Avocado Production 101 for Southern California

In this video, organic farmer Scott Murray covers all the basics of growing avocados in Southern California. Scott discusses how to establish a new planting, irrigation, nutrient management, weed management, pruning, scaffolding, harvest, ensuring effective pollination, and varieties appropriate for Southern California. For more information on how to grow avocados in Southern California, reach out to NCAT's California Office, or contact Scott Murray at [e-mail].
This video is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.

[@growyourownavocados]

Great video!

[@sheens9193]

Interesting video. What kind of treatment are you using to reduce the TDS (salts)? Also, do you feed the fertilizer/chemigation year round, or do you make adjustments depending on time of year/flowering, etc.? Thanks

[@johnwallace9585]

1 We invested in a Reverse Osmosis water treatment system. We also use a water on water strategy when watering with high salt well or district water. by watering more frequently for less duration, mulching heavily and not letting the trees dry out which draws the salt up onto them… 2 We typically fertilize directly on the soil with compost or compounded fertilizer two to 4 times a year, once each quarter. We like to fertigate every week in high growth spring and summer months and every 2 weeks in lower growth months… 3 We also like to fertilize more heavily during the fall to support fruit growth and storage of nutrients for the colder months when uptake is less efficient . 4 We are strictly Organic Growers and use a variety of different sources of nutrients to keep the plants happy. Our chemical neighbors often feed heavily in the spring and fall only directly on the ground with crystal fertilizer… 5 We like to use one or the other, composted dairy or chicken. Depending on the size of the tree we feed from 1 to 4 Five Gallon buckets of compost onto the spray pattern of our irrigation system. Once year we put 6” thick layers of compost in a ring around the trees and within 4 weeks the tree grew root hairs right up into the compost. 6 We vary our nutritional tools by using different liquid or dry products through out the year in our 4 on ground feedings… Scott Murray

[@sheens9193]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!

[@titoace408]

👍🫡🌮🥑🥑

[@b_uppy]

Wish I was seeing some permie methods here. Be much more interesting.. What about heavy avocado producers that perhaps are less dependent on irrigation? The pathway looks like it drains water. Have they tried planting avocados in pits for better water efficiency? What about the benefits of plant diversity? What constitutes a 'weed' on an avocado ranch? Seems those weeds anchor the mulch and protect it from dessication, solarization, and wind and soil erosion. Maybe plant compatible cover drops instead??? Have you researched growing low persin varieties of avocados so that avocado orchard undergrowth may be managed by certain livestock? It is my understanding that Hass/Guatemalan types are especially toxic.

[@ggarfish1]

Liked your video very much. I've been trying to find a Sharwil, but have not had any luck. Do you have any suggestions on where I might find one? Thanks in advance.