe avocado with condensed milk and freeze.
After a few hours, it becomes a scoopable, creamy treat with no special equipment required.
6. Green chocolate mousse
Perhaps the most surprising idea: avocado in chocolate mousse.
Puree ripe avocado and blend with melted dark chocolate, cocoa powder, coconut cream, and syrup. Chill until set, then top with whipped cream.
Despite the name, the dessert stays chocolate-brown. The avocado provides structure and silkiness, replacing part of the heavy cream.
💚 Why avocado works in sweet and savory dishes
Avocado is naturally buttery. It thickens sauces without flour, blends smoothly into dips, and creates creamy desserts without dairy overload. It freezes well and holds flavor beautifully.
So next time avocados are in season, think beyond guacamole. Stuff them, blend them, freeze them, or turn them into mousse. Feel like a chef!
This versatile fruit can do far more than sit on toast.
🛒 Select Avocado tree for contant fruit supply
📚 Learn more about #Avocado
#Food_Forest #Recipes
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals
Date: 11 Jul 2024
Five most popular Avocado varieties
Food Forest
"What is the best variety of Avocado?"
"Do you have the one with small black fruit and bumpy skin?"
"I have avocado with very large green fruit, what variety is it?"
These are frequently asked questions we get from our customers. This basic "classification" by black/green doesn't encompass all the wonderful qualities avocados have to offer. There are numerous hybrids in cultivation, and once you plant your first tree and taste the REAL fruit (not from the grocery store), you'll be eager to explore other varieties. While it's true that avocado fruit can vary in "butter" content, most superior varieties are equally delicious. First comes first -
The most popular Avocado varieties this year are:
1. Brogdon - red-purple pear-shaped fruit, 7-15 oz. Skin is very thin, yellow buttery flesh. Fruit ripens in late summer-fall. Very cold hardy.
2. Hass - probably the most popular, but this tree prefers drier climate (Florida is humid, so we plant adaptable Florida Hass here). The fruit is dark-colored with a rough and bumpy skin, turns black when ripe.
3. Fuerte - a dwarf and a very cold hardy variety. Everybody's favorite "Condo Avocado": perfect for container culture and small yards. The mature tree in the ground is under 15 ft; 6-7 ft in containers.
4. Oro Negro - Oro Negro means "black gold" in Spanish, which is an incredibly appropriate name for this fruit. This Monroe hybrid (with big size fruit) is crossed with a Mexican type which would explain the black skin. The flesh is rich and buttery with a creamy texture.
5. Winter Mexican - one of most cold hardy varieties, Guatemalan x Mexican origin. Mature trees may withstand temperatures in the mid 20s. Oblong fruit, 12-18 oz, thick green skin. Very vigorous tree, bears heavily and regularly in December-January.
Learn more: Avocado Variety Guide - check this out for interactive chart of Avocado varieties and sort them by flower type A or B, tree habit, fruit shape and quality, cold hardiness, origin, season and more!
Photo above: Avocado Hass
Photo above: Avocado Fuerte
Photo above: Avocado Oro-Negro
Photo above: Avocado Winter-Mexican
Date: 8 Dec 2025
Avocado miso toast-up: quick-n-fun exotic recipes
🍴 Avocado Miso Toast-Up
A fast, savory avocado toast with a subtle umami kick. Creamy ripe avocado is mashed with a small touch of miso, spread on warm toast, and finished with cracked black pepper. Simple, unexpected, and deeply satisfying.
Ingredients
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/4 teaspoon white or light miso paste
- 2 slices bread, toasted
- Freshly crushed black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl.
- Add miso and mash until mostly smooth.
- Spread evenly on warm toast.
- Finish with crushed black pepper and serve immediately.
🛒 Plant several varieties and always have Avocado in season
📚 Learn more:
- · Avocado Variety Guide
- · Posts about #Avocado
- · Avocado tree (Persea americana) in Plant Encyclopedia
#Food_Forest #Recipes #Avocado
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals











