Question:
I've started several Avocado pits in pots. They sprouted and are now well over a foot high. Several weeks ago, I left one outside too long on a crisp, sunny day. The leaves got crinkly brown, shriveled up and eventually dropped off. It's just a stalk now, although leaves are starting to bud. Now the same thing has begun to happen to the other plant. This one was never placed outdoors. Is there anything I can do about this crinkly leaf condition? Also, when can I expect Avocados?Answer:
- Avocados are not an ideal indoor plant. Avocados are a large evergreen trees that at maturity will reach forty to sixty feet tall with a widespread. However, there are dwarf varieties that can be used as container plant.
- Avocados do grow and survive in the Bay Area; however, they do suffer from cold temperatures. Normally, it's the nighttime temperature that is a concern. If the temperature is below thirty-two degrees after the sun rises for hours on end, they usually die; otherwise, the foliage turns brown.
- In your case, you moved the plant from a sheltered mild/warm indoor setting to the outdoors where the conditions was drastically different. The plant reacted to the change by the leaves turning brown and dropping off.
- Cold is a descant that pulls moisture out of the foliage and burns the leaves. Moisture, too much or not enough, can also cause the leaves to turn color and drop off. This is the problem with the second plant.
- Right now, I'd water them once a week depending on the size of the pot. If they are currently in a pot smaller than six inches, transplant them into a larger container. You can safely move the plants outdoors now as the danger of frost is over for the Bay Area.
- They require lots of direct sunlight. As for fruiting, Avocados are unpredictable when they are started from a seed/pit. There is no guarantee they will ever produce. If they do produce, the Avocados more than likely will be different from the parent plant.
- The final piece of bad news is that you'll have to wait a long time to find out. Avocados take six to ten years before they are capable of fruiting when started from a seed/pit.
Question:
I have a small area where I can't get grass to grow. I have put down sod on several occasions, but it only lasted a year and then the area turned to a green mold. This location gets little to no sun at all. Is there a grass seed that will grow anywhere, in any conditions or hearty enough for my situation?Answer:
- Grass requires minimum of four hours per day of sunlight; otherwise, it thins out in low light or very shady locations. Unfortunately, your area is not suited for grass to grow. I hate to say this but artificial turf would be a better answer.