Description
The Ryan avocado tree, also known as the Summer Fuerte, is a heavy-bearer, making it particularly rewarding to have in your garden. This is a licensed avocado and therefore slightly more expensive due to royalties.
It has a rough green skin with quality flesh, a late-season Type B, available from August to October. Ryan trees are frost tolerant and are heavy bearers.
Hass or Pinkerton (Type A) is required as a pollinator.
Type A’s first flower is a female flower, which closes and reopens as a male. So, it’s a good idea to plant a Hass tree near a type B avocado, which is the opposite, so the bees can fertilise from open male flowers to open female flowers simultaneously.
Position
The Ryan avocado tree likes plenty of sunshine and rain and prefers to be sheltered from the wind as far as possible. When mature, it is large, so allow an area of about 7 metres around each tree. Dig a deep and wide hole for the feeder roots to spread wide. Nourish all of the soil that will be put back into your hole.
Size
Ryan avocado trees can grow to between 6 and 12 metres tall.
Soil Type
Although this avo tree likes to have a lot of water, the soil should drain well. This prevents the roots from becoming soggy, which will only cause them to rot and die. Sandy, loamy soil with a pH of between 5.0 and 7.0 is ideal. Plant with at least one bag of acid compost.
Mulch
Use from 2 to 5cm of pine bark mulch to protect the roots from UV damage and drying out. Mulcvh retains moisture, and maintains an optimal pH. Do not let the mulch touch the plant stem, as it may cause infection or rot.
Watering
They require plenty of water to flourish. A full-grown tree may take up to 75 litres of water a day. Under normal conditions, water your tree 2 or 3 times a week. If there has been a dry spell, water more often.
Fertilising
Fertilise your avocado tree in spring, summer and autumn by sprinkling a nitrogen-rich fertiliser on the soil under the tree, watering it well so the nitrogen can soak deep into the ground.
Our high nitrogen-rich slow-release Berry/AllPlant Fertiliser works well with all plants and trees. For young trees, apply 1 teaspoon every 4-5 months.
Pruning
Prune your tree with clean equipment, and don’t prune a healthy tree with the same tools you used for a sick tree. Generally, remove horizontal branches that are close to the ground and dead or diseased limbs. Keep the canopy fairly open to allow light to enter and to make it easier to access. A light pruning can be done at any time of year. A heavier prune should be done late in winter or early in spring.
Harvesting
Broadly speaking, it’s best to pick the largest fruits first and then allow them to ripen off the tree before they fall to the ground. Still, leaving them on the tree for as long as possible is good, as immature fruits won’t ripen after they’ve been picked. So, keep an eye on your tree and try to feel the fruit you can reach to check that they are not too soft.
