Thursday, April 8, 2010

Another additon to my orchard


This Shepard Avocado was so delicious that I googled how to grow avocado in my climate and figuring I could manage that (I figure I can manage most things, so long as I change the rules!), I set about striking the seed. I found me a coffee jar, broke a bamboo stick in half, and using two pointy ends, set up a cradle across the lip of the jar so that the seed just sat in the water. I guess that was about the beginning of March.


I took it out of the water when I returned from down south, to be greeted by this long root covered in slime.Figuring that to be for the good, I stuck it in a good friable soil, watered it, and proceded to sit back and watch it grow.

So, now I have an avocado, a fig, a lemon, a lime, two olive trees, and herbs (basil, oregano, parsley and mint).

Goodo ...

16 comments:

Martina said...

I would not have known from the photos ... thought it was something more seabound - oyster, mussel ... .

North County Film Club said...

Hi, I just met you on Theme Thursday. I see we have cats with similar habits. I actually have 6 with lots of different habits.
I just read about your new avocado. My area is famous for avocados. I have 4 acres of them, not to brag, because they do come with their problems-if you're counting on them to make a profit. But they're great to eat. Good luck with your seed. They really do make nice plants.

Anonymous said...

It sounds like you have a very prolific orchard. I hope the avocados do well.
Your cats are just darling...we have three.

freefalling said...

For the life of me I couldn't figure out what that first photo was.
A big fungus??

Did you plant it in a pot?
I LOVE avocado.
I wonder if I could grow one down here.
My sister had 2 big beautiful ones in her backyard in qld but she chopped them down for a swimming pool.
She's a savage!

Oh yeah - I forgot.
Slimy root = ewwwww.

diane b said...

I thought you lived in an apartment in the city. I must have thought wrong or you have one with a garden. Good luck with your fruit trees. My lemon tree is doing Ok after a heavy pruning, but our veggie patch is still struggling...darn.

Julie said...

I am here to tell you that the seed was a challenge to photograph in any meaningful way at all. I will have another try if I can get anything green to sprout out the top.

Barbara, 4 acres of avocado plants - now that would be a challenge, as would 6 cats BTW!

Letty, yep, I planted it in a pot. All my plants are in pots. Yes, the slime was ... umm ... offputting would cover it. Your sister is not only savage but also feral!

Diane, I do live in an apartment in the city, but a groundfloor apartment with a courtyard in which I am developing a 'jungle' of sorts. When you come down in May, you must come around for cake. Take your mind off being 'useless'.

Linn said...

Hi.
Love your blogs, i am following three of them...

Have a smashing day in Sydney...
Here in Norway the summer is finally coming /have a very good day / sp

Anonymous said...

I have three avocado trees grown from seed (I didn't grow them), and in 10 years they reached about 20 feet tall. My variety need a second tree for pollination -- you might want to check whether your variety requires the same.

Julie said...

20 feet ... yikes!

I will check that out during today. I have two more to eat in the bowl already.

Joan Elizabeth said...

The photo is just about the grossest thing you have ever shown! And I don't like avocado either.

freefalling said...

Julie - I saw a picture over here that reminded me of your courtyard - can you guess which one?

http://completelytotallymadly.blogspot.com/2010/03/great-outdoors.html

Julie said...

I think maybe the 18th one ... ? THe one with steps and pots ... my outdoors is undergoing renovation by moi at the moment. moving things around and getting ready for spring ... yes, already. more lttle pots. more junk. more lived in.

bitingmidge said...

Avocado needs about three metres of topsoil, so make sure you have a really really really big pot for it!

Julie said...

ooops ... that is double me ...

Julie said...

Well three metres of topsoil resonates with Hiker's 20' in ten years.

Might have to ditch this idea, and get me another fig tree instead.

Julie said...

Traditional varieties like Hass and Fuerte and Sharwell should be avoided for the average home gardener because they need deep, well-drained soil in excess of 4-5 metres. I did not know there were so many varieties: Hass, Fuerte, Sharwell, Walden, Hazzard, Pinkerton, Rincon, Wurtz, Bacon as well as the Shepard which is absolutely delicious.

aha ... avocado can grow (and fruit) alone but have a better crop if plant an A together with a B. Might need a new post on this to get it all sorted in my head.