Avocado tree on it's way...please advise

[heatherbynum]

Hey there,

Just purchased an avocado tree!

Please help me. I am about to order another EB just for this plant. How do I do it? I made my own potting mix 70% peat moss, 30% perlite for my veggies. Will this be good for the avocado as well? Where do I put the fertilizer? Do I use dolimite? Thanks in advance for advice.
Heather

P.S. here is a link to where I bought the plant if anyone is interested.  http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/Cold-Hardy-Avocado-Tree.htm  I have purchased peach trees from them in the past and highly recommend them.

[Sun City Linda]

I thought it was a "Mexicali" or Mexicali Grande maybe but the first has fairly small fruit. Not sure about the second.  Without knowing the actual name or variety it may be a challenge.  Avocados pollinate differently depending on variety.  Root system is extremely sensitive to standing water which might be a problem if they grow thru the screen.  I have not grown or read about them in years but you should be able to find specific info on Avocados on line that may help you decide how best to plant it. 

[heatherbynum]

Thanks Linda, This variety is self-pollinating.

I am hoping someone on here has already done this and can advise me.

[ErnieHodge]

Avocado trees do not like 'wet feet' and I've never seen a dwarf variety.

I have however seen avocado trees that were verrrrrrrrrry tall. I'm not sure that's a good fit for an EB. You might want to plant that in your yard away from your house and not near the driveway. When avocados ripen and fall off the tree they have broken windshields out of cars.

[heatherbynum]

I can't plant it in my yard, in my zone its container only. The sit says thatin a container it gets only 7 feet tall. Does anyone know if this will work in an eb?

[4tanks1]

I can't plant it in my yard, in my zone its container only. The sit says thatin a container it gets only 7 feet tall. Does anyone know if this will work in an eb?

I would think you'd be better off planting in one of those large pots or the whiskey barrel type, I have two lemon trees growing in the whiskey barrel.

[heatherbynum]

I've been doing some research on avocado trees in containers. Here is what I have so far. They do not like wet roots. They "drink" mainly from the top roots. They like acidic soil. Best not to under or over water them. They can be pruned to keep the height you want them to be. You can also pull them from the container to check for "root-bound" issues. If the main root is growing in a circle around the container it is root-bound. To remedy this you can cut back the roots. A check every 2-3 years is advised. They like organic soil. In ground it is recommended part sand, part peat moss, part perlite. The soil should be damp but not able to "wring out" any water. They love calcium. When in a container all fruit trees require a "less is more" approach to feeding with fertilizer. When planting a fruit tree in a container it is best to go with a container that is no more than twice the size of the root ball. If you start with too large a container they can get spindly. Either go up in size of container as the tree grows, or prune it back to encourage smaller growth of roots.

So, with this I am going forward with planting my tree in the EB. I corresponded with fast growing trees about my avocado tree. She doesn't know anything about the Earth Box. But she did say that I can expect fruit from my avocado tree this year! I believe her. I have a total of 6 fruit trees in my yard, 5 now because one did not come back this spring. (purchased from gurneys-they did not replace it). Of those 6 trees, only one did I purchase from fast growing trees. Last year when I planted it, it tried to grow some peaches in October! I pinched them off. This year it had  over 180 peaches growing on it. I hand thinned them down to 4-6 per branch. My other fruit trees, two cherries(one didn't make it), a methley plum, all in one almond, and a pixie crunch apple are looking healthy but did not flower again this year. From now on I will only buy from this company. They sell much older trees that are pre-branched and ready to set fruit. They cost more than twice as much as other online nurseries, but they are worth every penny!

Unless someone with experience growing avocados in an Earth Box chimes in here, I am going to just go for it. I will keep everyone posted with pictures of how it is doing. Wish me luck! Man, I can't wait to try that first avocado!

[dkaufmann]

Thanks for your research efforts. I am anxiously waiting to see how it works for you!

[4tanks1]

Me too, here's a suggestion. A pic when the tree comes in, a pic after you plant it in the Eb and constant updates with pics every couple of weeks or so.

[heatherbynum]

Me too, here's a suggestion. A pic when the tree comes in, a pic after you plant it in the Eb and constant updates with pics every couple of weeks or so.

I will do it! I am so excited. I love avocados, every which way, even plain! 

[alwayslearning]

Go for it.  The research info you got sounds like citrus growing, too (doesn't like roots wet, etc.) and a number of us have thriving citrus trees in EBs or similar sub-irrigated containers.

Putting the fert strip around the perimeter might be a way to go.

[heatherbynum]

Go for it.  The research info you got sounds like citrus growing, too (doesn't like roots wet, etc.) and a number of us have thriving citrus trees in EBs or similar sub-irrigated containers.

Putting the fert strip around the perimeter might be a way to go.

Do you mean around the top in a U shape? Just under the soil mix?

[alwayslearning]

Yes, a U, covered with potting mix the same way.  This idea initially came from a forum member growing citrus, but it wasn't who I originally thought, so I'm at a loss as to whom I should give credit.
  

[Deb]

I have a cherry tree in an EarthBox.  It might get 12' tall, but I'll probably keep it pruned to 10' or less, or maybe put it into the 'orchard' this year.  I'd go for the avocado.  If I had a place to move it in the cooler months, I'd try one myself.

Deb

[heatherbynum]

I have a cherry tree in an EarthBox.  It might get 12' tall, but I'll probably keep it pruned to 10' or less, or maybe put it into the 'orchard' this year.  I'd go for the avocado.  If I had a place to move it in the cooler months, I'd try one myself.

Deb

How long have you had it planted in the earth box, and how tall was it when you planted it? Is your cherry tree fruiting at all?