Question from Chuck:
Live on the Central Coast about 7 miles east of the ocean on Santa Rosa Creek Road. This is just east of Cambria, CA. The sunset zone is 15 to 16 I believe. Chill hours 400 to 500 and temperatures go below freezing into the 20’s in winter. Would like to plant 2 avocado trees. Don’t want really big trees. Would like trees in the 15′ tall range. Have read everything I can find and know that you need an A & B tree but nobody seems to say what trees go together best except for a Hass with a Zutano.

What do you think would be good trees to plant?
Can I control the size by pruning like you can do on fruit trees.

Answer from Pat:
Avocados are classed as tropical or subtropical trees. They cannot take freezing temperatures. You live in a borderline area and if it regularly freezes you would be better off not to struggle against your climate. My recommendation would be to stick to growing deciduous fruit trees. However, if you actually live in Zone 15, not 14, you might be able to grow an avocado known to survive in Zone 15. Check the varieties listed on page 210 of Sunset Western Garden Book and find the ones that survive in Zone 15. If you live in Zone 15, I would suggest planting ‘Pinkerton’ that has Type A blossoms and ‘Stewart’, ‘Fuerte’, or ‘Jim’ which have Type B blossoms as pollinators. All of these avocados can survive and bear fruit in Zone 15.

Regarding pruning, you can control size by drop-crotching the tops and sides down to cross branches, but be careful not to prune so much that sunshine hits the bark. Avocado bark is highly susceptible to sunburn. To control size, I recommend planting both trees in the same hole so the two will grow together and take up the space of one tree.