[Hopalong]

Is it feasable to grow avocados in Britain in a unheated greenhouse?  :?  Has anyone done it,? How does one proceed? Is it necessary to subject the seed to cold weather before it will germinate, like you do (or the growers do) for potato seed? Such alot of question I know but I really would be interested to hear some positive answers as we have a number of avocado stones (from various dishes we have made) and it would be a pity to throw them away if they can be utilised.  

[digital_biscuit]

Hey hopalong. I also have looked into this as i love avacado and would love to grow these expensive fruits myself. My findings are thus. You can grow in the UK in warm climates, however it takes upto 10 years from seed to fruit!!!! Have a google search about how to start them off, thats where i found the info. I may obviously be wrong, but this is what i found trawling!

Sorry not to be more positive!

[WG.]

Do you have a very large greenhouse?  They are a large tree : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avocado

[fletch]

I started an avocado stone into growth 4 years ago (dead easy, no germination problems).

It was kept as a house plant until 2 years ago and then put into an unheated conservatory.........
As WG says, they are really trees, this summer mine finally hit the ceiling, thats stone to a 9ft X 6ft spread tree in 4 years  :shock:

I had to chop it down to a 2ft stump a month or so ago and it is sprouting like crazy again so maybe it will be more shrubby and produce fruit at a smaller height?? I'll have to see.

Not really a viable fruiting option in this country I don't think, unless you have loads of room, but a pleasant enough plant until it outgrows your house!

Fletch

[digital_biscuit]

fletch, did you ever get any fruit?

[Hopalong]

Thank you everyone for your replies to my question. I have Googled it and it seems that the tree doesn't bear fruit for ten years, and it is a substantial tree too :roll: At my rather advanced age, and with only half a plot I have decided to forgo the pleasure of growing my own :oops:

[WG.]

Half a plot?  Where are you based please?  You gave the impression you were going to plant it in a greenhouse.

[fletch]

Hi digital biscuit, no, it never got to fruiting stage, it literally got massive in 4 years, taking up 1/4 of the conservatory. Like growing a Sycamore in your house!
I'm wondering wether my "stump" may do something as it has effectively been pollarded and has about 20 fresh shoots which I may (or may not) be able to select the best of and grow it like a cordon?
I really don't know.
One thing, it's heartbreaking to have such a majestic plant and then have to chop it down.  

Fletch

[roo loose]

hi all... living where avo's grow outside I thought you should be aware of a few problems with getting fruit. You will have no probems getting the tree to grow , even to a giant  I have seen no bearing trees in cold area over 5 m high.The problem is in the flowering , for the plant to pollinate you need an overnight temp of over 12 degrees c for two nights in a row. Mine are getting ready to flower now , they are Hass , and  have borne fruit from year 3 after planting.With a Haas you can leave the fruit on the tree and it will not ripen until it is picked , about 10 to 14 days from picking.  I use grafted trees, as they bear fruit quickly.If you had a big enough hot house and temp control you may get away from it. Two better options , global warming or move.

[WG.]

Thanks for the info RL & welcome to the forum.

Two better options , global warming or move.

     I'd consider moving; is a criminal record still required to get in?  

[roo loose]

a criminal record is not compusary to grown avo's but essential if you want to be a politician / policeman / business man . Really not much different that you palid mob. Avo;s do make a great decorative tree and can be pruned hard without harming them, so even without fruit they are a great tree . I have one in a tight fit, between a building and a fence ,that I have trained , if you can train a 3 metre tree. It has about 300 avo's a season , a mature tree will give a lot more . I have several types as they bear at different times , arhh avo's all year round what a *. The only down side is they are 5 for 40 pence in the fruit shop at this time of the year. Avo's can handle frost, love water but don't like wet feet ( we had a metre of rain in 7 days mid August) and do not like wind. The rain with 28 degree winter sunshine has kicked everything of early this year. Frost  in July killed most of the sugar cane but made for little lawn mowing

[WG.]

28 degree winter sunshine

 :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

[digital_biscuit]

Avo;s do make a great decorative tree

I love the aussie way of shortening everything! Bless em!