Question❓| Upskill 📚 | Information ℹ️ | Picture 📷 | Special Offer 🎁

Edition 16

👋 Hey TropicalBytes family, welcome to this week’s edition of Q.U.I.P.S.!

As the fastest-growing subtropical farming community out there, we're thrilled to be your BFF (Best Farming Friend), saving you hundreds of hours by unearthing hidden gems like actionable tips, practical knowledge, industry insights, and so much more – all with the end goal of equipping you for excellence and success.

Firstly, a quick recap for those who might’ve missed our announcement last week: We’re taking a fresh, focused approach to our Q.U.I.P.S. newsletters! 

The depth of knowledge on TropicalBytes is astounding - even for us! So, to help us navigate this ocean of insights and share our treasures more effectively with you, we've introduced: themed releases.

What does this mean?

Instead of the usual array, we're diving deep, focusing on specific topics for the month.

Last week, we started with shining light on the lifeblood of farming – Water, and its critical management, particularly in the context of macadamia cultivation.

This week we’re looking at avo’s!

As we make way with this new themed journey, your participation is more important than ever. Share your own creative ideas, ask any burning questions you may have, or let us know which topics you’d love to see covered.

Remember, we’re here for you - the awesome TropicalBytes community!

Let's dive right in! 🚀

Estimated read time: 3 minutes

In Today’s Email:

• Q: Should You Test Your Irrigation Water? And If So, What For? 🤔

• U: How to Make a Rain Gauge (for Under R20) 💧

• I: Dryland Avo Farming 🌳

• P: JAFF 29's 'Heaven on Earth' ☀️

• S: A2 Rainfall Chart 🎁

Question❓

Should You Test Your Irrigation Water? And If So, What For?

We shot this question over to one of our highly respected, local avo consultants, and here’s what they kindly replied: "Irrigation water should be tested at least every second year. Tests are for mineral contents which might be harmful as well as diseases like phytopthora.” 

Now, we could just leave it at that, but that's not who we are. We're all about the meatier stuff, so, if you are too… keep reading!

Avocado Trees and Salt Sensitivity

The Avocado tree can be quite the sensitive soul, especially when it comes to salt and, more specifically, chloride ions. But not all avo trees are the same. It varies between cultivars, with the Mexican strains being the most sensitive. Many of our commercial avos are hybrids so their sensitivity has mellowed out a bit.

After a bit of online research (of legit resources😉), we found that Nabal, Velvick, and SHSR-03 are marginally tougher when it comes to salty water. They all have Guatemalan and West Indian parentage.

The Testing Rundown

Let's get nerdy for a sec.

EC (electrical conductivity) is generally considered as your go-to, cost-effective method for assessing water quality. It focuses on total salts (which are usually sodium and chloride ions). However, it’s not fool-proof. For a more thorough check, a complete water analysis is recommended. Make sure the sodium and chloride ion readings are accurate.

When it comes to the irrigation water quality for our dear avo trees, the water EC should ideally be under 300ppm.

Got slightly saltier water (up to 450ppm)? It's workable, but you'll have to make sure that tree health is monitored constantly, and water management interventions are employed before fruit yield and quality is negatively affected.

And if we were the over-the-top type? We'd dive into these mitigation strategies but… we’re not. 😆

A Quick Heads Up About Iron

High levels can be a challenge, mostly due to how they mess with irrigation systems. High Iron tends to be more common when you’re using underground water sources.

Iron concentrations over 1 mg/L? It’s treatment time! Otherwise, you're looking at blockages.

Iron in water, known as ferrous iron, doesn’t play well with air. Expose it, and it transforms (oxidises) into its insoluble twin, ferric iron. This precipitates out as visible particles, often giving the water a rusty appearance. And that’s exactly what leaves those reddish-brown marks on sprinklers and tree trunks. Add certain bacteria to the mix, and they'll force iron to precipitate even at lower concentrations, adding to the blockage woes.

The fix? Use aerating settling tanks. Introduce air, and you fast-forward the oxidation, making the precipitated iron settle down (quite literally) and easier to filter out.

Thanks to our wisdom well → https://www.agric.wa.gov.au

⏰ Friendly Reminder: Got Any Questions? Submit Them Here to Be Answered.

Upskill 📚

How to Make a Rain Gauge (for Under R20)💧

Isn’t it just awesome when a picture does all the speaking! 👆😂

⏰ Friendly Reminder: Share Your Own Creative Upskill Tips Here

Information ℹ️

Dryland Avo Farming 🌳

So, you're wondering about farming avos without irrigation. Is it doable? Absolutely. But the million-dollar question is: is it commercially viable? 

Let's dig into that.

The viability really hinges on two things:

1. Your rainfall pattern - not just how much you're getting, but also when it's pouring.

2. Your personal benchmarks for ‘commercial viability’.

In our recent JAFF stories, we've taken a deep dive into market volatility, especially over the past year or two. Spoiler: even the best operations, armed to the teeth with the latest tech, had their moments of doubt about 'viability'.

So, we must remember that, in roaring market times, almost everything looks rose-tinted and viable. But when those prices nosedive, the glasses aren’t so rosy.

Now, let’s chat about avos and their water needs:

1. Thirst Levels: Avos are thirstier than macs. The jury is out on by exactly how much but, these facts justify the claim:

   • Avos have large, soft leaves (unlike the hard, leathery mac ones) that transpire extensively in warm weather.

   • Soft, fleshy avo fruit is obviously also made up of more water than mac nuts.

2. Rainfall & Timing: If you are going to give dryland a go, your chances of success are greater if you’re getting at least a minimum of 1000ml of rain annually. Ideally, with the only dry period limited to June and July. Unfortunately, in SA regions, the dry period extends into August and September, just when avos are flowering. This can put the tree under stress – and a lack of water during this period will ultimately impact yield.

3. Soil Type & Content: Avo roots are generally quite shallow and they’re not terribly efficient at getting water from depths so the construct of soil in the root zone is a major factor. Sandy soils? Lose water too quickly. Clay-rich? Holds onto water for an eternity (increasing the risk of pathogens like phytophthora). Perfect is what avos want (yup, they are the fussiest lot we’ve met) and they’d like it with mountains of mulch please.

4. Root Construct: Macs, with their intricate proteoid root hairs, are pros at soaking up water and nutrients. Avo roots, on the other hand, struggle a bit more (are less efficient) extracting water that is tightly held to fine soil particles.

5. Wisdom from JAFFs: There's this one JAFF who's a rockstar in our books. While we won't play favourites, this JAFF is mastering dryland avo farming. His story will be published this year – and trust us, it's a must-read!

Thanks again to → https://www.agric.wa.gov.au

Picture 📷

JAFF 29's 'Heaven on Earth' ☀️

Ever seen light do a happy dance? That's what it felt like in JAFF 29's orchard. Tiny beams of sunlight were getting caught and tossed around by the sprinkling water, then bouncing off the soft carpet of decaying leaves. It was mesmerising to say the least. The whole farm had this cool, calm vibe that just screamed 'heaven on earth.' Honestly, we could've set up camp and stayed there for days!

⏰ Friendly Reminder: Share your farm pics, ideas, tips, or solutions with the TropicalBytes community to inspire one another, overcome challenges, and elevate your operations – together. Share Here

Special Offer 🎁

A2 Rainfall Chart 🎁

Paired with this week’s DIY rain gauge Upskill, we’ve got its perfect partner-in-crime for you - a rainfall chart! Now, not only can you channel your inner ‘rain detective’ with those daily readings, but you might just become the local weather whisperer. Spot patterns, forecast like a pro, and hey, perhaps impress a few neighbours in the process!

And, just between us? Rumour has it that the TropicalBytes rain gauge and rainfall chart come with a dash of a… magic mojo. Who knows? Maybe the TropicalBytes touch might just summon a few extra showers your way this season. 😉

Ready to see some magic? Download your rainfall chart for printing right here → (link)

That’s a wrap folks! We hope you enjoyed this week’s QUIPS edition.

Don't forget to join us in the comments section below 👇 – it's kinda like a family Braai but better! There, you'll find no screaming kids, awkward photos, or tipsy uncles telling bizarre stories. Let's get the conversations cookin'! 🔥 

Until then, happy farming, deep learning, and warm smiles.

We'll see you next week! 🌱

The Comment Corner 💬

Join us in the comments section! Share your thoughts, offer your suggestions and enlighten us with your own pearls of wisdom!

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