How Brad grew his avocado grove

More info on Brad's new grove coming at: gregalder.com/...

[@John-x5t4s]

Love leaf shade trick : ) Shot

[@chanbru]

Great video, Greg. Most of people would think of buying grafted trees. Your friend took a different but effective approach. Thanks for sharing.

[@craigkeller]

Way cool. Thank you 🙏

[@ocneal]

Very interesting, Greg. Does his last name start with an "S?" Did he purchase his Zutano seeds from another farmer somewhere? Near the beginning of the grafting, did he pull down on the rootstock's bark to get such a perfect cut or did he score the rootstock's bark first to get that perfect cut? I wonder what type of grafting tape it was and where he purchased it. What is the name of that type of grafting technique? Tell him I'll buy a few of his Sharwil when they're ready. Thanks for the video.

[@gregalderdotcom]

Neal, I'll write up a post this week with details and answer your questions there. Good questions. Thanks.

[@AhJodie]

Beautiful!

[@johnbanach3875]

Brad's the man!

[@mikestil1]

I also live in Poway, but how does he afford water? I have just a few trees and I pay $380 during summer.

[@gregalderdotcom]

A good well

[@Sam-mc2dk]

Nice work Greg. Is his grove local?

[@gregalderdotcom]

Thanks. In the hills near Poway, San Diego County.

[@MoAces]

I was wondering if that grafting technique affects the trees ability to withstand high winds?

[@bradspaugh9827]

Hello, the trees are very strong grown this way because they are never in pots or staked. They can take the santa ana wind no problem. The grafting tape that is bright green has to stay on for up to 6 months so the graft can fully heal. Because the roostock is large, the scion grows extremly fast and requires the tape for support for the first 5-6 months. It must be checked periodically and loosened during this time once or twice.

[@socalbackyardgardener]

Great job Brad. This is Will by the way.

[@Kad-qd9fx]

What time of the year did you graft your trees?

[@gregalderdotcom]

Early December

[@ratshackmojo]

I ignorantly bought a Zutano tree from HD a few years ago before I read your awesome website and seeing how I cringed when he just lopped off the whole top of the zutano let’s me realize what a trash variety I bought. I’m going to have to find or pay someone to graft onto this tree before it get’s much bigger.

[@sfax]

I think it just grows well as a rootstock but not necessarily a bad variety to grow.

[@RareAvoTrees]

Interesting way to do it not sure its the best but whatever works

[@manfromyard]

Well, it's certainly the most cost effective way to do it. Have you seen fruit tree prices lately?😢

[@gcc2313]

I would think its easier to graft earlier. At pencil size. The plants typically have easier time healing and the size is similar to the scion. And easier to protect the small grafts

[@bradspaugh9827]

its not easier. the grafts grow way faster on a mature rootstock. And the rootstocks grow way faster if you put them in the ground at a super young age. The timing of everything here is pretty critical. The seeds need to be taken by new years, then the seeds need to be sprouted in the next 2-3 months and planted by April or May at the latest so they can get established by summer. Then the tree grows way faster than it would if it were sitting in a pot. And the following year or 2 years later, once grafted, the grafts grow way faster than if they were on a potted plant. I've done this both ways and this way produces much faster result and much stronger trees.

[@Jakkalsie]

​@bradspaugh9827 Hi Brad....your input please on selecting Zutano as rootstock. Your whole grove on Zutano? Thank you.

[@bradspaugh9827]

​@@Jakkalsieyes, it works great. They make good rootstocks. All the trees are on zutano.

[@kanagunbr]

Great. I follow the same.

[@KasakaTV7777]

This is much better if a farmer/avocado grower has the skill to do field graft. But even if the grower has no skill, he can still hire one to do the horticultural task.

[@gregalderdotcom]

I agree. And there is a nursery or two that I've heard considering offering this method of tree establishment since some precocious varieties are difficult to start by planting in the traditional method (planting already grafted trees).

[@bradspaugh9827]

The problem with that is there is a lot of follow up tasks with this kind of grafting. The grower needs to remove any new buds growing on the rootstock. And also the grower needs to keep an eye on the graft and not let the tape girdle it. Its not difficult, it just requires a lot of follow on work after the graft is done. Its not a 1 time pay someone to graft the tree and you are done kond of thing is what I am saying. A person who doesnt want to do this work would be disappointed when the rooststock grows back and leaves their new graft in the dust because they had no idea how to do the required after care on the grafts.

[@gregalderdotcom]

So true. Unfortunately, one of the misleading things about this video that summarizes the process is that it doesn't mention all of the graft maintenance required.