Avocado Transplant

[Ken Johnson]

I have wanted to do this for a long time. I grew this tree from a 3 gallon 25 years ago! I now have shade on two bedrooms!

[drzoidberg1]

Any tips?? I've tried to move about 3 or 4 of these and all have croaked. We did root prune and boxed them in the ground and watered the bejesus outta them and still no luck. I live in So Cal. Any advice would be great. Thanks!

[MattyB]

That's a great shade tree for your front yard Ken! Tell us what the avos sound like dropping from 20' onto your metal roof! Or is Conrad gonna climb up there and harvest before that happens?

[Mandrew968]

Looks great! In about a year, I'll have some cool Chamaedorea hybrids you can put underneath.

[Walter John]

You wouldn't be doing that here in Queensland Ken, the possums and snakes would be in heaven with that easy access.

[Mandrew968]

Snakes don't eat avocados, Wal

[Dave-Vero]

I'm worried about sudden death from the ambrosia-beetle disease. A big tree less than a mile from my house died to the ground.

There may also be some other avocado killer--one stem of a huge tree in Ft Pierce's Heathcote Gardens died suddenly, but it was checked, and wasn't anything to do with ambrosia beetles. So far, the main stem's looking fine.

[Ken Johnson]

OK here are todays answers.

Transplanting avos here has been "easy" so far. On one job I sent a Marcus Pumpkin to Palm Beach and a few years latter the owner told me he had the most amazing avo it has a huge fruit! I always root prune slowly and wait for all the shock to disappear BEFORE I move it. I sent the one above into sever droop at one point and helped it along from there with extra water. Today it looks very spry after it move yesterday so i think I got it right. On the other hand I have seen commercial growers push big ones out with BULLDOZERS and replant them successfully so I am not sure why they don't move well sometimes/ I did kill one when I root pruned it and a hurricane blew it over. I could not get it for days and the roots dried out.

Now matty, Matty, MATTY. I have been pruning this tree for years so it would be perfect for the spot. It is hard to predict exactly how it will fit when you are as handicapped as I am but it will NOT have branches over the roof. Here is the kicker though...it is right where we park our cars. The good news is we now have drive through guacamole, bad news is we must not park there in season. If it blooms this year, which it may due to the stress, I will let you know how it works out. Next report will be in September of 2012.

Andrew, I so look forward to the Chams. I am going to continue the make over with some more bonsai I have made as well as some cycads. The palms will be a perfect mix.

Wal, snakes indeed. I only wish I had snakes. They are wonderful rodent and insect killers as well as baby possum eaters so bring it! In the mean time my well trained cats do a great job of killing just about and animals that enters the farm except humans and insects (buffo toads get a free pass too). A few adult Possums and Raccoons visit when the cats don't eat all their food so I keep the cats as skinny as I can so no food is ever left.

Dave, Just like with my citrus I may loose my avo to bugs but Publix Supermarket will still be selling them. LOL