Cuttings From Existing Trees

[dseufert]

I know zip about avo trees except that they need plenty of space for roots. Here is the story of my "pet" avo-tree, named "Nick." In summer of 1996, my friend, Nick, its nameske, bought an avocado, probably from Hawaii, and brought it to my house for an avo-salad before work. This avo was huge, about the size and shape of an American football, perhaps 8-inches long and 10-12 inches around. The two of us could not possibly eat the whole thing before it got pushed toward the back of the refigerator and spoiled. Two weeks later I cleaned out my refrigerator only to discover the rotten remnants of the giant avocado, the seed which had sprouted through a nick in its pit from the knife as I initially used to carve it up for salad, a double entendre, that is, my friend Nick bought it, and I put a nick in the pit when serving it up. I figured, since this thing sprouted in a cold refrigerator, it must want to live. So I cleaned it a bit, stuck in moist paper towels in a plastic bag on the kitchen counter and waited another two weeks. I opened the "package" two weeks later and discovered a 12-inch sprout with roots. I planted the thing in potting soil and it took off. In the last 12-1/2 years I have transplanted it several times into bigger and bigger pots. Now, in 2009, it is over 12-feet tall and has outgrown its current pot. The roots have pierced the bottom of the plastic pot and are now starting to spread and undermine the foundation of my garage and fence perimeter. "Nick" is my pet. I don't want to get rid of it, but now what should I do? It's a darn healthy tree despite the limits I put on it using too small of a pot.

Does anyone know what variety it might be? I think Hawaiian or some other tropical variety since the seed came from such a huge avocado. Would probably have made at least a liter, if not two liters, of guacamole from a single fruit! I would like advice on what to do with the tree, how to graft fruit-bearing branches, and which variety to graft. Here in Sunny Southern California the popular avos seem to be Haas, but I don't think they're anything special because they're too small and too expensive. I'd rather discover the original variety that the seed came from, then graft the same variety into this healthy monster of a tree. It grows about 1-foot per year, so in another 12 years, it should at least 25-feet tall. If I can start grafting with the right HUGE variety now, then maybe I could be in a position to send anyone interested some very healthy, wanna-be, football sized seeds.

All I need is your advice, comments, suggestions, and recommendations before this avo-tree destroys the foundation of my garage and perimeter fence.

Thanks for "listening." And Happy Guacamole to all of you avo-lovers, like me!

--Dana

[toybits]

You will probably need to air-layer (Marcot) a Mature Branch. Emphasis on MATURE. Certain parts of the tree are juvenile and will take longer to bear fruit. My brother-in-law does this for some of the pomelo trees they have on their farm. Excellent way of establishing an orchard - if you do not have much land to cover.

Sometimes, nursery managers use rooting hormones - applied to the cut end of a branch that is being air-layered. Should speed up things a bit.

Sorry - have no experience with Avocado trees.