tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post8997350987725086684..comments2024-03-21T01:15:20.870-07:00Comments on Sacramento Vegetable Gardening: The Legendary Duke Avocado, Part DeuxUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-76221981364789633012020-02-25T18:56:47.287-08:002020-02-25T18:56:47.287-08:00Anybody know where to purchase a Duke Avocado tree...Anybody know where to purchase a Duke Avocado tree? Id like to try growing it out here in the panhandle of Florida. Spinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10128036607284896247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-73397984155145026092019-11-02T15:34:07.930-07:002019-11-02T15:34:07.930-07:00I cant find duke fruit for sale anywhere if anyone...I cant find duke fruit for sale anywhere if anyone has some let me know i will buy them chaffin orchard never shows up at the chico farmers market so they are extremely unreliable and they refuse to ship so they get a big thumbs down anyone can find me dukes let me know hondahshane@yahoo.comAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02136000325444439607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-766506188908204282017-03-31T15:42:36.997-07:002017-03-31T15:42:36.997-07:00I do hope your next adventure is just as meaningfu...I do hope your next adventure is just as meaningful as your last, but a lot more smooth. I'm sorry to hear that you've been troubled. In my short experience on this earth I have noticed that the few years of crap that one gets dealt are there to push and motivate to things one would have never gotten to otherwise. I fell and rolled and stumbled and at the bottom of the pit I found permaculture. I was a typical American slob before that, no way I'd have gotten here on that path. As far as experiencing the Duke, I'm in the south east. Might be hard to get my hands on one, but would love to try planting one here if I ever got the opportunity. I am confused by a nursery selling Duke 7... I googled for more info and was led to your blog. I know Duke 7 is a common rootstock but how does it differ from the Duke? It's not the Duke, or is it? I'm hoping to plant avocado in my Central Savannah River Area (SC) zone 8a garden and just want to make sure I get a variety that can withstand our infrequent but drastic cold snaps of about 16 degrees. And it's gotta "feel right". Well, here's to continuing a life worth writing about. 🍐Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06050435035787610993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-9790982291939000342017-03-30T23:37:33.202-07:002017-03-30T23:37:33.202-07:00Kudos to you, Heather. For you have discovered tha...Kudos to you, Heather. For you have discovered that 2016 was a rather difficult year for me. While I can confirm the harvest last year was quite large, I did not witness it for myself. All of the fruit went to another avocado grower -- a true avocado fan. He indicated that he harvested three to four dozen fruits. The passage of time can cause a great many life changes. While I will probably never plant a Duke tree again and don't have any in pots now, should you be a fan, I do recommend the experience.Bill Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11816389236294882066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-69014167374656060502017-03-30T21:34:52.931-07:002017-03-30T21:34:52.931-07:00Am I the only one who noticed the dates? In April ...Am I the only one who noticed the dates? In April 2016 you were hoping for a big harvest and by November 2016 you are no longer with the property, or the tree(s). Does that mean you don't know how well it fruited? Eat any? I discovered your journey for the Duke earlier tonight and have since been enthralled, needing to see how it turns out despite the fact that it is after midnight where I am. My heart sank at these last comments. Perhaps you have 2 of your 3 grafted trees with you in pots? I loved your detective work and dedication, your love for your lady Venus, and the fact that you renewed an heirloom variety. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06050435035787610993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-42632514769855788902017-03-18T21:05:58.299-07:002017-03-18T21:05:58.299-07:00You have to make one on your own, unfortunately. T...You have to make one on your own, unfortunately. The Duke is no longer sold by anyone on a commercial basis. It hasn't been offered by any nursery for decades. Your best bet is to join the California Rare Fruit Growers organization and start asking questions. I no longer own the home where the Duke is planted.Bill Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11816389236294882066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-88083473848481702162017-03-18T17:18:55.807-07:002017-03-18T17:18:55.807-07:00Hello Bill, from here in Sacramento, what would yo...Hello Bill, from here in Sacramento, what would you suggest as the best route to obtain a Duke tree? Green Thingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-79653108514003595952016-11-08T08:07:07.478-08:002016-11-08T08:07:07.478-08:00Robert,
You've grown yourself some true Duke ...Robert,<br /><br />You've grown yourself some true Duke rootstock, which was used for years because it was so bulletproof to the soil maladies that can strike avocado trees. This is especially true in the colder regions. Our clay muck doesn't drain well, which can be death to avocado rootstocks. But the Duke appears to be bulletproof.<br /><br />As for what you have grown, it's anyone's guess. It's not a true Duke. There is only way to get a true Duke, and that is to take clippings from a Duke tree and graft it to your rootstock. In other words, a seed will not reproduce true to form. BUT, who knows? You might get something better. Some of the better avocados to grace the market have been "sports" grown from seed.<br /><br />As for covering it, I never did cover mine. Didn't need it. The tree will survive until the next owner cuts it down. The Bird Back 40 where the tree stands is just a memory for me now. I don't own it anymore.<br /><br />Best of luck to you,<br /><br />BillBill Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11816389236294882066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-31186181574057574932016-11-08T06:00:41.706-08:002016-11-08T06:00:41.706-08:00Four years ago we bought an avocado at a fruit sta...Four years ago we bought an avocado at a fruit stand near Oroville. The seller said it was locally grown and had an interesting feature, a loose seed. Interesting, so we toothpicked the seed and put it in water. It took such a long time to sprout that we almost threw it out. Patience prevailed and we eventually potted a foot tall little tree. At 18 inches T pinched off the top of the spike and we put the tree on our deck. Next winter we brought the tree back inside. Spring we repotted into the biggest clay pot we could find at Home Depot, 27 inches diameter. That winter I lopped off about 15 inches off the spike so it would fit under the roof overhang next to the house and covered it with a semi opaque fabric. Today Mr Guacamole is over 12 feet tall.<br /><br />Your writings have convinced me that we have grown a seed from a Chalfin Farms Duke. I don't understand why that makes Mr Guacamole different from a Duke Avocado, but what is it? And more importantly, will it be able to tolerate the coming winter without my having to construct a cover for it? Do I at least have a tree that can survive cold weather?<br /><br />We live near Penn Valley in the Sierra foothills at about 1300 feet altitude. Our deck is protected from wind and is about 8 feet above grade. We're in an Oak forest plus two pine trees, so Mr Guacamole sees filtered sunlight all day and direct full sun for about 3 hours. Personally, I've never seen temps below 28F on the deck. Longer term residents claim that snow is possible, but a hard freeze is unlikely. Also, what might be the best time of year for pruning?<br /><br />Thanks for sharing your knowledge.<br /><br />Robert Buckthal<br /><br />Ps: Producing avocados to eat has never been our goal, just a nice deck decoration tree.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04961859262777476866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-21289165107717208872016-10-06T11:11:54.700-07:002016-10-06T11:11:54.700-07:00There is a grower in the Waterford area who has be...There is a grower in the Waterford area who has been known to sell Duke trees. He did the grafting for me on my Duke Avocado tree and did a great job. Suggest you join the Northern CA Chapter of the CA Rare Fruit Growers and strike up a conversation with him.Bill Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11816389236294882066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-66943140759608907252016-10-04T15:27:37.185-07:002016-10-04T15:27:37.185-07:00A Duke seed will not produce a true Duke Avocado. ...A Duke seed will not produce a true Duke Avocado. The only way to get a true Duke is to graft cuttings from a true Duke tree and graft it to the root stock.Bill Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11816389236294882066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-17339269545416033492016-10-04T15:11:56.760-07:002016-10-04T15:11:56.760-07:00I've really enjoyed your articles. I, too, ha...I've really enjoyed your articles. I, too, have gotten the Duke obsession since my socal sister's huge Hass went down in a wind storm. Luckily I live in Chico. Are you saying here that a seed from a Duke (Chaffin's) won't result in a Duke and I must graft from the Depot tree? I currently have two Duke seedlings in pots that are finally taking off. I thought I would be able to just plant them out as they got a little larger...? But if they won't be Dukes... Suggestions? And is anyone selling young Dukes yet, anywhere th<br />at you know of? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10442701933987473244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-61506521480531930182016-04-14T17:28:57.381-07:002016-04-14T17:28:57.381-07:00You can't grow most fruits and citrus from see...You can't grow most fruits and citrus from seed. Well, you can, but it won't be true to form. It will produce an inferior quality fruit, or so I've learned. Most fruit trees are grafted. Loquats are one example where you don't need to graft. But it's the only example I know of. And, yes, the Duke is still extraordinarily difficult to graft!Bill Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11816389236294882066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-23155476922059555282016-04-14T17:27:18.761-07:002016-04-14T17:27:18.761-07:00Hi Pamela!
Not quite a million years! The Duke tr...Hi Pamela!<br /><br />Not quite a million years! The Duke tree is less than three years old, 20 feet tall, and produced avocados last year for the first time ever. We got a total of six. This year the tree was covered in a massive number of blooms and I keep waiting for Duke Avocados to emerge from those blooms. Haven't noticed anything yet. But it was about this time last year when I noticed the first fruit to appear.<br /><br />The tree is doing extraordinarly well and is growing faster than any other fruit tree in the Bird Back 40. I have only one citrus tree close to this size -- and that tree is eight years old. It was the first fruit/citrus tree that I planted.<br /><br />So, yes, the Duke experiment has been well worth it. I'm hoping for a big crop this year. We'll see.Bill Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11816389236294882066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-16621198430793929542016-04-14T16:17:42.427-07:002016-04-14T16:17:42.427-07:00A million years later... hows bringing back the Du...A million years later... hows bringing back the Duke coming? A long time ago I commented on one of your posts, having tried one thanks to the Farmers Market in Chico. <br /><br />I must admit horticulture isn't my strong suit, so I don't understand why Duke root-stock or growing from seed doesn't result in Duke avocados. Like every other person in Butte County whose had the pleasure of consuming a perfectly ripe Duke, getting one of those trees on your property becomes an obsession- and unfortunately one that leads to years of disappointment as you realize only a person with grafting skill will have the option!Pamelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17417571343435150694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-34342936286594621922014-12-10T09:26:02.510-08:002014-12-10T09:26:02.510-08:00Hi Ben -- and others who have asked. I wasn't ...Hi Ben -- and others who have asked. I wasn't all that familiar with grafting when I saw Sam do his work. When I described his work to another CRFG member with more experience than me, he said: "you mean T-grafting?" And that is essentially what it was -- t-grafting. I had never seen this procedure done before when I first visited Sam, and he had so honed his skills that his success rate was close to 95%. You only approach a skill level like this with time and practice. Unfortunately, time also robs people of memories, and that's pretty much the sad story with Sam. I dearly love the man, but he can no longer be trusted to care for young trees because he forgets about them and they don't get any water. It's sad to see what is taking place, but it happens to the best of us. And it's slowly happening to him.Bill Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11816389236294882066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-15359635231757620622014-12-10T07:58:43.347-08:002014-12-10T07:58:43.347-08:00Can you have Sam write up his skin grafting techiq...Can you have Sam write up his skin grafting techique for an article in the CRFG Fruit Gardener? Or at the very least post it here? Thanks. Ben Pierce CRFG<br />P.S. Enjoy the website very much.Ben Piercehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06714884403649519825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-68376891611409765282014-12-10T07:57:05.369-08:002014-12-10T07:57:05.369-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Ben Piercehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06714884403649519825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-82156482379985516602013-11-10T12:32:45.611-08:002013-11-10T12:32:45.611-08:00I have several avocado trees and need a Duke. Sugg...I have several avocado trees and need a Duke. Suggestions?<br />Skin grafting, how is it done?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17422449805192498959noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-66950131141202547582012-11-02T15:19:30.157-07:002012-11-02T15:19:30.157-07:00Oh, I may have misrepresented myself here. I'...Oh, I may have misrepresented myself here. I'm not an expert at any of this. I've been following your blog for a few months, and that's about the extent of my 'expertise'. I saw your first post about the Duke, and thought that it might work for me. (I'm in Tracy, I responded to another post of yours about melons using a different sign in.) What I know about grafting, I've learned from yours and other blogs, and I haven't ever tried it myself. I want to, though. I have a mock pear in the front yard that I want to graft fruit bearing scions to... I digress. <br />When my friend said he had Duke rootstock, I thought I'd hit on something big, I didn't realize they are common. I wonder if just letting the rootstock grow would have good results?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02951737918009254752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-64836740229610076852012-11-01T13:32:05.726-07:002012-11-01T13:32:05.726-07:00Thank you for writing Liana. I appreciate your inp...Thank you for writing Liana. I appreciate your input. I really do. I don't know if you had the opportunity check the first posting on the Duke, where it explained I am a true avocado tree MASS MURDERER. Most rootstocks used today are either Duke-7's or Topa-Topa. I've learned an awful lot about avocados and the history of the avocado industry during this quest. Perhaps more than I wanted to know. I am unsure of the rootstock I am using for the three successfully grafted trees. I can tell you that seeds were collected from the few avocado trees that have survived and thrived through our freezing winters on the Valley Floor. Were they, in fact, Dukes? Unknown. History of these trees: Unknown. Can they survive sustained freezes in the winter AND blistering, dry heat in the summer? Yes.<br /><br />If the scions we pulled from the largest of the two Duke trees, which I strongly believe (but cannot prove) was grafted, and the scions result in an exact replica? I will not be disappointed. Duke fruit is pretty darn good, Liana. Feel free to email me though. I'd like to pick the brain of someone with experience at this like yourself.Bill Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11816389236294882066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-48766112480007142432012-11-01T12:59:12.467-07:002012-11-01T12:59:12.467-07:00I just got this message last night from a friend o...I just got this message last night from a friend of mine who owns an avocado hobby ranch near Santa Cruz. I talked to him about this a couple weeks ago. <br /><br />"I am currently working with Brokaw Nursery in Ventura, Ca. to supply me with somewhere around forty trees. The clonal rootstock that I was considering was a DUKE 7....originating from, obviously, a Duke 1. It is frost resistant. Unless you are prepared to fabricate a small green house with imported soil, maybe Zutano grafted to a Duke might be a path to follow. One thing to remember, I spent thirteen years feeding, watering, and weeding a few trees, only to end up stumping them because the didn't taste that good...."Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02951737918009254752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-84002704800449403912012-10-29T10:27:47.605-07:002012-10-29T10:27:47.605-07:00It's not just Dukes that aren't edible rig...It's not just Dukes that aren't edible right off of the tree. The following is from UC Davis:<br /><br /> How can I tell when my avocados are ripe?<br />Avocados do not "ripen" on the tree, that is, they do not get soft while on the tree. Once you pick an avocado, it takes about 7 to 10 days for it to soften when left at room temperature. You can speed the process up slightly by placing the avocado in a bag with some other ripe fruit (like an apple) or slow the process down by keeping the fruit in the refrigerator.<br /><br />As far as knowing when it is ready to be picked, it is hard to tell from the outside when an avocado is mature. What the industry does is called a "dry weight" test which gives you an indirect measure of the oil content of the fruit. If the oil content is too low, the fruit is not ripe yet and will shrivel or stay rubbery insted of getting soft. I suggest you pick a couple of fruit and try to ripen them. If the fruit shrivel up or seem rubbery insted of soft, they are not mature yet. Keep picking fruit every few weeks. Note on the calendar when they soften instead of turning rubbery. Also, note the taste of the fruit. The oil content of the fruit usually increases through the season and there will be a certain point when it tastes "just right." That date will usually vary somewhat due to climate conditions... and some years will be better than others. Some varieties can also reach a point where they have too much oil and some will turn rancid (although many types fall from the tree before reaching that point).HelenBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08530168702196499410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040094306206601621.post-84230730622140227952012-10-29T08:29:16.697-07:002012-10-29T08:29:16.697-07:00Your outstanding writing skills are now matched by...Your outstanding writing skills are now matched by your exhaustive detective skills, searching out those rare individuals who are true horticultural craftspeople, such as Iran Sam. Of course, your gardening skills will always be suspect!Fred Hhttp://farmerfred.comnoreply@blogger.com