Avacados in the UK

[Tigerhair]

Do they grow? Do they fruit? Is it worth it?

[Magpie]

Depends on your own microclimate... I have heard of them growing here, in the south of New Zealand, we get a couple of days of snow a winter, and some pretty decent frosts. So - maybe?

[ina]

I don't think they'd grow without a greenhouse - and you'd need a pretty big one! I try to grow them as pot plants, but even that is difficult, my house being quite cold in winter.

Ina

[shiney]

We had a plant once, grown from a pip but it didn't come to much. Just a gangly looking thing that never showed any fruit!

[ina]

Was that indoors?

[Steve Hanson]

Hi Tigerhair

No would be the simple answer here; they don’t work.

I grew several from seed, that’s the easy part, put them in a bag of soil in the airing cupboard wait about 2 to 3 weeks and they will germinate or not.

Pot up the ones that do germinate and keep in a well-lit warm place, like a heated green house or conservatory. If you keep them in a pot you can limit their growth and still get fruit eventually, (I hope your still very young.)

Don’ cut them back or you will never get fruit. They are not frost hardy at all, if frosted they will lose all there growing tips and you wont get fruit. They will grow back again and recover visually but never fruit.

They do however make a wonderful houseplant and the reward of that alone is worth the trouble of trying, for me at least.

Hope this helps

Steve

[Tigerhair]

Thanks Steve (et al)... just a thought really. I love them so.

[ina]

I've got one in the kitchen at the moment that I germinated in the airing cupboard, as Steve suggested - before that I had them germinating on the compost heap. But I never intended to try for fruit; they need a different climate. Nice plants, though - and they don't cost a penny!

[Shirley]

ooh.. might give those a go then - I HATE avocado myself, but David likes them... will buy some for him and nab the stones!!

Any other stones that will produce interesting houseplants?

[ina]

Any citrus fruit! I had quite a huge lemon tree once. Looked beautiful, with glossy leaves.

Be prepared to wait for a while with those avocados, they can take a few weeks to germinate. And some never do; don't know why.

[chadspad]

Hi all,
Just seen this thread and am disappointed that the plants probably wont come to anything as I have 7 growing now from stones! They sell the trees in the garden centres here tho with the fruit on so perhaps they are more likely to succeed in this slightly warmer climate?

[hmk]

There were reports of one found fruiting in Notting Hill earlier this summer. It made national news as it is the first known to fruit in the UK. It was in a sheltered courtyard.

hazel

PS Bob Flowerdew suggests trying guavas from stones.

[Shirley]

thanks for that Hazel - don't generally eat them but if I see any reduced I'll maybe pick some up.

Wonder what happens to all the seeds and stones that are left over from the ready prepared fruit salads that the shops sell.... hmmm.

[hmk]

Can't say they're usually on my shopping list either!

He reckons the ones he grew were hugely better than the shop bought ones.

LMK how it goes if you see any!

Hazel