AVOCADO ZUTANO "ZUTANO" Zone 8a

All come in 5 gal buckets but for pricing purposes we say 5 and 7 gal when actually we mean 1/4" or less in the 5s and 3/8" or greater in trunk caliper In 7s.

· Avocados should be planted on high ground

· They need adequate water but need good drainage. Tropical broadleaf but will not tolerate wet soggy soil.

• Creamy or buttery fruit.
• Trees need to be in a raised bed or mounded. Over time mound the ground around the trees so it covers the graft so that if a bad freeze occurs the plant can come back from "Varietal Wood" instead of from the rootstock.

· The trees “will” need to be protected from the cold for two to three years. As the tree matures, the green bark on the trunk will begin to turn brown. And should be inside if temps are less than 26 degrees.

· Start fertilizing young trees after one year of growth, using a balanced fertilizer such as 8-8-8 twice yearly.

· It is also recommended to protect young avocado trees from direct sun for the first year.

· One option is to paint the green trunk and main branches with a whitewash.

· You can also drape them with a shade cloth or light burlap sack over a wooden or PVC frame a foot or two above the tree.

· The trees should begin to bear fruit within 2 – 3 years. 5 Gal trees bear some fruit now in the pot

· Bacon just some of the cold hardy examples now 26 degrees

· All avocados are self-fertile but produce larger and more fruit if cross-pollinated, can grow to 10-20 feet at maturity or TO 30 feet in a large pot, but all can be cut back to desired height. Remember fruit comes on new growth.

· Zone 8b