San Diego Farm Yards

02/16/2025

I hav this Hass in a 15g that Shoulda been uppotted Last spring. I didnt and it flowered... I let them be Expecting it to drop most fruit... It Didnt... The only fruit it dropped was when It was blown over by the wind a couple times from Nov on..

Anywho... Being a renter(which is why it is in a container) my current property has a Bunch of cinder blocks and paver bricks laying around. So I am cleaning up the property and putting the "debris" to use.. I am making this fully raised planter for the Hass tree..

I figure it can live in this for a few years without having to repot, hoping we dont have to move too soon...
But if we do have to move in the next few years. I figure I can pull it out(if I choose to take it with me) and prune it back(roots and limbs) and take it with me... Again, IF I choose to...

Now for the details of this project..

I have ground critters so I have the very base with 1/4" hardware cloth, overlapped 4-6" for each strip(forgot to take a pic of that step). Followed with a double layer of cardboard to attempt to keep the grass from growing up thru the bottom, then placed the cinder block, with a 3rd layer of cardboard inside the cinder block once it was assembled. I am going to place "w**d fabric" inside the planting area to prevent soil from leaking out(Jic) then making a blend of Garys Top Pot soil for the growing media, mixed with a lil native sandy soil from the property.
Also, I plan to fill the cells of the cinder blocks with the same mix (to insulate the Avo roots) and so I can plant herbs and pollinator flowers to make full use of the space and encourage better pollination when the Hass tree flowers.

I will update further as I have the soil mixed and filled in the planter with the tree in there... And also as I get herbs and other flowering plants going...

MORE TO COME!! STAY TUNED!!_

Oh. Last couple pics are low branches that will be coming off/back to the upright growing bits. I had attempted to graft(unsuccessfully obviously) so I will cut them for scion wood once they get past the flowering phase and begin to push fresh growth.

09/02/2024

Sunburnt fruit question.

My Hass tree has some Sunburnt fruit that happened just after we moved about a month ago. Will this fruit size up and/or be edible or should I remove the damaged fruits. One seems like it has not gotten larger since the damage.

It is in a 15g pot, I potted up from a 5g immediately and ive have it for 2 years now. 1st year fruiting holding about a dozen fruit. 🤞I have not had any fruit drop, even through the move.

Lastly for fun. My Reed grafted onto seedling Rootstock. Maybe 2ish years since graft. Appx 5ft holding its 1st ever fruit! Yaaay! 🤞

09/02/2024

I got this jumbo "Hass" from Sprouts the other day. Mexico grown.. It is quite round with barely shoulders, like typical Hass have. There were other avos in the same bin that looked like typical Hass.

Could this be a different variety than hass? I know sometimes groves have another variety here and there..

It doesnt look that big in my hand, but it is a Good sized avo. I mainly bought it hoping a lil that it Is a different variety thank a Hass..

I also partly bought it hoping it has a big healthy seed inside for me to germinate then later graft onto.

TIA

06/04/2024

Question for the group.

Do baby praying mantis help keep persea mites at bay?

I am fairly certain this is persea mite damage. Only like 2 leaves affected on my seedling grafted reed but I have at Least 10 baby mantises(manti?) On this plant. Are they persea mite predators and keeping them them to a minimum?

05/27/2024

Avo update this morning.

Lots of baby Mantis'(Manti?) All over all my plants! 🤗

Tiny BBs on 2 yo seedling grafted Reed. Appx 3.5' tall. In 5g

1st few pics

Larger BBs on Hass ive had for just over 1.5 years. In 15g appx 7' tall.

Dont know if it is odd but the upper parts of the Hass has more bbs than the bottom even tho the top flowers opened mich later. Its been flowering for about 2 months with more flowers Unopened.

Theyre both young trees so, we will see how many fruits they hold onto.

05/04/2024

Got True grafting tape for my bday at the beginning of April.

Had some Anna apple scions in the fridge for a while.

Grafted onto an unknown apple I dug up and salvaged from years ago(possibly golden delicious, but never got decent fruit)

The tree was Barely waking up.

Grafted on 4/20. In just 2 weeks there are signs of life on the grafts already!

Not counting my chickens just yet but very excited about the results so far!

02/25/2024

A video of the finished strawberry tree getting watered in.

02/25/2024

Finally doing some gardening again... Aside from tending to various fruit trees.

Replanted my Strawberry tree. I already rejuvenated the soil with fresh peat, perilite, organic fertilizer and Azomite (rock phosphate/rock dust), and some homemade compost.

I added pieces of corrugated drain pipe I had laying around, to help keep soil from spilling out, as it was before.

I had these berry plants in a milk crate but they stalled out so they have a new home.

I also topped around each plant with garden straw to further assist in soil retention and moisture/temperature regulation.

Watered in with some Morebloom (0-10-10) and Superthrive to help with transplant shock and promote new root development. I use an old cat litter jug with small holes in the bottom for a slow throuough watering. I used collected rainwater for this as well.

12/28/2023

Year round fruit is very easy. Here is a post from Greg Alder's web page "Yard Posts"

He grows a lot of Avocados but here, he highlights the "simplicity" and ease to have fresh fruit from your own smaller yard virtually year round!

https://gregalder.com/yardposts/fruit-trees-for-a-year-round-harvest-in-southern-california/

When I have my own yard to plant in the ground I will make changes the the peach and pluot varieties but, as he stated, there are Numerous varieties to choose from.

Find what you like and plant from there!

My experience growing fruit trees in my yard to provide my family fresh fruit all year in Southern California, and some tips on how you might too.