How to Grow and Care for Day Avocado
A practical guide to cultivating the Day avocado. Learn its specific requirements for climate and care to ensure successful fruit production and harvest.
The Day avocado is a hybrid cultivar appreciated for its productivity and flavor. Originating in Florida, this variety resulted from a cross between West Indian and Mexican types. This background gives it a unique combination of traits that appeal to home gardeners.
Day Avocado Characteristics
The Day avocado fruit is pear-shaped and weighs between 8 and 14 ounces. Its skin is smooth, thin, and remains a glossy green even when fully ripe. The flesh is thick and greenish with a creamy and buttery texture due to a high oil content. Many describe the flavor as rich and nutty with a hint of sweetness.
The tree is a semi-dwarf with a bushy and compact growth habit, making it a suitable option for smaller backyards. It is also a precocious variety, meaning it tends to bear fruit at a younger age than many other avocado cultivars.
Cultivation and Care
For optimal growth, the Day avocado tree requires a location that receives full sun. It thrives in well-draining soil, as it is susceptible to root rot if its roots remain waterlogged. A soil pH that is slightly acidic to neutral is suitable, and consistent moisture is important for young trees, but overwatering should be avoided.
A regular feeding schedule during the growing season supports healthy development. A balanced fertilizer formulated for citrus and avocado trees provides the necessary nutrients. The tree has a moderate cold tolerance and can withstand temperatures as low as 25°F, making it a choice for USDA hardiness zones 9B through 11.
Pollination for Fruit Production
The Day avocado is classified as a Type B cultivar, which has a distinct flowering behavior. Its flowers open in a female stage during the afternoon of the first day, then close and reopen in a male stage the following morning. This process, where male and female parts mature at different times, can limit self-pollination.
While a Day avocado tree may produce some fruit on its own, planting it near a Type A cultivar will significantly increase pollination and yield. Type A flowers have the opposite pattern, opening as female in the morning and male the next afternoon. This complementary timing allows for effective cross-pollination. Common Type A varieties include the Hass, Lula, and Choquette.
Harvesting and Ripening
The harvest season for Day avocados runs from July through September. Avocados do not ripen on the tree; they must be picked once mature and allowed to soften at room temperature. A mature Day avocado will have reached its full size and the small stem may start to turn yellowish.
Once picked, the fruit should be left on a counter to ripen, which can take several days. The fruit is ready to eat when it yields to gentle, all-over pressure. This softness is the most reliable indicator of ripeness, as the green skin does not change color.