Testimonials Shop News Specials Catalogue Contact Forum Blog My Account My Edibles
Rare and Collectable trees
Rare and Collectable trees50 percent off when you pre orderUse these promo codes to get special offers when placing a new orderAll Positive and Negative Reviews
Forum Rules | Updates
<< Back to Daleys Fruit Tree Forum

Lamb Hass Avocado

    42 responses

BJ starts with ...
Hi all,
I noticed Lamb Hass avocado trees at bunnings today ex Birdwood and am interested in them, but they are $15 more than the other trees. I was wondering if anyone had any good info on the tree and quality? Is it really a semi-dwarf? If I already have secondo, reed, Edranol, Pinkerton and Sharwil in the ground, would I need a Lamb-Hass? It's supposed to be very late season.
About the Author
Theposterformerlyknownas
Brisbane
9th December 2013 9:55pm
#UserID: 3270
Posts: 1552
View All Theposterformerlyknownas's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Jason4 says...
Its later and larger fruit than Hass, should be more or less ripe at the same time as Reed. I don't know if its smaller than hass as far as the tree goes. They are more expensive because it still has breeders rights on it I believe. Hass is a really strong tree so not sure Lamb Hass could possibly be much better.
About the Author
Jason
portland
9th December 2013 11:39pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
gimme says...
Lamb has definitely a smaller grower. There is a PowerPoint on the web somewhere with some good info about lamb hass. I'll try to find it. Some avo farmers I spoke to recently didn't rave about the fruit ( they had both tasted it) . I'm growing one in a 500mm pot at the moment it's looking great
About the Author
gimme
Brisbane, Qld
10th December 2013 12:31am
#UserID: 2525
Posts: 236
View All gimme's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (1)
People who Like this Question andy11
BJ says...
Im thinking of double planting one with an Edranol. It seems like they have similar growth habits, so it might work out...
About the Author
Theposterformerlyknownas
Brisbane
10th December 2013 3:54pm
#UserID: 3270
Posts: 1552
View All Theposterformerlyknownas's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Jason4 says...
Lamb Hass fruit is quite common in the shops. They are sold as Hass even though they aren't. But you can pick them out as different in looks plus Hass fruit simply don't get that big. They don't taste quite as good as Hass imho. Reed is pretty clearly the best tasting commercial variety to me, I do remember Edranol being good but its been 14 Years since I tasted an Edranol and it was a long time before I tasted a Reed.
About the Author
Jason
portland
10th December 2013 11:04pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
VF says...
I was hoping for a few fruit off mine this year, but the recent hail storms knocked them all off :( Funny though, last year LH flowered before Rincon, this year other way around. Shephard earlier than either, but with some overlap with whatever flowers 2nd.
About the Author
VF
Wongawallan
11th December 2013 12:03am
#UserID: 6795
Posts: 736
View All VF's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Jason4 says...
Reed is still in the middle of flowering here right now, amazingly late. Hass finished flowering a week or two ago. Rincon flowers first here, which wasn't long past Winter, then Bacon. Ettinger flowers around the same time as Has but Reed is later again, I don't I have anything to cross pollinate with Reed, its just too late but it fruits well regardless. I think the very late flowering is a huge advantage here just because its so much warmer when it flowers.
About the Author
Jason
portland
11th December 2013 8:00am
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(1) LIKE this Question (1)
People who Like this Answer:

People who Like this Question andy11
Brendan says...
I wonder if a Nabal would help your Reed Jason?
Sharwill is 'supposed' to pollinate Reed, but it prefers a warmer climate:-(
Linda & Edranol might even do the job?
About the Author
Brendan
Mackay, Q
12th December 2013 11:22am
#UserID: 1947
Posts: 1722
View All Brendan's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Jason4 says...
I actually have a Sharwil but it gets absolutely PUNISHED in the Summer here. It might fruit this year (never has before) but it's the days over 40c that it just can not deal with in anyway. Most Avocados burn a little on hot Southern days, Fuerte does because it's an open tree with not much leaf protection but the Sharwil is just not happy and will loose 2 inch thick branches due to sunburn. We had a day near 47c a few years ago and the Sharwil just about caught fire!:S It's still all black and crunchy with heavy damage since then.

I'd go for an Edranol but they are quite hard to find. Sharwil is finished flowering now, seemed to finished a little before Hass. Have never seen a Nabal for sale either. I'm pretty much out of space now anyway, I did sneak a Reed in this year to make a total of three Reed trees and I have to plant the famous purple fruited seedling. Then I'm about done for Avocados.

I have at the moment

Bacon x 5
Zutano x 1
Rincon x 1
Ryan x 1
Gwen x 1
Hass x 4
Reed x 3
Sharwil x 1
Unknown grafted x 1
Fuerte x 2
Ettinger x 2
Wurtz x 1

And a few seedlings.

If I was going to do it again here in the Southern Vic, I'd just go for Hass and Reeds mostly with maybe three Bacons and an Ettinger for a pollinator. Really it's the type A Guatemalans that far and away perform best in the cool temps.
About the Author
Jason
portland
12th December 2013 12:17pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(2) LIKE this Question (0)
People who Like this Answer: gimme,davewastech

Original Post was last edited: 12th December 2013 12:16pm
Markmelb says...
Hi Jason - been reading and learning lots from your experiences in Portland - Ive been growing or trying to grow Avos in Melb for many years. My best success is a Fuerte I left in the garden of my block of flats I planted in Richmond 13 years ago and I get some but not many great Avos of good size without a nearby pollinator when I return in May every year as people who live there now dont know when to pick them or how to ripen.
In the last few years have been trying to get Avos growing in my Mount Waverly garden and because of the clay here have had to raise theme up or grow in LARGE pots. will put some pics up soon as I got 4 Lamb Hass December 2012 which were Birdwoods and 3 I kept in pots and a Wurtz also in pot - I put the smaller LH in raised bed in garden 12 months ago - of the 4 LH - 2 are now in 100lt Bags and 10ft tall (??? Semi Dwarf)with a couple of small Avos on - 1 still in 430mm pot and 2mt tall and with at least 12 growing avos on it larger than a big olive not game to repot yet in case it drops them?? The LH in ground didnt flower but is bushing at an incredible rate and is about to increase height as I write - my read in 430 pot 2 years old is still flowering too and has some set fruit that may hang on with no pollinator around - BTW my 3 yo Bacon has about 6 on it and helped pollination of LHass - My feelings are Jason that Lhass - in shops is actually a Large Hass not a Lamb Hass as plantings up north are still small and spoke to Birdwood and Lamb Hass is alot more Precocious than and a better bearer than all the rest put together - have a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDnF65jLVqg
Ive also been growing White Sapotes for 3 years and have got a one year Pike now with fruit and have done a triple planting of Sue Bell - Reinecke and vernon in a raised bed also have a 3 year Hawaiian Supreme with fruit and a wilson for pollination with fruit in a 5 inch pot go figure? Im also about to crop my Arabica coffee that hes beans going red now after spending winter inside my lounge looking to westerly sun and about to flower again on 2 yo wood. Have also eaten a couple melbourne grown mangos from my grafted Kensington pride that 15 years old now back in a pot but still trying to get more as ive heard someone in Doncaster may be cropping big from Bowen Mango Seedlings - also a have a dwarf Lychee flowering well that got thru winter as well as a Pinks Mammoth with new growth but my next project is a G6 Macadamia and a cherimoya (sonia)
About the Author
Markmelb
,
14th December 2013 10:53pm
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
ps -- Forgot to mention my 12 month old Wurtz now in 500mm pot that is 10ft tall that flowered well but lost the 2 or 3 fruit it had and is still flushing well as I speak - Is it really a dwarf? I hope it stops growing Height soon?
About the Author
Markmelb
,
14th December 2013 10:57pm
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Jason4 says...
Sounds like you are having good success Mark. Mangos have grown really well for me in pots before but I always get excited and plant them in the ground. Then they eventually fail...

About the Author
Jason
portland
16th December 2013 12:57am
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
Hi back Jason - near me in Springvale most housing development has been on ex market garden land which is basically lovely loam and the KP mango Ive soon that is a Bushy 3mt tall specimen like a longan and Indian/Hawaii Guava in a separate front yard have been planted in ground with concrete around them which i believe keeps roots warm overnight because my coffee plant i kept inside didnt get below 15c over winter which I think is the key soil temp for success - also noted flowers on custard apple today - and did you find a Rainbow WS? And I think you should make room for a Lamb Hass - did you see that video above from Growquest guy???? Blogs on the net dont paint his service very well but he does know how to plant Avocados but I dont like his crappy sandy pot mix???
About the Author
Markmelb
,
16th December 2013 5:21pm
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
Hi Jason and all finally posting some photos of Lamb Hass in fruit that are a year since buying in a pot and in ground
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Picture: 2

Picture: 3

Picture: 4
  
About the Author
Markmelb
,
27th December 2013 9:44am
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
Hi Jason and all finally posting some photos of Lamb Hass in fruit that are a year since buying in a pot and in ground
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Picture: 2

Picture: 3

Picture: 4

Picture: 5
 
About the Author
Markmelb
,
27th December 2013 9:57am
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
Pictures 3 and 4 are the growth of picture 5 after 9 months also putting in this a photo of my 3 year old Arabica Coffee in fruit - the flowers shown 4th March and beans ripening 26 December plant spent winter inside and thought was in a rainforest with afternoon sun - added a pic of actually flowering 28 March so 9 months to pick berries
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Picture: 2

Picture: 3

Picture: 4
  
About the Author
Markmelb
,
27th December 2013 10:13am
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(1) LIKE this Question (0)
People who Like this Answer: MegsyInMelbs

Original Post was last edited: 27th December 2013 10:11am
Jason says...
That Lamb Hass is booming. I have an original Hass which is about the same age and size, although I grew it from seed and grafted it when very small. It's doing similarly well, but most of the time I don't get them to grow quite that fast.

The exceptions are seedlings which come up right next to the house, those things grow 6 feet + in a season all the time like freaks, pity I have to pull them out.
About the Author
Jason
Portland
27th December 2013 3:36pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
I really like the more compact upward looping branches and internodal growth on the inside compared to Hass and even Bacon - I'm beginning to like the Reeds growth - different to your low prostrate growth - youll have to keep me in touch with conditions at Black Nose
About the Author
Markmelb
,
27th December 2013 4:11pm
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
gimme says...
This Is lamb hass i planted it in this 400mm pot earlier this year and it's doubled in size in a matter of months I think it's going to get rather large
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
  
About the Author
gimme
Brisbane, Qld
27th December 2013 8:01pm
#UserID: 2525
Posts: 236
View All gimme's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (1)
People who Like this Question andy11
Markmelb says...
Hi Gimme - your Lamb Hass going well (must be a Birdwood like mine) but in Melb I reckon mine has put on 4x growth since i got it in Dec 2012 - was in a 400mm pot now I have one still in 400mm pot with 20 Avos forming - 2 now in 100lt GCP bags and the smallest I had is one in ground in Pics above and growing well - its 5ft tall and want this to be a bit slower than in POTs as they grow faster in pots due to excellent drainage - Im not potting up the one with 20 fruit yet as concerned about shock if I do as going to put in 100lt bag too - As for final size Lamb Hass is supposed to be Semi Dwarf so is a better house block tree than Hass at least and more compact width wise too - I have a huge Fuerte in Richmond Victoria not far from City in an old place i live in thats HUGE - about 25ft high x 30ft wide and has not alot but really nice Avos - lucky I know when to visit and look for as up in the canopy are hard to see as they look like leaves - like to see your powerpoint but I found this video comparing Hass with Lamb Hass on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDnF65jLVqg
About the Author
Markmelb
,
28th December 2013 11:20am
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
gimme says...
http://www.californiaavocado.com/assets/Uploads/Growers-Site/Cultural-Management/Lamb-Hass-vs-Hass-Avocado.pdf
About the Author
gimme
Brisbane, Qld
28th December 2013 11:46am
#UserID: 2525
Posts: 236
View All gimme's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
Thanks Gimme - excellent article - to me it looks like Hass growers dont like this tree as its creating competition due to its fantastic characteristics - Hass is no good in Home garden as is too big but compact LH produces more Avos low down and can be pruned low and still be bushy and withstand hot northerlies like im getting right now here in Melb - that Guy on Youtube link above explains it pretty good too as he says growers want more fruit on diplay in a supermarket for a set price not one that hold 2 -3 times more meat thats why I bought 4 last year and plan to sell the 2 in 100 lt bags next year loaded with Avos but a B pollinator next to it does help even here in Melb
About the Author
Markmelb
,
28th December 2013 12:29pm
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Jason says...
Hass isn't as big as you imagine (not tall), yes it grows fast but its ball shaped so its just as wide as it is tall. So far I haven't had any trouble harvesting them all, most are easy to reach with a small pruning/holding device.

Mine biggest Hass tree is about 5m x 6m at ten years age I guess, it would look big in a backyard but compared to the size of a wild Avocado seedling its tiny.

Ill be interested to see how big your lamb has wants to grows because at the speed its growing I don't imagine it'll be small.

About the Author
Jason
Portland
28th December 2013 1:32pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(1) LIKE this Question (0)
People who Like this Answer: Thithi

Original Post was last edited: 28th December 2013 1:30pm
Markmelb says...
Hi Jason - its the width i dont want in my small space and from Gimme pdf link looks like LH can be grown densely in a commercial farm like dwarf mangoes are to improve picking without machinery - have you watched the growquest videos on you tube - i can see the guy is pushing for advanced tree sales but have you seen this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAjLjM_4Nwc
- even my Wurtz is out of control and may have to really top it this year - the pics show looking east and west
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Picture: 2
 
About the Author
Markmelb
,
28th December 2013 2:01pm
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
Jason and Gimme - this is best comparison of LH and Hass in a decent sized container for comparison --
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDnF65jLVqg
About the Author
Markmelb
,
28th December 2013 2:07pm
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
Jason - have you got anything growing on Clonal rootstock? that Growquest guy only sells clonal Avos but i spoke to a grower and he felt there was no advantage in using clonal which is quite time consuming and difficult to do needing special rootstock tolerant of Phytophera? Have you needed to use Yates Antirot as difficult to get syringing chemicals i believe (I use Antirot monthly at present)- I think the Bacon I have in ground suffers from it a bit - it seems to be coming back after topping out bad or sunburnt wood on top half - Ive seen pics in bad drainage areas in QLD where they cut them back a metre above ground
About the Author
Markmelb
,
28th December 2013 2:16pm
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Jason says...
Nice video, my reeds are wider than that but I should have done some corrective pruning early on. The latest one I have should grow into the proper reed shape.
About the Author
Jason
Portland
28th December 2013 2:22pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Jason says...
Markmelb, all the trees ive bought are on zutano rootstock. The ones Ive grown myself I try to use seed from the variety I'm grafting onto but it doesn't seem important like it is with some other trees. Ive never lost avocado from rot. Just lost a few to sunburn.

In Victoria sunburn can get bad enough to kill them outright for sure.



About the Author
Jason
Portland
28th December 2013 3:46pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
Jason - did you eventually get a Rainbow WS? I'm learning to graft Avos using Hass and L Hass (not sure if really Lamb or just large) and have some Fuerte seedlings from my Richmond tree that will graft Wurtz, Bacon and Lamb Hass onto. I have a Birdwood Ederanol thats very slow and notttt Precocious like my others not much bigger than last year and putting out a flush of leaves now - your probably correct about sunburn here - Its worse in Tassie so wonder how the fella at Devonport copes with lack of Ozone - i burnt 2x as fast there and I have olive skin
About the Author
Markmelb
,
28th December 2013 4:10pm
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (1)
People who Like this Question Danny333
Jason says...
Oh yeah I don't have a Rainbow sapote still, I got a cutting and tried to graft some for Jantina but the scions weren't very good and then iy got very hot a couple days later. It was all against me and everything failed. I used to get sunburnt really quickly in recent years but I'm on vitamin D supplements now to hold my levels up so my immune system has a chance to function more normally and haven't had any trouble with sunburn since. Theres some kind of weird effect going on there for sure, the less you have the more burnt you get no matter how tanned you are.

Yeah I bet it's worse in Tasmania, it just gets stronger the further South you go. Avocados are pretty tricky to graft, I never got more than about 70-80% success with them and sometimes you only get one in 5 to work but it doesn't really matter when its not commercial so long as you get a few good trees out of a batch. White sapotes are NORMALLY very easy to graft :) normally (when you don't have illusive rainbow scions) . I'm just uploading a video of my biggest Hass tree that I took a minute ago and one of a Bacon too.
About the Author
Jason
Portland
28th December 2013 7:01pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
I havnt tried grafting white sapotes yet as dont have seed for seedlings - my Pyke and Hawaiian Supreme have some fruit this year so I might get some seeds - when is optimum time as had my best success so far with Avos recently compared to spring using a good fat Bud on firm scion wood - i keep moving down rootstock till i get success - Ive put in a pic of a triple planting of three white sapotes where the bamboo stakes are (the strawbs I put around have outgrown them for now but not for long) there is Suebell in front Reineke left rear and Vernon right rear - the idea is to reduce their growth and get 3 flavours pollination etc Also a pic of a Wilson in a six in pot with fruit and new growth - do you think I should thin out the fruit - doesnt seem to mind as will pot up to a 400mm pot soon
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Picture: 2
 
About the Author
Markmelb
,
28th December 2013 8:00pm
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Original Post was last edited: 28th December 2013 8:01pm
Jason says...
If the fruit are pollinated some in that cluster will fall off anyway as they just wont fit, they end up the size of an orange, not sure if that size plant will stand up straight with them on it but you can find out :). The best time for sapotes is around November and anytime after that you can find a couple of weeks without a very hot day. Avocados want a similar time of year, the most important thing like you say is getting the buds very almost growing. If you can do that and also find a time where the rootstock is flushing growth you had a good chance. Sometimes you can get yourself a good scion by cutting the tip off the selected wood and then waiting a week or so for the side buds to swell, then use it.

Here's a video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhAWuafWcpI&feature=youtu.be
About the Author
Jason
Portland
28th December 2013 8:09pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Original Post was last edited: 28th December 2013 8:09pm
Jason says...
Here's a typical Bacon tree's shape

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP1P9hxel14&feature=youtu.be
About the Author
Jason
Portland
28th December 2013 8:12pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
Great new videos Jason - no wonder your eating Avos every day - I wish I had such an area to go all out - need to find a protected couple of acres near the coast with deep soil - any Ideas? Have you done a Sapote vid as Ive seen how big they get at the collingwood childrens farm - HUGE - I know I will be pruning hard with that triple group
About the Author
Markmelb
,
28th December 2013 8:36pm
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Jason says...
My sapotes don't get very big here. I have a seedling that's fairly tall but mostly they don't grow very big at all. Smaller than an Avocado. especially Pike, it fruits so heavily it practically hasn't changed size in 10 years. Its still only about 10 feet tall
About the Author
Jason
Portland
28th December 2013 8:41pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
Well i think the Sapotes are seedlings at the Collingwood Childrens Farm I was astounded but they had very few flowers and fruit growing and they must be very old too heres a pi of my Pyke thats gone from 6inch pot to 100lt bag in a year
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
  
About the Author
Markmelb
,
28th December 2013 8:56pm
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Jason says...
I saw some very large sapotes in Mexico, well large... I mean about oak tree size. But Avocados get bigger than that in Mexico as do Mangos. Ive seen a picture of an Avocado with a trunk diameter of at least eight feet, never seen one that large in person and I doubt there are any left that large, it was a picture from the late 1800s or so. Did see a few sapotes with 5 foot diameter trunks in person. They weren't very old trees either, about 60 or 70 years. Even Cherimoyas grow big over there.

What happens there in fresh volcanic soil with lots of rain during the growing season and what happens for me in zillion year old depleted gum tree forest soil is totally different :).

You can see I try to not mow the grass these days to protect the soil from heating up on hot days and also to collect the mist at night. Tried no grass, short grass, mulch.. In the end long grass is the best compromise of effort and results. Some sections of my garden can no longer grow grass because a canopy has formed but I don't have enough trees which will grow big and dense enough for that to happen everywhere.

About the Author
Jason
Portland
28th December 2013 11:26pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Original Post was last edited: 28th December 2013 11:26pm
Jason says...
PS about cheap good growing land, Casterton is about the best place in Victoria. Its not near the coast but plenty of hills to drain the cold air away and good soil. Good heat, decent rain. Its no Mexico but its a lot better than where my garden is.
About the Author
Jason
Portland
28th December 2013 11:29pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Original Post was last edited: 28th December 2013 11:28pm
Markmelb says...
Have to take a drive up there Jason - def no Mexico - LOL - except in Summer - was thinking down near Phillip Island - I guess soil deep volcanic in Casterton no clay
About the Author
Markmelb
,
29th December 2013 8:26am
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
Took this out of a Govt soils study -- Vertosols at Maryborough, Romsey and Casterton comprise of clay soils with shrink-swell properties. These soils are relatively fertile however can be imperfectly drained when wet.

Podosols found west of Casterton have very light (sand to loamy sand) topsoil resulting in low water holding capacity and nutrient retention. Rooting depth and water movement is restricted by the ‘coffee rock’ layer between the topsoil and subsoil.
About the Author
Markmelb
,
29th December 2013 8:33am
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Jason says...
Well it looks fertile enough driving around there. Theres on guy on here from casterton that can grow melons there. I don't know about you but I can't grow a rockmelon or watermelon here in my dreams. No where near enough heat and I'm only 1 hour south of casterton
About the Author
Jason
Portland
29th December 2013 2:44pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Jason says...
Plus I guess we have different ideas on affordable, you could sell a house in Melbourne and buy a house with 100 acres in casterton with change I'd guess
About the Author
Jason
Portland
29th December 2013 2:49pm
#UserID: 637
Posts: 1217
View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)
Markmelb says...
Im trying to grow Watermelons this year Jason - The new Nellie Kellie looks promising - I think I would only need 5 to 10 acres of good land with some windbreaks around them - and good deep fertile soil - not asking for much - must start looking soon
About the Author
Markmelb
,
29th December 2013 4:21pm
#UserID: 7785
Posts: 1192
View All Markmelb's Edible Fruit Trees

Reply | | Remember to LIKE this Answer(0) LIKE this Question (0)

REPLY to this forum

Login or Create Account

<< Back to Daleys Fruit Tree Forum