Growing Brogden Avocado in the Northeast Florida Landscape
Brogdon Avocado / Persea americana Origins:
– Brogden ( Type B ) is named After Tom W. Brogden of winter haven Florida thought to be a cross between Mexican and West Indian Type cultivars and known for its extreme cold tolerance. It has unique dark purple skin and excellent flavor.
Brogden Exposure:
– Plant your Brogden avocado tree into a full sun or afternoon sun area of the landscape.
Brogden Avocado Foliage and Winter Tolerance:
– large green leaves typical of the species, non scented, remains evergreen in winter.
Brogden avocado trees are extremely cold tolerant and can tolerate temperatures down to 22°F so it is an excellent option for a no fuss avocado tree for our northeast Florida without damage.
Brogden Avocado Soil Preference / Salt tolerance:
-Avocado trees need well drained soils. They are not tolerant of overly moist soils, avoid planting in areas that remian wet for days after heavy rains, plant in raised beds or burms in areas with a high water table. when planted into well drianed soils avocados are well suited to the native sandy soils of Florida and do not require amendment at the time of planting.
– low salt tolerance not suitable for coastal gardens.
Brogden Avocado Size Variance and Growth Habit:
– Brogden avocado trees can reach 15-25 ft in height in the Northeast Florida Landscape. They will produce fruit best when kept to an open center where sunlight can penetrate into the branch structure. It is recommended that after few years of growth in the home landscape that they be cut back to 10-15 ft from the ground removing the central leader, this helps keep the trees fruit where you can easily reach it and helps with any pest treatments you may need.
Pruning with avocados in Northeast Florida can be a bit tricky. Brogden is an early bloomer so prune immediately following harvest in fall. On later blooming trees you would want to wait until early spring to prune to avoid dangers of cold damage on newly formed leaves stems and branches.
Brogden Avocado Growth Rate:
– Avocado trees are considered a moderate to fast growing plant selection. Once established into the landscape expect 1-3 ft of foliage growth in a season.
Brogden Avocado Blooms and Fruit:
Brogden avocado trees follow the type B flowering schedule. Individual blooms will open as female the afternoon of their first day remain open for a few hours close up and open again the next morning functioning as male flowers.
– Brogden avocados are small with a pear shape large rounded seed in the center and a shiny thin skin that ages to a deep purple black. The fruits are creamy and delicious and perfectly packaged for single serving sizes, there is no need to keep that other half waiting in the refrigerator for another day.
All avocado fruit ripens once it has fallen from the tree or has been picked. Once Brogden has reached mature size and color you can pick and harvest at will and leave them on the tree until you need them!
Begin harvesting your Brogden avocado tree from July to September here in NE Florida.
Avocado Water Requirements:
– Although much more durable once established in the landscape, regular water is necessary to get the plant rooted and growing on its own after being planted in the ground from an S & J Nursery container. Use supplemental irrigation when planted in full sun or in extremely sandy soil.
– Water generously during droughts at least once or twice a week for best results if
planted into an non irrigated garden location.
Care of Brogden Avocado in the Norhteast Florida Landscape :
– Prune immediately after flowering so it has time to regrow new foliage that can harden off before we get a hard freeze. Make sure to fertilize at the same time you prune and water well for the next few weeks to ensure the tree has everything it needs to get growing.
– Avocado trees will need good water during the establishment period and
supplemental irrigation during dry spells or particularly hot dry summers, especially when planted into sandy soils.
– Fertilize every other month through the year with a good tropical plant food or a slow release poly coated plant food such as Osmocote.
– Keep the area below the foliage free of grass and other vegetation that will compete for nutrients. Mulch thickly in a circle around the tree under the foliage canopy being sure to keep it thinner not letting it pile up right at the base of the trunk. Start with at least a 4 ft wide circle on a young tree and you can keep expanding the mulch bed area to the foliage line as your tree grows. Arborist chips are ideal, you can also use leaf litter from surrounding landscape trees, pine straw or pine bark all good sustainable options that will both help regulate soil moisture and break down into nutrition for your trees.