Growing avocado in Thailand

[namdocmai]

http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/X6902E/x6902e0b.htm

5.2 Fertilizer application

A mixed fertilizer of 46-0-0 and 15-15-15 at 250 grams/tree is applied two months after planting and the same rate is repeated again three months later. The same formula with a slightly higher rate of 300 grams/tree is applied in the second year at the beginning of the rainy season with repeated applications every three months. From the third year onwards, as well as for bearing trees, the amount of applied fertilizer depends on the radius of the tree canopy, i.e. at every one-meter radius, one kilogram of mixed fertilizer of 46-0-0 and 15-15-15 is applied

I found this article on internet and i wonder if this fertilizer advice is not going to kill the tree's. To me it sounds a bit too much but i'm sure not an expert.

What do you guys think? Is this fertilizing program good for a young grafted avocado tree from 70 cm tall which is just planted for 2 months?

[jacko45k]

Mine has grown from a stone without any fertilizer, not particularly fast though.

[Balance]

Do some research using the USDA or the agricultural colleges around the country and find out what their advice is. Then get the soil tested where you want to plant the seedlings and determine what the application should be to get to the optimum levels. Remember to check salinity and soil structure as well. Thailand is full of hard pans, but I do not know the how deep.

Good luck. It is hit and miss buying good avocado in the markets.

[Barney R]

Personally for young trees the nitrogen application is way to high 46 % N which I gather is urea will burn young roots plus de oxygenate the soil . I grew nectarines,peaches ,and citrus fruits commercially in Australia and found that applications of a mixture of pig and chicken manure 3 times a year produced the best results by far as they gave the most balanced fertilising program by a long way . It is not only your NPK that it is important for healthy , heavy production . Micro nutrients are just as important such as manganese, magnesium,selenium,iron,calcium ect all found in these manures . Also an application of gypsum or lime every 1-2 years beneficial. In heavier clay soils gypsum would be the preferred option . All the best Barney

[Gandtee]

I have grown avocados from stones and one is now about ten years old and about 12m tall. I'm a bad (read lazy) gardener and just let them get on with it and let nature take its course. Maybe that is why they have never produced fruit?

[JRinPDX]

I have grown avocados from stones and one is now about ten years old and about 12m tall. I'm a bad (read lazy) gardener and just let them get on with it and let nature take its course. Maybe that is why they have never produced fruit?

Grown from the pit, they are almost always sterile; they have to be grafted.

I grew up on an avocado farm in So.Cal. but that was 40 years ago.. so full disclaimers here re/memories. The nitrogen seems a bit high. But, there are so many variables: the current soil conditions, frequency and amount of water, etc. One thing I've learned, long since: you need the right combination of bacteria and fungi. Whatever's naturally there should be fine.. just don't kill them off. It can make a difference between surviving and thriving as they help 'escort' the right ions from the fertilizers to the roots.

[nickcar]

I have been growing avaocados in Nakhon Nayok using this information. Grafted tress puchased from pak chong. They have been growing fine and i use the info from the same document you quote. Earlier this year ate my first avacadoes from the trees after less than 3 years. (Only 4 fruits)

[SOISABAKA]

I planted 1 pit about 7-8 yrs ago. We watered it a fair amount but did not add fertilizer. The tree is now as tall as the house and this season we had easily 100 fruit on the tree. Quite large as well. I ate the last one yesterday. Having said that, I would agree that it may be just hit and miss.

[HUAHIN62]

I dont think the application is to high. You must spread it around the tree (about 1 m2) and the soil must be watered well. I dont like urea based fertilisers as they kill earthworms.

There are slow release fertilisers on the market that are AN based instead of urea. I would go with 250 gram 13:13:13 fertiliser (slow release) and follow it up with manure twice in the first few years to give the tree extra nitrogen. When the tree reaches bearing age cut back on the nitrogen (manure) and increase potassium applications. Nitrogen increase the plants growth rate and potasium improve fruit bearing and quality. If you can find bone meal you can put that in the plant hole before planting the tree, this will help root development. If you cant find bone meal get a phosphate fertiliser to subsitute the bone meal. Phosphate dont move well in soils and thats why it should be applied at root level in the plant hole. Make use of mulch around the base of the tree, this will help to keep the roots cooler and help water retention. If you are going for a garden tree you dont need to do soil analyses, but if you want to farm with them soil analyses must be done. You must use a grafted tree or a tree that you graft yourself. Micro element sprays will be needed and you will have to do some research on this, as it differs between regions and soil types. In my home country avo's sometimes dont bear fruit and this is rectified by hitting a few 6 inch nails into them. The nails provide iron to the tree thats needed for fruit bearing.

The problem with manure is that it differs in nutrients between batches and its difficult to fertilise accurately. There are organic fertilisers made in Thailand, both in the solid and liquid forms and I can recommend this as an further option. Fertilisation is an art with many factors that influence it. Play around with applications to see which program works best in your area. Good luck.

[pennine]

I can't wait for tree to bear fruit, so where can I buy avocados in NE Koh Samui? I got really good ones from Makro and Tesco which were imported from New Zealand, but not always in stock.

[Strangebrew]

I grew one from pit as a kid on families ranch in California been over 50 years now tree produces about 100 to 200 pounds of fruit per year just used horse chit and chicken chit once in a while bury a fish in soil around tree. Never watered it I guess it's roots reached water table. But what do I know just a knucklehead.

[yeeowww]

I brought a sprouting pit over from California in a plastic water bottle in my suitcase when I moved here to Chiang Mai 9 years ago.

Planted it in the front yard and never did a thing after that. The tree grew and grew, is now about 12 - 14 meters high but never produced fruit...

until this year!

Plucked 12 gorgeous, generously large and delicious avocados from it during the past month. The flavor was full, creamy, nutty and fantastic as it was originally from California seed, not bland like most of what you buy in the market here. Worth the wait. I'm sure the yield will increase annually.

Just ate the last one today!

Mmmmmm... avocado!

[Chao Lao Beach]

I remember reading a thread on this subject a couple of years ago.

[Timebandit]

I am from Florida, US and grew avocado, coconuts, pineapple and of course bananas. When you plant the "start" bury a large (a fist size) or two fish heads from the market and stand back! It will take a little time for the plants to discover this super nutrient. Your plants growing and producing rate will be astounding and organic and cheap. Trust me on this as Florida has nothing but ground glass for dirt.

[Timebandit]

Oh! I forgot about the cesium from Fukashima. Not organic. But then that applies to everything we eat now. A nuclear war would ratchet that up considerably. Life is short, eat dessert first.

[OPG]

I am from Florida, US and grew avocado, coconuts, pineapple and of course bananas. When you plant the "start" bury a large (a fist size) or two fish heads from the market and stand back! It will take a little time for the plants to discover this super nutrient. Your plants growing and producing rate will be astounding and organic and cheap. Trust me on this as Florida has nothing but ground glass for dirt.

Question: Did you mean to say to bury a large fish and if not, then what do you bury that is "fist size"? I had to assume you meant a large fish since you then went on to state "two fish heads". Furthermore, will this work on any plant or just the avocado tree and do you do this once in its life or several times a year? How deep should you bury the fish or fish heads and how close to the tree or plant?

Thank you

[namdocmai]

Sorry for my late response, i was disattracted by another thread about the poisoned forummember.

Yes soil/plant tests would be the best way to go but i have no idea where to do that in Thailand. Also not if the test would be done properly.

I've read several times that avocado's from seed can fruit after 3 years (or more of course). Better play safe and use a grafted tree is my opinion. They are hard to get though, i'm on the waitinglist from Kasetsart (Pakchong research centre) for a year now and don't know if i ever can buy from them.

I agree that natural fertilizers also sure will work and that the article uses a very high doses. Also spraying micro's will be good for them. Also fungus/bacteria in the soil can be very good or bad (if they are the wrong ones). Avocado's suffer from root rot and they don't like wet feet. I use potassiumphosphite against that.

@Nickcar, thanks for that info mate, this is what i was looking for. I plan to plant a few avocadotree's in my MIL's garden and want them to grow well because she doesn't dare to use chemicals. Great that you got tree's from Pakchong. I was in all the nurseries in Pakchong area but they only sell seedlings there. Now i have grafted variety's though, from Chatuchak market.

I use urea 46-0-0 a lot, didn't know it kills earthworms. I breed them by putting a thick layer of leaves onto the soil, some worms are huge now. When i give urea to my fruittree's they always react by a flush, so it gave me a feeling of doing something good. I don't dare to use nails into trunks though but the thai gardeners in our moobaan also do it and the tree's look fine.

I have seen the thai slow release fertilizers (copy copy osmocote) , i will try them. Yes bonemeal is also good, i use that every year as well as dolomite/gypsum.

No idea where to buy avocadotree's on samui but i know that on Borneo they will fruit twice a year!. Hope you can get the same results. For Samui i would recommend the West Indian variety's (not hass) but i'm sure not an expert. Chiang mai is cooler so variety's like Hass will do better there then on Samui. I buy them from Royal Project and they come from the "mountain farm" and are good but very small this year. I also grow hass myself in Bangkok now.

I have been looking for fishheads but they cost more then a fishfillet in Thailand haha. I know that works but it's not easy to find fishleftovers here. I read about great results from burying fishheads or whole fish and plant the tree on top of it. Also seaweed is a great fertilizer for micro's but wash the salts off first.

Well thanks for all reply;s, i didn't expect to get any reply's here but good to see that more people grow avocado's in Thailand. It seems thai only like to eat avocado in japanese restaurants. In Bangkok they all told me that i can't grow them, well my tree still has to fruit but i'm confident it will.

Lately i see those huge avocado's for sale on many markets, they come from Pakchong and cost like 80-85 baht a kg. I like them but a Hass tastes better.

I 'm still looking for more variety's to grow but not from seeds.

Now i will make some cocktail avocadotree's to plant in my MIL's garden and give her the slowrelease fertilizer with it. Also will have to convince her to not burn all dead leaves but use it for mulch (that will be the hardest part).

Good luck with all your tree's.

[nickcar]

I have bought grafted trees from Pakchong twice now, i call them and book and then collect around march. They only have Peterson and Booth7. Ps i feel that i read in that document that they don't like to be dry? I have 4/5 trees planted from the seed 5 years ago some of the trees are huge now. I will give them another year or two and then cut them down if no fruit.

[nickcar]

Reading about the trees grown from seed, maybe i wont cut mine down hahahah

[rice555]

Hello All, there are several threads on soil testing and where to get in done in LOS.

Kasetsart<sp> BKK does water/soil testing, they also sell pH and small NPH to large

testing kits. The will EMS them to you.

This month's Home Ag Mag soil testing article.

rice555

PS, they also sell kits at their Ag Fair, I got my pH kit there.

PPS, you'll most likely need a Thai speaker with the phone #., pic 3

[namdocmai]

Nickcar give your tree some bonemeal and gypsum/dolomite. Fertilize it without Nitrogen and yes they drink a lot but don't like to be in standing water.

Also spraying with micro's will help, or seaweed disolved in water or just thrown on the soil. Even seaweed for sushi can be used.

I let my wife call to Pakchong research, then we had to go to facebook and order them, now we are in the qeueu but if they only have booth#7 and Peterson then i 'm out, allready got those. I also have hass from what it's worth, from chatuchak (all grafted). The hass allready had fruit when they were very small and for sale on chatuchak.

On the pakchong website they claim to have more variety's.

Last week on the market i bought huge avocado's who are more pear-shaped and brown, they have a huge pit. I guess it was booth#8 or #6? The cannonball round ones tasted better in my opinion and that's #7 if that's the correct name for them.

There are far better variety's though but not in thailand as far as i know. They are in Florida, Australia and probably more ultra tropical places. Even west indian variety's can taste very creamy/nutty is what i read.

The Royal Project, Mountain Farm and some other farms sell them to thai supermarkets, they are grown in Thailand. I also see them on the markets sometimes but be carefull because the Thai don't know when to pick them and you might end up with unedible cado's. Happened to us many times and won't happen again.

I saw my first avocado bloom on chatuchak last year so that's my experience so far. My tree grows very well in full sun (that's important) but first year i had to cover it with shadenet because it got sunburned (brown spots/leaves).

I 'm trying to graft avocado on seedlings now. It worked only 1 time so far but i won't give up. Grafted tree's are very hard to find in BKK. It works if you ask the nursery's for them, then they will order them if they get the chance.

[ChrisB87]

My missus is avacado daft and fancies growing them.

Anyone managed to grow producing trees out in Isaan?

[namdocmai]

My missus is avacado daft and fancies growing them.

Anyone managed to grow producing trees out in Isaan?

Sure look here, great pictures.

I have never seen a Pollock avocado by the way.

Funny, i totally forgot i put pics there myself and that my tree also had flowers. I gave that one away and it's growing upcountry. It was blooming when i bought it, and very small.

[soidog2]

Pollock for you. Creamy/nutty flavor.

http://www.tropicalfruitnursery.com/avocado-viewer/pages/Pollock.htm

[ChrisB87]

My missus is avacado daft and fancies growing them.

Anyone managed to grow producing trees out in Isaan?

Sure look here, great pictures.

I have never seen a Pollock avocado by the way.

Funny, i totally forgot i put pics there myself and that my tree also had flowers. I gave that one away and it's growing upcountry. It was blooming when i bought it, and very small.

Thanks!

Any advice for growing them?

Did you start from seeds or grafts?

It's unlikely we will find grafts in Ubon Ratchathani , i think

[namdocmai]

My missus is avacado daft and fancies growing them.

Anyone managed to grow producing trees out in Isaan?

Sure look here, great pictures.

I have never seen a Pollock avocado by the way.

Funny, i totally forgot i put pics there myself and that my tree also had flowers. I gave that one away and it's growing upcountry. It was blooming when i bought it, and very small.

Thanks!

Any advice for growing them?

Did you start from seeds or grafts?

It's unlikely we will find grafts in Ubon Ratchathani , i think

Just plant it according to the advice in the article in the first post i made. Or with half the amount of fertilizers if you want to play more safe.

Best will be to plant some different variety's (grafted) so they can pollinate eachother but even a single tree should set fruit. Best is planting them at the start of the wetseason, young tree's can't go in full sun as they just come out of the nursery, you will have to cover them a bit against strong sunshin.

@Soidog that Pollock looks great, you are lucky (or a very good farmer) to have such nice tree's.

The big one looks a bit overripe but this is the Booth#7 i guess (for people who don't know what they look like). Mostly i see them green colored though on the markets, the huge pearshaped one has this darker color.

[soidog2]

Some more real Isaan Avocado; better than any store bought anywhere I've ever been. (lots of places)

[DumbFalang]

I eat so many Avocado's I think I'm propping up the Thai market

Green as grass, I started planting the seeds in the veg garden at home. Got back from a few weeks away and low and behold, I'm the proud owner of a little Haas Avocado plant about a foot tall

So, now I'm an experienced Avocado grower, there's no stopping me. Question is, can I only graft Haas cuttings onto the Haas tree or will other varieties be OK?

I'll be growing them in Sakon Nakhorn - in case that makes any difference.

[namdocmai]

avo.jpg

I eat so many Avocado's I think I'm propping up the Thai market

Green as grass, I started planting the seeds in the veg garden at home. Got back from a few weeks away and low and behold, I'm the proud owner of a little Haas Avocado plant about a foot tall

So, now I'm an experienced Avocado grower, there's no stopping me. Question is, can I only graft Haas cuttings onto the Haas tree or will other varieties be OK?

I'll be growing them in Sakon Nakhorn - in case that makes any difference.

No you can graft any variety on the hass-seedling but if you graft it on a single branche it might grow faster/slower then a original hass branch.

West Indian variety's fruit the best in wet humid climates but as Soidog showed also other variety's like hass will fruit.

Soidog how did you peel that avocado on the last pics? It seems you didn't scoop the flesh out with a spoon did you? Can you pull the skin of that variety?

[soidog2]

DumbFalang, Good luck with your Hass seedling, for grafting you will want one of the hardier Guatemalan/West Indian root stocks. Hass is problematic in Thailand because of high heat/humidity.

Most Avocados in Thailand are picked way way too early. (around 6 month, that is way they taste like crap)

For proper maturity, good oil content, West Indian varieties need about 9 month, Guatemalan even longer.

You need to wait or pick only after one or two fall down and you verified they are ready. (soft in 4/5 days, you can start picking, longer means too early)

When mature, the skin will come of easy like the picture above, those flowered in March, eaten a couple of weeks ago.