There’s an Avocado Tree in my in-laws’ backyard that decided to stop being lazy at some point in 2016 and went on to produce an abundance of impressively large fruit. I posted about it in October of that year, thinking it was a noteworthy phase, but the tree seems permanently lodged in production mode these days. Bring on the avocado recipes!

Intrigued, I posted about the tree for the second time last November, when the avocados were already a promising size. None of us knows why the avocado tree is suddenly so fruit-bearing, but then again, none of us are farmers (although my brother-in-law has a doctorate in biology, but he’s now in seminary). It’s another example of how growing food in Portugal requires little effort, but harvesting is another story. Recently, my father-in-law purchased a boom-like device to try and pick the fruit without having to climb on a ladder. It doesn’t completely prevent an avocado casualty, but it helps.

The avocado tree is gaining a bit of fame. I posted about it in this site’s Facebook page, sparking some avocado tree envy and prompting one reader to ask if it’s possible to have a baby tree from this one. I don’t know if this tree’s success can be guaranteed, let alone replicated, but the soil, water, and climate would have to be transplanted, too. Good luck with that!

March 18, 2018
Album: Portugal [Winter 2017/2018]

Source