The Doni Avocado is a superior quality fruit that is widely grown in Florida commercial groves for a number of reasons. One of the most appealing attributes of this variety is that the fruit is ready to harvest in May and June, and therefore crops can be picked before tropical storms or even hurricanes become common each season. The fruit is large, up to 2 pounds, and has a large quantity of flesh compared to seed material. Doni Avocado Trees grow to 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide when planted in the ground in their suggested Zones of 9 to 11.
Doni Avocado Trees are somewhat cold sensitve, and trees in Zones 4 to 8 (or where freezing is common) should be planted in pots and brought indoors over winter. This early variety has a very mild flavor and is prized for dips and salads where the fruit’s creamy texture blends well with other flavors. Plant a Doni Avocado Tree in your edible landscape and grow this tropical treasure that provides deep green foliage, shade, bird habitat, and delicious early Avocados.
Doni Avocado Trees can not tolerate standing water, so in commercial groves they are sometimes planted on raised mounds. This practice has found its way into home gardens as a way to be sure that the roots of the Doni Trees can drain fully. To plant your Doni Avocado Tree on a raised mound, construct a circular mound of soil that is between 1 and 2 feet tall, and 4 to 6 feet in diameter. Use rich top soil and add peat moss, coarse sand, perlite, and compost to build the mound in a location that gets 6 or more hours of full sun each day.
Dig a hole in the center of the mound that is as deep and a few inches wider on each side than the existing tree’s rootball. Backfill the hole with your mound-soil mixture and water the tree in well. Build a 6 inch tall soil ridge around the tree base that is about 1 to 2 feet in diameter to help retain water. Mulch the entire mound with 2 or 3 inches of wood chips, leaves, grass clippings, pine straw, shredded tree bark, or any combination of such materials.
Fruit & Harvesting
Like other Avocado Trees, Doni Avocado Trees bloom thousands of individual flowers in clusters on long bloom stems. It is common for most of these flowers to fall off, and many of the smallest fruit will fall away as well. Do not be alarmed. Shedding smaller fruit is the tree’s way of producing and retaining the largest, best fruit for ripening. As the Doni Avocados mature, they develop shiny green skin and an elongated shape.
Harvest the fruits when they are from 1 to 2 pounds each and still hard, from May through the end of June. Let the fruits soften indoors, but not refrigerated, for a few days. When the Avocados yield to a gentle squeeze, cut and peel the fruit. A little experience will give you the confidence to harvest and peel perfectly ripe and ready Doni Avocados every time. Doni Avocado Trees are heavy producers, and one mature tree can grow hundreds of fruit each year, so you will have plenty to use and share.
Advice
Doni Avocado Trees do best in full sun and rich soil that drains well. Avoid planting on pond shores or in low-lying areas that are prone to flooding in the rainy season. Prune the trees in late winter before new spring growth and blooms arrive. Be sure to remove cut limbs from the tree’s base. Always cut out any dead or broken branches. Also, trim lower branches so that the leaves or branch ends never touch the ground. Branches that touch the ground can invite pests and be susceptible to splashing dirt that may carry fungus and other pests which can damage trees.
To grow a Doni Avocado Tree in a container, select a pot that is at least 2 inches larger on all sides than the existing tree’s root ball, and that has holes for drainage. Fill the bottom of the new container with rich potting soil that contains perlite, and position the tree so the top of the existing root ball is 2 inches from the new pot’s rim. Fill the remaining space in the pot with the potting soil, and water well. Place potted Doni Avocado Trees in as much daylight sun as available. Be sure your potted fruit trees get a nightly period of darkness as well, which is essential for tree growth.
FAQs
Can I grow a Doni Avocado Tree from seed?
You can grow an avocado tree from seed, but the fruit the tree grows may or may not be of good eating quality. The best way to get a reliable fruit is to purchase a grafted Doni Avocado tree from a professional nursery.
Can a Doni Avocado Tree survive cold temperatures?
Doni Avocado Trees are cold sensitive. Grow them outdoors in USDA Zones 9 to 11, or in pots to overwinter indoors in Zones 4 to 11.
Is mulch good for a Doni Avocado tree?
Mulch made of organic materials is fine for Doni Avocado Trees. Do not stack mulch against the tree trunk, as this can encourage rotting of the tree base.
How tall do Doni Avocado Trees get?
Doni Avocado Trees growing in the recommended zones and in ideal conditions can reach heights of 30 feet.
What others are saying
There are no contributions yet.