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University of California
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High-density planting of avocados boosts yield

Planting avocado trees closer together nearly doubles yield, UC ANR advisor Gary Bender found.
The California avocado industry is getting much-needed hope from results of a UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) study on high-density planting, reported Lesley McClurg on Capital Public Radio. One farmer featured in her report said, because of the drought, he is paying $1,600 per acre-foot for water, an all-time high.

Gary Bender, an advisor with UC ANR Cooperative Extension in San Diego County, believes that increasing per-acre yield will help farmers stay in business.

“We've been growing avocados wrong all these years and we're finally starting to figure it out," Bender said.

He planted trees 10 feet apart in a research trial, instead of the standard 20 feet spacing. Instead of letting the trees grow tall, the standard practice, he pruned them regularly to keep the trees short and fat.

The study was a huge success, yielding nearly 13,000 pounds of Haas avocados per acre, McClurg reported. Usually farms in the area yield between 6,000 to 7,000 pounds per acre.

 

 

Posted on Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at 11:03 AM
Tags: avocados (6), drought (171), Gary Bender (4)

Comments:

1.
I'd like to know more about pruning them to be short and fat. My research indicates the conventional thought is no pruning is best because the fruit is produced on new growth.

Posted by Toni Turbyfill on June 9, 2015 at 5:55 PM

2.
Great article on optimal spacing of avocados. .even tho I'm a part tine winter wheat farmer in Kansas (about 40 acres) I was truly fascinated by the findings. Cool. Thanks a lot..looking for more ag insight. .thanks again. Steve in Louisburg,Kansas (4500 +/-)

Posted by Steven C. Alberg on June 11, 2015 at 5:56 PM

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