How’s it going? Love your videos! So informative. Your presentation is very concise and logical, eliminating vague and contradictory information that’s so common with most internet garden videos. My first question is this: what rootstock is your Lila on? I’m in a chilly, wet zone 9 in Northern California and some winters we can drop to low 20’s for a few hours. Most Mexican rootstocks I read about are hardy only to 25. So I’m trying to find the best option for my climate. We also have very hot, sunny summers with average highs in the upper 80’s with low humidity. Our rain free season is April to November. My other question is about quality: how does the Lila taste, and what’s the seed to flesh ratio like? Lastly, when is bloom, fruit set and ripening for Lila? Given my climate I think a late spring bloom and fruit set is ideal with ripening before December. Thanks! Keep making great videos. I recommend you to many people since our region is also slightly marginal for citrus and avocados. Pax
Hi, I love your videos about your Lila Avocado tree. I've been following them for a couple of years now. Here in Vancouver, Canada, it's a little bit cooler than most Avocado varieties can survive. But there is a strategy that seems to work here, for getting a cold-hardy Avocado tree--simply 1. plant lots of Avocado seeds from the store. 2. During the first winter, most of your seedlings will die, but a FEW will survive. 3. The ones that survive will be the ones that can take the Vancouver, Canada winter. My friend has 2 cold-hardy Avocado trees growing in his back yard that he planted by accident, in the Vancouver area. They've been growing for 3 years now. They have survived -8°C at least 2 or 3 times already. There are other Avocado trees growing in the Vancouver area that got started from store-bought Hass Avocados as well. I don't know of any "real popular variety" of Avocado that has survived Vancouver. So, this implies a strategy: Plant lots of seeds, get a few survivors. I don't know what the numbers are, but maybe plant 10 or 20 seeds to get one cold-hardy survivor. It works. Watch this video for how I am doing this: ua-cam.com/video/O2gaZ6i4qZQ/v-deo.html
Use a plumbers heat tape and insulation wrap (two or three layers) to hold the heat tape up the main tree trunk. Also build a removable wooden teepee frame with greenhouse plastic cover it leaving the top 6" open as not to over heat during bright sunlight days. Use only for the coldest weather. Being a dwarf tree this is very manageable year after year. Good luck!
I’ve thought of heat trace, but I’m worried about the fire hazard. I would feel more comfortable with outdoor lighting. I will avoid wrapping because of the risk of rot in my humid climate. I may build something out of brick. I have some ideas I need to plan. Luckily, I still have 3-4 months.
@@TheMillennialGardener Heat tapes should be replaced every 3 years and they can be wrapped with an open faced insulation (no moisture barrier) will prevent moisture buildup. Have done this with aa 8' tall Dracaena (spike plant) for 12 years in SW Michigan (Zone %). I moved and it was dug up and given to a friend that lived in Florida.
I have a small wurtz, I don't protect it and our winters are bitter with frosts usually in the minus degrees, it is growing in a pot and has set flowers, it gets frost burn, but by summertime has a new fresh foliage.
I'm an implant in Wilmington NC too - from a bit further north than you I think! I bought a Mexicola avocado a couple of years back. I kept it in a pot and during the winter it stayed outside in our temporary greenhouse (cheap plastic one from Big Lots). It didn't even lose its leaves and put on some new growth. I think this winter I'm going to do the same, and then plant it out in the yard next spring. Hopefully it will be big enough to survive the winters after a good year of growth in the ground. Interested in seeing how your Lila does outside.
Mart Cactus last year the winter was extremely mild. We only hit 19 degrees once for a brief moment. It was almost a 9a winter, and probably was within some microclimates in the city. The year before was horrible. We hit 8 degrees two nights in a row and spent 24 hours below freezing, so our winters can have a lot of variability. That winter was so bad it killed by broccoli and my oregano died back 80% to the ground! It was devastating and killed the 30 year old Washingtonia Robusta at 2nd & Market. So sad. Don’t let last year mislead you. Most winters, avocados will struggle here, and many will be outright deadly without protection. I will be protecting mine with incandescent Christmas lights and then building a fire brick shield around the trunk. I’ll make sure to post updates!
@@TheMillennialGardener I've been here nearly 5 years and I can't recall it hitting below 20 where we are (right by NHRMC hospital) other than a couple of times. Its pretty sheltered, and our backyard is south facing, so I'm hoping it'll have some protection. We're on a bit of a hill so the cold air seems to drain away a little too. I've been thinking about whether I can put the greenhouse over it if there are any really cold nights forecast, else put some kind of improvised shelter over it. I have some olive trees too that I'm hoping to plant out in the ground once they mature a little more. I'm aware I risk losing these types of plants, but the thought of growing avocados in my backyard is worth the risk! In the unheated green house I had several pineapple plants last year - only lost one of them to the the cold but I think this year I'll try and bring them inside, at least for the coldest nights.
Sounds like you have a really nice microclimate. I would recommend getting a weather station to monitor if you don’t have one already. Wilmington proper hit 10 degrees in 2018 (I hit 8 out in Leland). It almost killed the Canary Island Date Palm at Checkers (it did survive but was 100% defoliated), killed the Washingtonia Robusta that’s been there for 30 years at 2nd and Market and every single other Washingtonia around town (including the big one on Oleander by Schoolhouse). It was devastating. If you didn’t fall under 20 it would somehow be a miracle. I guess it depends how much room you have in your yard and what space you’re willing to dedicate.
@@TheMillennialGardeneryes I’m very south I’m on Hilton Head Island, I have a little experimental food forest in my backyard,currently I have 30 fruit tress , 6 avocados, I do protect them in the winter since they are small young trees planning stop doing it once they develop a good canopy and some mature trunk, good luck!! And keep updating 👍
Hi even I have a Lila avacado I live in Houston Texas zone 9 but we have some other challenges like sun burn during hot summer and clay soil so prefer growing my plant in pot thanks for great info keep posting the updates
Can I ask you what size pot your tree is in? I’m also in zone 9 in California, and also want to grow it in a pot, due to some extreme heat in the summer-thank you
hi, millenial gardner i really enjoy you videos. i have a question for you i purchased an lila avocado i did nt realize it wasnt a semi dwarf until i got home is there a way to keep it short. and i live in la.how will it do here in the winter this an 8b zone should i put it in a15 gallon pot do you have any suggestions. thankyou for your help
@@TheMillennialGardener I know what you mean. I have thin trees they are probably for my climate and I have some avocados it came up from it's buried in the ground. I usually pile wood chips around my tender plants and that usually works pretty well
@@TheMillennialGardener I was driving...and voice recognition didn't work well for that one! I was saying that I have fig trees that probably aren't recommended for here and avocados that have sprouted in my garden too. They haven't made it through a winter yet...I probably will put mulch around them and see if they make it. My moringa trees have never made it yet either. I am zone 7B...but very close to zone 8
Great video! Just recently got into avocados... Im so tempted to try this in Zone 6B.... Wonder if the string lights and pickle barrel full of water would be enough to keep it warm enough through winter with the plant jacket
We want more videos on it and on how to keep it alive lol I got a Lila from my local nursery and it only has 6 months unlike other places like Home Depot/Lowe’s that have a year warranty!
The Millennial Gardener I’m keeping it on a pot along with a mexicola. Pretty much I repotted with along with the soil it came with and use my own potting soil peat moss, lime, perlite, compost, also added worm castings, blood & bone meal and last but not least azomite! How’s your Lila doing?
On the bleeding edge in Maryland, zone 7A-7B. Really like your vids sir. Looking for your opinion... 2 cold hardy fantastics, 3 gallon pots down in a window well, against the south side of a red brick house. Both were looking good, up until a couple weeks ago. Cold set in, put a wire cage around them and covered with a frost cover, put in a 100 watt flood for heat. Both trees, 4 feet tall, loaded with blossoms. They did get covered with hard snow/ice one time, which was knock off asap. Leaves now wilted and hanging down, some cold spots, blossoms not looking too good and leaves fall off with a slight tug and appear dried out. Fantastics are supposed to be good down to 20 degrees. I am thinking pull off the blossoms for more root growth and energy conservation during cold, dirt is still moist, watered them 3 weeks ago, might water again. I know I am really pushing it this far north, I just could not resist trying... Really like that Lila, need to try some... Thanks for any advice my friend.
This probably won’t be the info you want to hear. When folks rate the cold hardiness of an avocado, that means the capability of survival for a fully mature tree. A Fantastic avocado, somewhere, has survived around 15F. That likely means a very large tree was killed down, but to above the graft and was able to re-sprout. No avocado tree can survive teens without substantial damage. Anything below 25F is going to start damaging even the toughest trees in places. The other problem is the blooms can’t take a hard freeze. Once your tree flowers, you need to protect it from temps below 32F, or the blossoms will be killed. My tree hasn’t flowered yet, but when it does, the frost blanket stays on for nights below 36F, just in case. I can get away with growing my Lila up against my house because I’m Zone 8a/8b, and I prune it heavily and have 120W of heat. In your zone, you’d need a literal space heater. You’d need hundreds of watts of protection. I think you would need a true climate controlled greenhouse to be able to grow an avocado in-ground. They’re just too fragile. You may be able to grow something like a satsuma this way with 150-200W worth of lights and a really nice structure, but I don’t think an avocado can make it without a true greenhouse. I would get something like a Lila in a container, and maybe try an Owari satsuma, kumquat or a Yuzu tree in ground since they can take a true hard freeze without any damage. That may be possible. We haven’t dropped below 25F yet, but I had to remove a couple dead pieces of new growth on my Lila yesterday. The tender growth is very fragile, even on my pretty stout tree.
@@TheMillennialGardenerThank You sir, that is the kind of info I was seeking. Looks like plan B is in order. This is all an experiment, I forgot about that "mature"aspect... Looks like it took a substantial hit when the snow/ice laid on it for a few hours, might have been overnight before I knocked it all off, I just hope the graft area is still viable. With outside temps in the nears teens this last overnight, the flood light only boosts the temp inside the cover, taken low, at the pot level, to 28 degrees. I will try a small space heater in there tonight and from now on. Hopefully I can salvage them for recovery this spring. I wasn't expecting any fruit for a few years, a greenhouse might be in order. Thanks again for all your knowledge and reminders.
I want to grow one of these in an unheated greenhouse but am wondering how tall and wide they grow, or how well the size can be kept in check by pruning. Any ideas?
I’m going out on a limb here but maybe one or two of those outdoor propane heaters for the very coldest nights and lots of green compost that’s still working and producing heat. I’m in zone 10a and we have the opposite problem. I’m losing Hass and Fuerte fruit to sunburn! It’s been 95-100 just about every day for the past 3 weeks.
That’s more effort than I am willing to provide. The goal is to find a variety that can survive with minimal protection. If it dies, I would rather it die when it is young so I can remove it completely. Have you tried shade cloth? That should solve some of your problems.
The Millennial Gardener Most of the fruit is protected by foliage but I’m losing fruit on the ends of branches where there’s poor leaf coverage. Plus the canopy is about 20’x20’ so shade cloth isn’t an option. I like the idea of a dwarf 🥑 avocado. They grow like weeds out here.
The Millennial Gardener if I plant a dwarf I will be able to use shade cloth. There’s a spot where I can use it to protect against the afternoon sun. Good 💡 idea, thanks.
I live in Fort Worth, Tx which is also zone 8a. I also bought a Lila. Is the rootstock that it is grafted on also equally cold hardy? The rootstock is sticking out of the ground about 4 inches before the Lila graft is seen. If that rootstock is not as cold hardy, that 4 inches that is above the soil will die and then the whole thing will die. Also, if that rootstock is restricting and determining the size of that tree, it would seem to me that any cold hardy variety that was grafted onto that rootstock would be equally dwarfed. If it is the Lila itself that is the dwarf and not the rootstock, then whoever holds the patent should take cuttings from the Lila, root those cuttings, and then have only Lila growing. These questions are weird but important. If the rootstock has limited cold hardiness, then it doesn't matter how cold the Lila is. In other words, it is only as cold hardy as its rootstock tolerates and may not survive. Your thoughts......
A couple things... I don't know of a "cold hardy" rootstock. I don't think avocados work that way. They're all subtropical, evergreen trees that don't go into dormancy, so I don't know if there is a such thing as a "cold hardy" rootstock. I have no idea what my avocado is grafted onto as I've never seen avocado rootstock advertised. A lot of them may be "trade secrets" per the nursery. I don't think you need to worry about the rootstock's hardiness. Here is why: the heat inside the ground protects the rootstock. In your zone, I'm fairly certain the ground virtually never freezes, so the tree's roots themselves won't see freezing temps, especially if you apply a thick mulch layer (which avocados require for health). It's the scion wood above the graft that doesn't have the benefit of ground-heat protection, so the chances of cold killing the rootstock before the scion wood is near zero. In almost all cases of cold damage, it's the scion wood that gets killed down to the rootstock. This is why "low grafts" are best because the further above ground you get, the colder the air gets since the Earth is a heat radiator. In short, I wouldn't worry about the rootstock. Get a tree grafted low, plant it high, mulch heavily and protect it. I recommend my protection method, if you've seen it.
@@TheMillennialGardener Here in Fort Worth, we are also Zone 8a. But our frostline in the soil averages about 3-4 inches deep every winter. If you look up Jerry Satterlee on youtube, he started the Texas Avocado Association here in Texas. He is a strong zone 9. I spoke to him on the phone a couple of times. He says that it is important that the rootstock must be a frost tolerant variety. But you are correct in that the growers of the Lila will not disclose that rootstock variety. Probably to prevent any unauthorized grafting of a copyrighted plant. Also, when it comes to apples, pears, and stone fruits, they are often grafted onto dwarf rootstocks to limit their mature size. The growers of the Lila told me that the Lila is a dwarf on its own and that the rootstock does not play a role in the overall size of the Lila. So I asked them why they were not propagating the Lila by stem cuttings instead of budding them. They said that grafting is the only way to clone an avocado and that stem cuttings or air layering will not work with the avocado. I told them that I had air layered a non patented avocado in horticulture school and that youtube is filled with instructions on how to do it. They didn't want to talk to me after that. I did buy the Lila. If it works, it works. I shouldn't dissect all of this just because I can't get all the answers I want. Your videos are the most informative. Thank you very much for them. I would like to know how your Lila came through this last winter.
Wow! She looked great! How has she done through this past winter? Will you be doing an update soon? I'm in the Pacific northwest of Canada and going to purchase one this spring.
Three nights ago we hit 22.8F, and the next night was 27F. I was concerned because it was beginning to flower, but with my plant jacket and my Christmas lights, it sailed through with no damage to any buds. The tree is literally 50% larger now than it was in even this video. It is growing so quickly it's hard to believe. I will be doing a hand-pollination video soon once this cold snap ends. The end of this week is going to be very cold, so I want to make sure my flowers survive first.
The Millennial Gardener just got a Lila and a Mexicola from my local nursery! Gonna keep them potted due to my small backyard. Any tips on it besides keeping it from sunburn & frost?
@@SenzuBeaner to protect it from sunburn, you can keep the tree on the east-side of your home if it gets at least 6 hours of direct sun a day. The afternoon sun causes the worst sunburn, so if you can protect it from the afternoon (western) sun, it will take less damage when young. You can also purchase a white paint suitable for painting trees. White paint protects against sunburn. For frost, you can watch this video: ua-cam.com/video/zYehs-1f7a8/v-deo.html
Raleigh to my knowledge is entirely Zone 7. I'm in Wilmington, and it is considerably warmer here in the winter and a very strong Zone 8a. I'm not confident my tree will survive my winters, and I would say in Raleigh the tree would have no chance in the ground unless you built some serious protection. You could grow a fantastic tree in containers, though. You'd be able to bring it outside almost every morning in January once the weather breaks freezing, so you'd be able to hand-pollinate the tree very easily. You can find your zone by zip code here: planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/
Raleigh is 7b. I’m here too. I’m trying some of the cold hardy topicals planted directly in the yard as I do believe that the planet is heating up. Meanwhile, I’ll be protecting my new plants during the winter. I think it’s worth a try.
I’m in zone 9a and also have a Lila I purchased February 2018. I transplanted mine to a half whiskey barrel last month and may keep it there or put it in the grown in 1-2 years. Mine is starting to flower already. Appreciate your videos on your Lila. It’s very bushy. Did you prune it? Will you let it flower this year? Good luck!
Hi MG! How is the avocado plant? I just purchased two Haas and two Cold Hardy. I’m here in Savannah Georgia so praying it makes it here. I plan to keep in pot for few years since we will be buying some land and after all the work I wouldn’t leave it for sure. I have been keeping it under a screened in back porch but leaves are still looking burned. I do have it right beside the screen so it does get sun. I will bring in for the winter. Any advice? I need to report but heard they like sandy loamy soil and here it is not. I was told to use some builders sand in my soil. Can you tell me what you replanted with when it was in pot and then in ground and do you fertilize and if so what do you use?
Great video, thanks for sharing! Out of curiosity, how are your citrus doing? Have you figured out how to maximize their yield the same way you have figs? I’ll be putting some kumquats and a loquat in ground soon and I’m skeptical, but experts have reassured me that as long as they’re bundled up they’ll be ok. I’m essentially copying your fertilizing methods at this point for next year’s harvest so I’m glad you share what youve learned! I’m in 7a btw
J R great question. My satsuma is in ground and doing well and ripening 4 oranges. My red lime is doing fantastic in a 3 gallon container and is full of fruit. The blood orange was almost killed by Hurricane Florence, and then again in February when I brought it indoors for a week during a vacation and it freaked out and defoliated. Still, it bounced back, has 2 oranges and is rebuilding a canopy. I owe you guys an update. Citrus grows very slowly, and it will take 3-5 years to have a reasonable crop. They really don’t kick in til years 5-7 or so. It is a long term investment, so I haven’t been very frequent with updates since there isn’t much to see compared to amazing first year producers like figs.
I've honestly never heard of this toxin until now, but I consulted two websites. Avocados are not on the sensitive list, but they're not on the companion list, either. Since they don't appear on the sensitive list, that, to me, means they haven't developed a reputation for susceptibility to the toxin. However, the only way to know for sure is to try it. Here are two resources: homeguides.sfgate.com/can-fruit-trees-grow-next-black-walnuts-58099.html www.groworganic.com/organic-gardening/articles/companion-plants-that-tolerate-black-walnut-tree-toxicity
I am doing a trial planting of the Lila in Fort Worth Zone 8a. Is anyone else growing the Lila in 8a and getting it to fruit? If it requires us having to polinate it by hand, I don't want to bother with it. My tree is still too new to bloom. I just don't want to invest a year of my time if I have to hand polinate it. Anyone's thoughts....
Avocados are not normally self-fertile, except in instances where you're lucky to get some flower overlap. If you are only going to grow one avocado tree, you are going to have to hand pollinate if you want to have decent fruit-set. It's possible you may get some wind-pollination self-fertility in overlap periods, but the best way is always to hand pollinate. It takes, literally, 3 minutes, to hand pollinate an entire tree when they bloom. You can see how to do it here: ua-cam.com/video/8jdMMjZjI6g/v-deo.html It really can't be any easier. If you don't want to do this, you're going to have to plant an cold hardy A-type and cold hardy B-type next to each other, then protect both trees all winter long on nights that drop below 30F when they're young, and 25F when they're mature. An avocado tree will not survive long-term in your location in-ground, and you're going to have to spend a considerable effort protecting it every single winter. You'll be spending hours scattered over many different nights protecting it in-ground, so the 3-5 mins to hand pollinate should be a piece of cake by comparison. Keep in mind you'll also have to meticulously prune these trees every year around Labor Day to keep the form very compact all winter. You'll need to maintain trees that are compact enough to cover with blankets or plant jackets, or they will not survive. Keeping this tree alive all winter will involve investing many hours in pruning, covering, stringing lights to warm them during cold nights, and you'll have to monitor the weather every single nights from November thru March. One missed forecast resulting in an Arctic plunge can kill the tree.
Sure. But you’d need a very sunny south-facing window to keep it indoors to overwinter. Avocados don’t go dormant and keep their leaves all year, so they need constant sun, even in the winter. If you have strong indoor light and the space to keep the tree, you certainly could do it.
Loza Farming mine isn’t flowering yet. My guess is because this is its first year in ground, it is focusing on roots and the flowers are delayed (which is a good thing). Last year it flowered in January in a container. It is loaded with thousands of buds, but they haven’t bloomed yet. I will post an update once it blooms so I can explain the hand pollination procedure.
I purchased the tree from a website called Plantogram. I had a very good experience. I posted an unboxing video in July 2018. Ironically, Lowe’s had a huge shipment of Lila’s in my area this spring. The type may be gaining popularity due to its hardiness and dwarf growth habit. It makes it ideal for containers and small yards.
I have a cold hardy avocado from fast-growing-fruit trees .com. I'm in 8b (lowerstate SC), so a tad bit warmer than Willmington, NC, but still chilly. My tree spent last winter in the ground and despite being a bit battered-looking in the Spring, it is doing well. No fruit yet, but next year is right around the corner right? I also have a Reed Avocado in a 25 gal pot, which I'll be bringing into the house for the winter. I posted a few videos with my cold hardy if you want to take a look. It looked pretty beat up after the winter, but after the Spring and Summer it has grown about 18 inches. Best of luck.
This is very reassuring. Glad to hear it is doing well. We had an incredibly old winter last year, though. If we have another winter like 2018, we could have real problems on our hands. Do you protect it? Protection is certainly advisable.
Funny, I'm working on an update now. It's been through a bit of trauma. It got half blown over in August from a hurricane and re-staked (I made a video on that). Then, I pretty much pruned it down to half. It's doing pretty well now, though. Growing like a weed. I'll have another update in a week or so.
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How’s it going? Love your videos! So informative. Your presentation is very concise and logical, eliminating vague and contradictory information that’s so common with most internet garden videos.
My first question is this: what rootstock is your Lila on?
I’m in a chilly, wet zone 9 in Northern California and some winters we can drop to low 20’s for a few hours. Most Mexican rootstocks I read about are hardy only to 25. So I’m trying to find the best option for my climate. We also have very hot, sunny summers with average highs in the upper 80’s with low humidity. Our rain free season is April to November.
My other question is about quality: how does the Lila taste, and what’s the seed to flesh ratio like?
Lastly, when is bloom, fruit set and ripening for Lila? Given my climate I think a late spring bloom and fruit set is ideal with ripening before December.
Thanks! Keep making great videos. I recommend you to many people since our region is also slightly marginal for citrus and avocados.
Pax
Hi, I love your videos about your Lila Avocado tree. I've been following them for a couple of years now. Here in Vancouver, Canada, it's a little bit cooler than most Avocado varieties can survive. But there is a strategy that seems to work here, for getting a cold-hardy Avocado tree--simply 1. plant lots of Avocado seeds from the store. 2. During the first winter, most of your seedlings will die, but a FEW will survive. 3. The ones that survive will be the ones that can take the Vancouver, Canada winter. My friend has 2 cold-hardy Avocado trees growing in his back yard that he planted by accident, in the Vancouver area. They've been growing for 3 years now. They have survived -8°C at least 2 or 3 times already. There are other Avocado trees growing in the Vancouver area that got started from store-bought Hass Avocados as well. I don't know of any "real popular variety" of Avocado that has survived Vancouver. So, this implies a strategy: Plant lots of seeds, get a few survivors. I don't know what the numbers are, but maybe plant 10 or 20 seeds to get one cold-hardy survivor. It works. Watch this video for how I am doing this: ua-cam.com/video/O2gaZ6i4qZQ/v-deo.html
Use a plumbers heat tape and insulation wrap (two or three layers) to hold the heat tape up the main tree trunk. Also build a removable wooden teepee frame with greenhouse plastic cover it leaving the top 6" open as not to over heat during bright sunlight days. Use only for the coldest weather. Being a dwarf tree this is very manageable year after year. Good luck!
I’ve thought of heat trace, but I’m worried about the fire hazard. I would feel more comfortable with outdoor lighting. I will avoid wrapping because of the risk of rot in my humid climate. I may build something out of brick. I have some ideas I need to plan. Luckily, I still have 3-4 months.
@@TheMillennialGardener Heat tapes should be replaced every 3 years and they can be wrapped with an open faced insulation (no moisture barrier) will prevent moisture buildup. Have done this with aa 8' tall Dracaena (spike plant) for 12 years in SW Michigan (Zone %). I moved and it was dug up and given to a friend that lived in Florida.
I have a small wurtz, I don't protect it and our winters are bitter with frosts usually in the minus degrees, it is growing in a pot and has set flowers, it gets frost burn, but by summertime has a new fresh foliage.
I'm an implant in Wilmington NC too - from a bit further north than you I think! I bought a Mexicola avocado a couple of years back. I kept it in a pot and during the winter it stayed outside in our temporary greenhouse (cheap plastic one from Big Lots). It didn't even lose its leaves and put on some new growth. I think this winter I'm going to do the same, and then plant it out in the yard next spring. Hopefully it will be big enough to survive the winters after a good year of growth in the ground. Interested in seeing how your Lila does outside.
Mart Cactus last year the winter was extremely mild. We only hit 19 degrees once for a brief moment. It was almost a 9a winter, and probably was within some microclimates in the city. The year before was horrible. We hit 8 degrees two nights in a row and spent 24 hours below freezing, so our winters can have a lot of variability. That winter was so bad it killed by broccoli and my oregano died back 80% to the ground! It was devastating and killed the 30 year old Washingtonia Robusta at 2nd & Market. So sad.
Don’t let last year mislead you. Most winters, avocados will struggle here, and many will be outright deadly without protection. I will be protecting mine with incandescent Christmas lights and then building a fire brick shield around the trunk. I’ll make sure to post updates!
@@TheMillennialGardener I've been here nearly 5 years and I can't recall it hitting below 20 where we are (right by NHRMC hospital) other than a couple of times. Its pretty sheltered, and our backyard is south facing, so I'm hoping it'll have some protection. We're on a bit of a hill so the cold air seems to drain away a little too. I've been thinking about whether I can put the greenhouse over it if there are any really cold nights forecast, else put some kind of improvised shelter over it. I have some olive trees too that I'm hoping to plant out in the ground once they mature a little more. I'm aware I risk losing these types of plants, but the thought of growing avocados in my backyard is worth the risk! In the unheated green house I had several pineapple plants last year - only lost one of them to the the cold but I think this year I'll try and bring them inside, at least for the coldest nights.
Sounds like you have a really nice microclimate. I would recommend getting a weather station to monitor if you don’t have one already. Wilmington proper hit 10 degrees in 2018 (I hit 8 out in Leland). It almost killed the Canary Island Date Palm at Checkers (it did survive but was 100% defoliated), killed the Washingtonia Robusta that’s been there for 30 years at 2nd and Market and every single other Washingtonia around town (including the big one on Oleander by Schoolhouse). It was devastating. If you didn’t fall under 20 it would somehow be a miracle.
I guess it depends how much room you have in your yard and what space you’re willing to dedicate.
Great video I have several trees on South Carolina learning about avocados on my third year experiencing with them
Awesome! Are you on the coast? I'm guessing they do pretty well south of Charleston along the coastline.
@@TheMillennialGardeneryes I’m very south I’m on Hilton Head Island, I have a little experimental food forest in my backyard,currently I have 30 fruit tress , 6 avocados, I do protect them in the winter since they are small young trees planning stop doing it once they develop a good canopy and some mature trunk, good luck!! And keep updating 👍
Nice! It is always nice to see some push there zone
Zone 9b. Color me jealous - the perfect avocado zone 😂 I’m crossing my fingers this winter.
@@TheMillennialGardener 🤣 I feel the same way toward someone with zone 10a,10b but we make due with our zones. 👍👍
Move to one of those zones and you’ll want to grow apples. There’s always something.
Hi even I have a Lila avacado I live in Houston Texas zone 9 but we have some other challenges like sun burn during hot summer and clay soil so prefer growing my plant in pot thanks for great info keep posting the updates
Thanks for watching.
Can I ask you what size pot your tree is in? I’m also in zone 9 in California, and also want to grow it in a pot, due to some extreme heat in the summer-thank you
hi, millenial gardner i really enjoy you videos. i have a question for you i purchased an lila avocado i did nt realize it wasnt a semi dwarf until i got home is there a way to keep it short. and i live in la.how will it do here in the winter this an 8b zone should i put it in a15 gallon pot do you have any suggestions. thankyou for your help
Thx for the info, great tree.
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching.
That tree is doing very well. Hopefully you will get some to eat next year.
Thank you! I’m crossing my fingers for a mild winter like last year 🤞
@@TheMillennialGardener I know what you mean. I have thin trees they are probably for my climate and I have some avocados it came up from it's buried in the ground. I usually pile wood chips around my tender plants and that usually works pretty well
@@Iloveorganicgardening do you have an in-ground avocado tree here in NC? If so, I'm really curious where you live.
@@TheMillennialGardener I was driving...and voice recognition didn't work well for that one! I was saying that I have fig trees that probably aren't recommended for here and avocados that have sprouted in my garden too. They haven't made it through a winter yet...I probably will put mulch around them and see if they make it. My moringa trees have never made it yet either. I am zone 7B...but very close to zone 8
I am just north of charlotte
Great video! Just recently got into avocados... Im so tempted to try this in Zone 6B.... Wonder if the string lights and pickle barrel full of water would be enough to keep it warm enough through winter with the plant jacket
We want more videos on it and on how to keep it alive lol I got a Lila from my local nursery and it only has 6 months unlike other places like Home Depot/Lowe’s that have a year warranty!
Are you planting it in-ground or keeping it in a container? If in-ground, what is your soil like? Is it clay or sandy? How's the drainage?
The Millennial Gardener I’m keeping it on a pot along with a mexicola. Pretty much I repotted with along with the soil it came with and use my own potting soil peat moss, lime, perlite, compost, also added worm castings, blood & bone meal and last but not least azomite! How’s your Lila doing?
On the bleeding edge in Maryland, zone 7A-7B. Really like your vids sir. Looking for your opinion... 2 cold hardy fantastics, 3 gallon pots down in a window well, against the south side of a red brick house. Both were looking good, up until a couple weeks ago. Cold set in, put a wire cage around them and covered with a frost cover, put in a 100 watt flood for heat. Both trees, 4 feet tall, loaded with blossoms. They did get covered with hard snow/ice one time, which was knock off asap. Leaves now wilted and hanging down, some cold spots, blossoms not looking too good and leaves fall off with a slight tug and appear dried out. Fantastics are supposed to be good down to 20 degrees.
I am thinking pull off the blossoms for more root growth and energy conservation during cold, dirt is still moist, watered them 3 weeks ago, might water again.
I know I am really pushing it this far north, I just could not resist trying... Really like that Lila, need to try some...
Thanks for any advice my friend.
This probably won’t be the info you want to hear.
When folks rate the cold hardiness of an avocado, that means the capability of survival for a fully mature tree. A Fantastic avocado, somewhere, has survived around 15F. That likely means a very large tree was killed down, but to above the graft and was able to re-sprout. No avocado tree can survive teens without substantial damage. Anything below 25F is going to start damaging even the toughest trees in places.
The other problem is the blooms can’t take a hard freeze. Once your tree flowers, you need to protect it from temps below 32F, or the blossoms will be killed. My tree hasn’t flowered yet, but when it does, the frost blanket stays on for nights below 36F, just in case.
I can get away with growing my Lila up against my house because I’m Zone 8a/8b, and I prune it heavily and have 120W of heat. In your zone, you’d need a literal space heater. You’d need hundreds of watts of protection. I think you would need a true climate controlled greenhouse to be able to grow an avocado in-ground. They’re just too fragile.
You may be able to grow something like a satsuma this way with 150-200W worth of lights and a really nice structure, but I don’t think an avocado can make it without a true greenhouse. I would get something like a Lila in a container, and maybe try an Owari satsuma, kumquat or a Yuzu tree in ground since they can take a true hard freeze without any damage. That may be possible.
We haven’t dropped below 25F yet, but I had to remove a couple dead pieces of new growth on my Lila yesterday. The tender growth is very fragile, even on my pretty stout tree.
@@TheMillennialGardenerThank You sir, that is the kind of info I was seeking. Looks like plan B is in order. This is all an experiment, I forgot about that "mature"aspect... Looks like it took a substantial hit when the snow/ice laid on it for a few hours, might have been overnight before I knocked it all off, I just hope the graft area is still viable.
With outside temps in the nears teens this last overnight, the flood light only boosts the temp inside the cover, taken low, at the pot level, to 28 degrees. I will try a small space heater in there tonight and from now on.
Hopefully I can salvage them for recovery this spring. I wasn't expecting any fruit for a few years, a greenhouse might be in order. Thanks again for all your knowledge and reminders.
Great video, thanks a lot
Pinkpenguinsausage thanks for watching!
I want to grow one of these in an unheated greenhouse but am wondering how tall and wide they grow, or how well the size can be kept in check by pruning. Any ideas?
I’m going out on a limb here but maybe one or two of those outdoor propane heaters for the very coldest nights and lots of green compost that’s still working and producing heat. I’m in zone 10a and we have the opposite problem. I’m losing Hass and Fuerte fruit to sunburn! It’s been 95-100 just about every day for the past 3 weeks.
That’s more effort than I am willing to provide. The goal is to find a variety that can survive with minimal protection. If it dies, I would rather it die when it is young so I can remove it completely. Have you tried shade cloth? That should solve some of your problems.
The Millennial Gardener Most of the fruit is protected by foliage but I’m losing fruit on the ends of branches where there’s poor leaf coverage. Plus the canopy is about 20’x20’ so shade cloth isn’t an option. I like the idea of a dwarf 🥑 avocado. They grow like weeds out here.
@@farmerbob4554 can you add shade cloth?
The Millennial Gardener if I plant a dwarf I will be able to use shade cloth. There’s a spot where I can use it to protect against the afternoon sun. Good 💡 idea, thanks.
I use xmas tree lights on a thermostat in zone 8b in canada covered with agricultural fleece for the winter.
How come your Opal/Lila leaves are so big. Is it really lila
I live in Fort Worth, Tx which is also zone 8a. I also bought a Lila. Is the rootstock that it is grafted on also equally cold hardy? The rootstock is sticking out of the ground about 4 inches before the Lila graft is seen. If that rootstock is not as cold hardy, that 4 inches that is above the soil will die and then the whole thing will die. Also, if that rootstock is restricting and determining the size of that tree, it would seem to me that any cold hardy variety that was grafted onto that rootstock would be equally dwarfed. If it is the Lila itself that is the dwarf and not the rootstock, then whoever holds the patent should take cuttings from the Lila, root those cuttings, and then have only Lila growing. These questions are weird but important. If the rootstock has limited cold hardiness, then it doesn't matter how cold the Lila is. In other words, it is only as cold hardy as its rootstock tolerates and may not survive. Your thoughts......
A couple things...
I don't know of a "cold hardy" rootstock. I don't think avocados work that way. They're all subtropical, evergreen trees that don't go into dormancy, so I don't know if there is a such thing as a "cold hardy" rootstock. I have no idea what my avocado is grafted onto as I've never seen avocado rootstock advertised. A lot of them may be "trade secrets" per the nursery.
I don't think you need to worry about the rootstock's hardiness. Here is why: the heat inside the ground protects the rootstock. In your zone, I'm fairly certain the ground virtually never freezes, so the tree's roots themselves won't see freezing temps, especially if you apply a thick mulch layer (which avocados require for health). It's the scion wood above the graft that doesn't have the benefit of ground-heat protection, so the chances of cold killing the rootstock before the scion wood is near zero. In almost all cases of cold damage, it's the scion wood that gets killed down to the rootstock. This is why "low grafts" are best because the further above ground you get, the colder the air gets since the Earth is a heat radiator.
In short, I wouldn't worry about the rootstock. Get a tree grafted low, plant it high, mulch heavily and protect it. I recommend my protection method, if you've seen it.
@@TheMillennialGardener Here in Fort Worth, we are also Zone 8a. But our frostline in the soil averages about 3-4 inches deep every winter. If you look up Jerry Satterlee on youtube, he started the Texas Avocado Association here in Texas. He is a strong zone 9. I spoke to him on the phone a couple of times. He says that it is important that the rootstock must be a frost tolerant variety. But you are correct in that the growers of the Lila will not disclose that rootstock variety. Probably to prevent any unauthorized grafting of a copyrighted plant. Also, when it comes to apples, pears, and stone fruits, they are often grafted onto dwarf rootstocks to limit their mature size. The growers of the Lila told me that the Lila is a dwarf on its own and that the rootstock does not play a role in the overall size of the Lila. So I asked them why they were not propagating the Lila by stem cuttings instead of budding them. They said that grafting is the only way to clone an avocado and that stem cuttings or air layering will not work with the avocado. I told them that I had air layered a non patented avocado in horticulture school and that youtube is filled with instructions on how to do it. They didn't want to talk to me after that. I did buy the Lila. If it works, it works. I shouldn't dissect all of this just because I can't get all the answers I want. Your videos are the most informative. Thank you very much for them. I would like to know how your Lila came through this last winter.
Wow! She looked great! How has she done through this past winter? Will you be doing an update soon? I'm in the Pacific northwest of Canada and going to purchase one this spring.
Three nights ago we hit 22.8F, and the next night was 27F. I was concerned because it was beginning to flower, but with my plant jacket and my Christmas lights, it sailed through with no damage to any buds. The tree is literally 50% larger now than it was in even this video. It is growing so quickly it's hard to believe. I will be doing a hand-pollination video soon once this cold snap ends. The end of this week is going to be very cold, so I want to make sure my flowers survive first.
Hey! Thanks for the content! Where did you get this Avocado Tree?
Harrison Benefield I purchased it online from plantogram.com and had a very positive experience.
The Millennial Gardener just got a Lila and a Mexicola from my local nursery! Gonna keep them potted due to my small backyard. Any tips on it besides keeping it from sunburn & frost?
@@SenzuBeaner to protect it from sunburn, you can keep the tree on the east-side of your home if it gets at least 6 hours of direct sun a day. The afternoon sun causes the worst sunburn, so if you can protect it from the afternoon (western) sun, it will take less damage when young. You can also purchase a white paint suitable for painting trees. White paint protects against sunburn. For frost, you can watch this video: ua-cam.com/video/zYehs-1f7a8/v-deo.html
Very informative again, i am in Raleigh, Can you tell me what's my zone would be ?
Raleigh to my knowledge is entirely Zone 7. I'm in Wilmington, and it is considerably warmer here in the winter and a very strong Zone 8a. I'm not confident my tree will survive my winters, and I would say in Raleigh the tree would have no chance in the ground unless you built some serious protection. You could grow a fantastic tree in containers, though. You'd be able to bring it outside almost every morning in January once the weather breaks freezing, so you'd be able to hand-pollinate the tree very easily.
You can find your zone by zip code here: planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/
Raleigh is 7b. I’m here too. I’m trying some of the cold hardy topicals planted directly in the yard as I do believe that the planet is heating up. Meanwhile, I’ll be protecting my new plants during the winter. I think it’s worth a try.
I’m in zone 9a and also have a Lila I purchased February 2018. I transplanted mine to a half whiskey barrel last month and may keep it there or put it in the grown in 1-2 years. Mine is starting to flower already. Appreciate your videos on your Lila. It’s very bushy. Did you prune it? Will you let it flower this year? Good luck!
Hi MG!
How is the avocado plant? I just purchased two Haas and two Cold Hardy. I’m here in Savannah Georgia so praying it makes it here. I plan to keep in pot for few years since we will be buying some land and after all the work I wouldn’t leave it for sure. I have been keeping it under a screened in back porch but leaves are still looking burned. I do have it right beside the screen so it does get sun. I will bring in for the winter. Any advice? I need to report but heard they like sandy loamy soil and here it is not. I was told to use some builders sand in my soil. Can you tell me what you replanted with when it was in pot and then in ground and do you fertilize and if so what do you use?
Thank you so much! Looking forward to your response ❤️
Great video, thanks for sharing! Out of curiosity, how are your citrus doing? Have you figured out how to maximize their yield the same way you have figs? I’ll be putting some kumquats and a loquat in ground soon and I’m skeptical, but experts have reassured me that as long as they’re bundled up they’ll be ok. I’m essentially copying your fertilizing methods at this point for next year’s harvest so I’m glad you share what youve learned! I’m in 7a btw
J R great question. My satsuma is in ground and doing well and ripening 4 oranges. My red lime is doing fantastic in a 3 gallon container and is full of fruit. The blood orange was almost killed by Hurricane Florence, and then again in February when I brought it indoors for a week during a vacation and it freaked out and defoliated. Still, it bounced back, has 2 oranges and is rebuilding a canopy. I owe you guys an update. Citrus grows very slowly, and it will take 3-5 years to have a reasonable crop. They really don’t kick in til years 5-7 or so. It is a long term investment, so I haven’t been very frequent with updates since there isn’t much to see compared to amazing first year producers like figs.
@@TheMillennialGardener how often do you water the tree?
Are avocado trees sensitive to juglone from pecan trees? There is a pecan tree near the south side of our home.
I've honestly never heard of this toxin until now, but I consulted two websites. Avocados are not on the sensitive list, but they're not on the companion list, either. Since they don't appear on the sensitive list, that, to me, means they haven't developed a reputation for susceptibility to the toxin. However, the only way to know for sure is to try it. Here are two resources:
homeguides.sfgate.com/can-fruit-trees-grow-next-black-walnuts-58099.html
www.groworganic.com/organic-gardening/articles/companion-plants-that-tolerate-black-walnut-tree-toxicity
Where can I purchase this lily avocado tree??! 😲
I am doing a trial planting of the Lila in Fort Worth Zone 8a. Is anyone else growing the Lila in 8a and getting it to fruit? If it requires us having to polinate it by hand, I don't want to bother with it. My tree is still too new to bloom. I just don't want to invest a year of my time if I have to hand polinate it. Anyone's thoughts....
Avocados are not normally self-fertile, except in instances where you're lucky to get some flower overlap. If you are only going to grow one avocado tree, you are going to have to hand pollinate if you want to have decent fruit-set. It's possible you may get some wind-pollination self-fertility in overlap periods, but the best way is always to hand pollinate. It takes, literally, 3 minutes, to hand pollinate an entire tree when they bloom. You can see how to do it here: ua-cam.com/video/8jdMMjZjI6g/v-deo.html
It really can't be any easier. If you don't want to do this, you're going to have to plant an cold hardy A-type and cold hardy B-type next to each other, then protect both trees all winter long on nights that drop below 30F when they're young, and 25F when they're mature. An avocado tree will not survive long-term in your location in-ground, and you're going to have to spend a considerable effort protecting it every single winter. You'll be spending hours scattered over many different nights protecting it in-ground, so the 3-5 mins to hand pollinate should be a piece of cake by comparison.
Keep in mind you'll also have to meticulously prune these trees every year around Labor Day to keep the form very compact all winter. You'll need to maintain trees that are compact enough to cover with blankets or plant jackets, or they will not survive. Keeping this tree alive all winter will involve investing many hours in pruning, covering, stringing lights to warm them during cold nights, and you'll have to monitor the weather every single nights from November thru March. One missed forecast resulting in an Arctic plunge can kill the tree.
Do you think this tree could be container grown in zone 6b? I would bring it in mid to late fall.
Sure. But you’d need a very sunny south-facing window to keep it indoors to overwinter. Avocados don’t go dormant and keep their leaves all year, so they need constant sun, even in the winter. If you have strong indoor light and the space to keep the tree, you certainly could do it.
My lila avocado is flowering!!! I'm sure yours is too, could you update us with a video sometime.
Loza Farming mine isn’t flowering yet. My guess is because this is its first year in ground, it is focusing on roots and the flowers are delayed (which is a good thing). Last year it flowered in January in a container. It is loaded with thousands of buds, but they haven’t bloomed yet. I will post an update once it blooms so I can explain the hand pollination procedure.
@@TheMillennialGardener thanks because I have no clue on hand pollinating. I'll wait for your video, thanks man.
Loza Farming thanks for watching!
How far away from the house is it? It looks like 3 feet?
It is about 30 inches away. But keep in mind, this is a semi-dwarf variety. You shouldn't do that with a non-dwarfing avocado.
What time of year do
You prune
I prune in September and have several videos on how. ua-cam.com/video/jdFgP6VEOts/v-deo.html
Where did you purchase the tree?
I purchased the tree from a website called Plantogram. I had a very good experience. I posted an unboxing video in July 2018.
Ironically, Lowe’s had a huge shipment of Lila’s in my area this spring. The type may be gaining popularity due to its hardiness and dwarf growth habit. It makes it ideal for containers and small yards.
I have a cold hardy avocado from fast-growing-fruit trees .com. I'm in 8b (lowerstate SC), so a tad bit warmer than Willmington, NC, but still chilly. My tree spent last winter in the ground and despite being a bit battered-looking in the Spring, it is doing well. No fruit yet, but next year is right around the corner right? I also have a Reed Avocado in a 25 gal pot, which I'll be bringing into the house for the winter. I posted a few videos with my cold hardy if you want to take a look. It looked pretty beat up after the winter, but after the Spring and Summer it has grown about 18 inches. Best of luck.
This is very reassuring. Glad to hear it is doing well. We had an incredibly old winter last year, though. If we have another winter like 2018, we could have real problems on our hands. Do you protect it? Protection is certainly advisable.
How is this tree doing now?
Funny, I'm working on an update now. It's been through a bit of trauma. It got half blown over in August from a hurricane and re-staked (I made a video on that). Then, I pretty much pruned it down to half. It's doing pretty well now, though. Growing like a weed. I'll have another update in a week or so.