Want to grow citrus or avocados in a SLO County garden? What you need to know
Have you ever wished you had your own avocado tree and could pick fresh avocados whenever you wanted? Or would you like to grow a citrus tree, but don’t have a yard?
The UC Master Gardeners of San Luis Obispo County will present a two-in-one workshop on growing avocados and growing citrus in containers, on Saturday, July 19. Presenters will explain how to select and grow the best variety of avocado to suit your needs, and how to grow oranges, lemons, limes and other citrus in small spaces.
Avocados are native to the Americas and were cultivated by indigenous people in Mexico and Central America. They also grow well in central and southern California.
Their method of reproduction is unusual; the flowers include both male and female parts, but they mature at different times. A flower may start out female in the morning and become male in the afternoon, or vice versa. Trees with female-in-the-morning flowers are called Type A; those with male-in-the-morning flowers are called Type B.
In spite of this, most avocados are self-fertile, but they will produce more fruit if planted near another avocado of the opposite type.
Citrus, of course, also grows well in much of California. Here on the Central Coast, it seems that almost every other house has a Meyer lemon tree or a mandarin in the yard.
But even if you don’t have a yard, you can still grow a compact tree in a pot.
Trees in containers need a bit more care and feeding than trees in the ground because they can’t grow large root systems. But with the right soil and fertilizer, they can produce enough fruit for one or two people and they make for an attractive plant for a patio or deck.
For more information
The next UC Master Gardeners of San Luis Obispo County’s Advice to Grow By workshop on invasive plants and pests will be Saturday, July 19, at 2156 Sierra Way in San Luis Obispo. Please check our website for more information or to register. The workshop will include a sale of plants propagated by our chapter volunteers.
Visit our You Tube channel at San Luis Obispo County UC Master Gardeners for more informative gardening videos.
Visit our website at ucanr.edu/sites/mgslo/ or email questions to anrmgslo@ucanr.edu.
UCCE Master Gardener Helpline offices:
- San Luis Obispo: 805-781-5939 (Monday and Thursday, 1 to 5 p.m.)
- Arroyo Grande: 805-473-7190 (Wednesday 10 a.m. to noon)
- Templeton: 805-434-4105 (Wednesday 9 a.m. to noon)
This story was originally published August 5, 2025 at 9:52 AM with the headline "Want to grow citrus or avocados in a SLO County garden? What you need to know."