Avocado Root Stock

[amh]

Being of sound mind and judgement, and of high moral character, I purchased two "cold hardy" avocados from a big box store the other day. The plants were grafted onto a seedling root-stock with a large seed.

The question is, what cultivar seedlings does Saxon and Becnel use for root-stock? Will the root-stock handle any freezes?

[teddytn]

6 hours ago, amh said:

Being of sound mind and judgement, and of high moral character

 Sounds like me telling the wife why I bought more plants 

[Xenon]

'Lula' is the generally the rootstock in Texas and comparatively it's not very hardy. You need to protect the graft or risk it freezing from below. 

 

[amh]

4 hours ago, teddytn said:

 Sounds like me telling the wife why I bought more plants 

I knew I was making a bad decision, but I still went through with it.

[amh]

26 minutes ago, Xenon said:

'Lula' is the generally the rootstock in Texas and comparatively it's not very hardy. You need to protect the graft or risk it freezing from below. 

 

I was anticipating a non-hardy root stock, so I'll stick with my original plans to keep the trees in containers and air layer new plants, while trying to acquire a "Pryor" for a multi-graft tree.

On a positive note, this company has upgraded to using pine bark, as opposed to their usual sawdust.

Thanks.

[Silas_Sancona]

7 hours ago, amh said:

I was anticipating a non-hardy root stock, so I'll stick with my original plans to keep the trees in containers and air layer new plants, while trying to acquire a "Pryor" for a multi-graft tree.

On a positive note, this company has upgraded to using pine bark, as opposed to their usual sawdust.

Thanks.

You might take a look at related discussions over on the Tropical Fruit Forum and see who might have hardier root stock they might be able to share, or who you might contact..  Know the topic / discussion around hardy Avos. is quite popular over there.

[amh]

On 6/11/2022 at 9:43 AM, Silas_Sancona said:

You might take a look at related discussions over on the Tropical Fruit Forum and see who might have hardier root stock they might be able to share, or who you might contact..  Know the topic / discussion around hardy Avos. is quite popular over there.

There is a grower in Devine, but that is 70+ miles away.

I've been meaning to join the Tropical Fruit Forum for some time, but have been too lazy.

[JohnAndSancho]

On 6/11/2022 at 1:46 AM, amh said:

I knew I was making a bad decision, but I still went through with it.

Evergreen post. 

[Xerarch]

On 6/11/2022 at 1:20 AM, Xenon said:

'Lula' is the generally the rootstock in Texas and comparatively it's not very hardy. You need to protect the graft or risk it freezing from below. 

 

Duh, comes on nursery guys, would it not stand to reason that if a cold hardy scion is desirable we need it on a hardy rootstock? Ugh, I have a Don Juan and a Brazos Belle avocado trees, which I specifically chose party for cold tolerance of course.  If these are on Lula I'll still have to sweat when it gets cold.

[Xenon]

Just now, Xerarch said:

Duh, comes on nursery guys, would it not stand to reason that if a cold hardy scion is desirable we need it on a hardy rootstock? Ugh, I have a Don Juan and a Brazos Belle avocado trees, which I specifically chose party for cold tolerance of course.  If these are on Lula I'll still have to sweat when it gets cold.

Lula isn't hardy but not super tender (mid 20s) either; I heard Lula in the RGV froze back a bit but not to the ground or anything. If I were on your peninsula, I'd focus on taste/production based off what does well in Florida and not worry too much about cold hardiness. Avocado can grow back quickly from the occasional 20-30 year cold blast.  I've heard pretty much all/most of the cold hardy avocados taste like "grass" or some other not so nice descriptor. 

Lula is vigorous and tolerant of salty irrigation water so that's why it's used. Same with sour orange and/or citrange for citrus. 

[Xenon]

1 hour ago, amh said:

There is a grower in Devine, but that is 70+ miles away.

I've been meaning to join the Tropical Fruit Forum for some time, but have been too lazy.

Better yet, the Fb group "Texas Rare Fruit Growers" is full of people loco for "cold hardy avocados". I don't get the appeal/novelty but you do you 

[Xerarch]

55 minutes ago, Xenon said:

Lula isn't hardy but not super tender (mid 20s) either; I heard Lula in the RGV froze back a bit but not to the ground or anything. If I were on your peninsula, I'd focus on taste/production based off what does well in Florida and not worry too much about cold hardiness. Avocado can grow back quickly from the occasional 20-30 year cold blast.  I've heard pretty much all/most of the cold hardy avocados taste like "grass" or some other not so nice descriptor. 

Lula is vigorous and tolerant of salty irrigation water so that's why it's used. Same with sour orange and/or citrange for citrus. 

Mid 20's isn't too bad, wouldn't have to worry about that very often at all.  I've read good reports about the Don Juan, it's said to be quite good, but I don't know anyone who has actually tried it.  Of course as a general rule, it seems like fruit descriptions in printed material are often quite, uh, optimistic, even in what I think are the worst cultivars of any given fruit.