Would you believe it if we told you that you could grow fresh avocados in your very own garden in winter? It’s true! The Bacon avocado produces fruit between November and March, providing avocados in the off-season to those lucky enough to have one. Add in its keto-friendly nutrients and its subtle taste, and it’s a dairy-free, low-calorie mayo substitute for just about every diet.
Sound like something you want in on? Read on for how to find, grow, and harvest Bacon avocados for healthy snacks all winter long.
History of the Bacon Avocado
The Bacon avocado is a hybrid of two Mexican avocado types originally cultivated by a man named James Bacon who lived in California. Since its first production in 1954, it’s been found to be one of the more cold-hardy varieties of avocados. It can withstand temperatures as low as twenty-five degrees, allowing it to grow well in hardiness USDA hardiness zones ten and eleven.
Characteristics of the Bacon Avocado Tree
Full-grown Bacon avocado trees reach heights of fifteen to twenty feet. Their fruit is smooth skinned and dark green with speckles, oval-shaped, and weighs 6-12 ounces.
Eating the Bacon Avocado
The Bacon avocado has a very subtle flavor that is sometimes slightly sweet. Some consider it to be bland in flavor because it doesn’t have as much flavor as the Hass or Fuerte avocado.
The somewhat bland flavor of the Bacon makes it a good substitute ingredient for making some recipes healthier. For example, avocado is a good substitute for mayonnaise to make a recipe lower-calorie or dairy-free. If you want only the texture of the avocado and not the usual avocado flavor, then a Bacon is a good choice for substitution purposes.
Bacon avocados are also great on toast, on a sandwich, and as a garnish. Mash them up to spread on bread or slice them for a garnish on a salad, an omelet, or salsa.
You can also eat the avocados by themselves as a snack. Simply slice and dice the fruit in one half and then scoop around it to loosen it from the skin with a spoon or butter knife. Then spear one chunk at a time with a fork or toothpick for a filling, low-calorie snack.
Health Benefits of the Bacon Avocado
All avocados are high in fat, but it’s a healthier fat than what is found in most other high-fat foods. This makes avocado a keto-friendly food. They’re also a great alternative for other ingredients like mayonnaise. Especially on a sandwich.
Avocados are also a healthy source of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and fiber, which can boost your immune system as well as act as a natural laxative.
Growing the Bacon Avocado Tree at Home
Yes, you can grow Bacon avocado trees at home. But be aware that their root systems are ruthless and they’ll choke out other nearby plants as they grow. So plant your avocado tree well away from other trees and landscaping plants.
Should You Grow Your Bacon Avocado Tree from a Seed or a Plant?
You can grow a Bacon avocado tree from a seed you take from inside an avocado for free yourself, but be aware that it will take a number of years to grow before it will be able to produce avocados. Purchasing a young avocado plant is a faster option, but it will be much more expensive because someone’s been putting their time into growing it for all those years.
Avocado Tree Sun and Water Requirements
Avocado trees prefer full sun (at least six hours of sun exposure per day). They don’t do well in saturated soil, so a well-draining area of the yard is best.
Size, Spacing, and Pollination
Bacon avocados should be spaced at least fifteen feet apart to allow ample room for growth as time goes on.
Bacons are great at self-pollinating. They don’t require the presence of another avocado tree in order to produce a good harvest. Though they are useful cross pollinators for other avocado tree varieties.
Pests & Diseases
Rats, snails, and June beetles are the main predators of avocado trees. Rats will climb the trees and nibble on the bark and the fruits
June beetles feast on the buds before they even get the chance to grow. These beetles are hard to catch red-handed since they feast at night, but you can set a trap for them to protect your avocado tree. Purchase or build a few June beetle traps and hang them in various locations around the tree to catch the culprits.
Snails will snack on the leaves and fruit, leaving holes and an invitation for rot in their wake. This is not a huge problem for mature trees, but it can be very damaging for young trees. An organic snail and slug bait such as Sluggo will catch them.
For more about avocado pests and how to eradicate them, check out this article.
Bacon Avocado Tree Pruning
Pruning can keep an avocado tree down to a more manageable size permanently, as long as the pruning is done properly and regularly. For details on avocado pruning, check out our Avocado Tree Pruning Guide.
When to Harvest to the Bacon Avocado
While most avocado trees produce their fruit in the summer or fall, the Bacon avocado tree produces from November through March. This makes a Bacon an excellent choice to add to your yard even if you have other avocado varieties because it will produce avocados for you in winter when the others are dormant.
Where To Buy the Bacon Avocado Tree
Young Bacon avocado plants can be purchased online (even through Amazon). Purchasing a plant will save you a few years of waiting for a seed to get big enough to produce fruit, but even a sizable plant may still need a few more years to mature before producing.
Where To Buy Bacon Avocados
Grocery stores don’t usually carry this kind of avocado because of the subtle flavor that some consider bland. You may, however, be able to find some in the winter as Bacon avocados produce better than other types at that time.
You can also purchase fresh avocados from Amazon, but you may be able to find them more affordably at a local farmer’s market in your area. To get Bacon avocado seeds to grow yourself, purchase some fresh avocados and carefully remove their seeds without scratching them. You can then grow these seeds as they aren’t available online.
Conclusion
Have we sold you on the merits of the Bacon avocado? It’s hard to beat an avocado tree that will grow and produce fruit throughout the winter. And a healthy substitute for mayo with less avocado flavor than other varieties is better for many recipes. If you’re ready to taste and/or start growing bacon avocados, grab some fruits or plants from the links above to get started. Enjoy!
Excited for more avocado content? Then check out my avocado page for more growing tips, info guides, and great recipes!
- About the Author
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Savannah Mason lives on a farm in the Midwest surrounded by fields, gardens, and—her personal favorite—pumpkin patches.
With her degree in veterinary technology, the neighboring goats, pigs, chickens, and miniature horse are her favorite part of living on a farm.
When she’s not writing about the great outdoors online, she fills her fantasy novels with trees, wild creatures, and a little bit of magic.
Savannah can be reached at Masonmillcontentwriting@gmail.com