Avocado in Container?

So-
I did not see any threads about avocados in the container forum and I have not seen any mention of containers in the avocado forum.
How are people growing avocados?
I see that I should get a real plant and not grow from grocery store seed if I want fruit.
Can I container grow any varieties and expect fruit? I know they are usually large trees.
Do they need light/active growth year round or can they be grown outdoors in the summer and allowed to go dormant in the winter?

Kyle,
Avocados can, and are, successfully grown in containers. I was in Denver last weekend and Paulino's (on north Broadway) has several cultivars, in the five gallon pot size in the fifty dollar range. I have em and I know Terry and others have and grow them too.

There's a variety known as Little Cado, that is grown in containers. I have Opal, not a well known variety, It's in a 10 gallon and currently blooming.

Hi Folks,

I just thought I would let everyone on this forum know that the Don Gillogly Avocado is currently on sale by a couple of the vendors who normally carry it. You will also have to purchase a couple other fruit plants in order to obtain a half price discount on the Gillogly with one of them and another has it 35% off. Not sure of your policy re naming vendors so just do a quick google search and you will surely find it.

Mr. Greendreems-
Do you have experience with DG avocado? A quick search seems to show mixed feelings with quite a few people slamming it.
After my last post and a little research I decided I wanted holiday avocado. I ordered one from Growquest in February and have had nothing but problems from them. I do not know the actual CN policy on naming vendors but I think it only responsible to let others here know how terrible this company is. They have given me dates twice they said they would ship (and only after pushing for information) and never did. Now they say they do not have anymore of the plants I ordered and I am trying to get my money back.
For other's input on this company- go to the garden watchdog at Davesgarden.com. The posting 5/19/08 is mine. I strongly recommend checking this site before ordering from a company you have not used before and I also strongly recommend not ordering from growquest.

Hi Kyle,

No I don't have any experience growing the Don Gillogly Avocado, but I have been wanting to give it a go for a while and the price will probably not get lower anytime soon. As has just about everyone I have done the pit thing many times with not much to show for it except a sad looking tree after a year or so that I eventualy discarded for more productive use of the space. I do have a Little Cado that I've kept going now for nearly 4 years, no fruit, but it did flower and it was doing fine until the dry heat of my winter home nearly does it in every winter. It is recuperating now though. I am hoping the Gillogly will be more tolerant of my conditions unless and until I can get my sunroom built!

I must agree with you re Growquest as I had a similar experience a few years back. I pestered them continuously until they delivered my plants...very late and they wound up actually overshipping one item. The plants were in good shape (my Little Cado Avocado and a couple rose bushes) and pretty mature for the money, but the customer service and very late shipping is hard to accept.

Dale-
I just noticed you have a holiday avocado in the photo gallery from 12/06. How has the plant done?
Where do you get yours?
Kyle

Kyle, I lost it last year. For some odd reason it started dying from the top of the plant, working its way down to the graft an finally the root system. It was like Plumeria, Black Tip Fungus,

This is the 2nd one I lost in the same manner. After the loss I decided to go back to the low cost way of testing my growing skills and planted some seeds.

I got this from Cliftons Nursery. [Only Registered Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...]

Hi Guys,

Since it seems ok to name companies, I will tell you that Park's Seed co is who I just ordered the DG Avocado from at half price. Also, I noted that Jackson and Perkins are selling it at around 35% off. I do hope the darn thing lives up to some of the hype!!

Mr greendreems, I also tested growing the DG Avocado this also failed for me. Myself I found that Avocados do not like to be repotted, So care must be taken in doing so. I suggest cutting away the container and replanting in a similar soil mix not upsetting the root system.

I resorted back to seed growing in lew of paying top dollar for an Avocado tree. Failing to me means nothing more than learning hands on. I hope your able to grow th DG Avocado and many others.

Perhaps you would be able to shed some light. Best of luck keep us updated on your findings.