Avocado - Ivan - Winter ripening

Ivan is a fantastic New Zealand developed variety that has a lot of similarities to Hass, though it ripens through winter. Like Hass, the skin turns black upon ripening, making it easy to know when it's ready to eat. The flesh is yellow/golden, with a lime green tinge closer to the skin. Its creamy, and has a very fine flavour and texture, and is perfect for using in any food dish, or avo on toast. Ivan can be thought of as a winter ripening Hass, for Hass lovers to extend their avocado season!

A fantastic variety to add to your collection if you have a Reed or Hass, as the fruit will be ready at the time of year those varieties have finished fruiting.

We are still determining the flower type of Ivan, however at this point it looks to be an A type.

Avocado trees are generally easy to care for, but here are a few tips to help ensure your tree thrives:

1. Plant your tree in well-draining soil in a sunny location. Protect from wind and frost when young.

2. Water your tree regularly, but be careful not to over-water. Avocado trees prefer to be kept evenly moist, but not waterlogged. If planting in a clay soil, it is important to either create a mound, or build a raised planter box to plant your tree into. This helps keep the sensitive feeder roots out of the wet zone.

3. Fertilise your tree with a balanced fertiliser twice a year, once in the spring and once in the summer.

4. Prune your tree regularly to remove any dead or damaged branches, and to shape the tree to promote good fruit production.

5. Avocado trees love mulch! Mulching around your tree helps regulate moisture, keep weeds away, breaks down into food for the tree, and creates a very healthy balance of good bacteria and fungi, closer to their natural habitat.