Getting to know the Bacon avocado

The world of avocado is vast and has a history. Imagine that the first references in the history of avocado are from the Pleistocene period. It arrived from America to our continent first, and then to our country. And here in Spain, it took root in such a way that our country is the leading producer of avocado within the European Union.

In this blog, we explore the vast world of avocado for two simple reasons: the first is that we love it, and the second is that growing these fruits is fascinating.

At first, we visited Javier, an avocado farmer, in his fields. We took a long walk in the shade of his trees, and he told us about the cycle, varieties, and pollination of his avocados.

But since the network of farmers at Campos del Abuelo is always growing, this time we went to another farmer's avocado field: Salvador's. He grows different varieties of this tropical fruit, and we took the opportunity to ask him about one that is not so well known: the Bacon variety.

So, let's join Salvador to learn about the cultivation of this tropical delight that has settled so well in our lands.

Origin of Bacon avocado

The Bacon avocado variety is from California. It is the result of a hybrid between various varieties, just like the Hass avocado, which is the result of a cross between the Lyon and Fuerte avocados. The creator of the Bacon avocado was looking for an avocado that was more cold-resistant than other varieties, and so the Bacon variety was born.

Some claim it is called Bacon because its taste is smoky and reminiscent of bacon; another option says it is called that because its flesh is very similar to butter. And of course, the most ingrained idea is the one that claims it is named after its creator: James E. Bacon.

Although this article is dedicated to the Bacon avocado, it is well known that the most popular variety of all is the Hass avocado variety. This is the first question we ask Salvador in the middle of the avocado field: Why do you think the Bacon variety is not as present in the markets? Salvador replies:

It is because the producing country, Mexico, had a greater presence with this avocado in the US markets, so the Hass avocado became the favorite because that's how it was established. On the other hand, Hass has a greater resistance to transport than Bacon, which has a more delicate skin.

As Salvador says, Bacon has a more delicate skin, which is why it is not as resistant. But the positive thing is that this thin skin is very easy to peel. In addition, it depends on the packaging of the piece whether it arrives in good condition or not. This is one of the benefits of buying from Campos del Abuelo; by going directly from the field to your home, we ensure that everything is well packaged so that it arrives in perfect condition.

Bacon avocado cultivation and the importance of grafting

In this blog, we have talked about grafting trees. This practice involves having rootstock trees and trees with a specific variety in the field. Grafting is done so that the rootstock tree or base tree produces fruits of the variety that is grafted onto it. Salvador explains it this way with avocado trees:

The avocado rootstock is the part of the graft we have at the bottom. It would specifically be the part from the trunk downwards. That is, the part that is in contact with the soil.

It just involves a graft, which is joining two parts into one. So, when we graft, the upper part is the one that has the variety. The difference is that the one you have at the bottom is designed to assimilate nutrients and be in contact with the soil, withstand waterlogging and diseases, and maximize the resources available in the soil.

On the other hand, the varieties we have above, which can be Hass, Bacon, Lamb Hass, etc., are commercial.

What Salvador explains to us has to do with, according to him, achieving a high-quality avocado. Because even though the lower part of the tree, the rootstock, is not made to produce, it gives the tree strength in the lower part. Likewise, in his fields, he has rootstock trees without any grafted variety, but there is a reason for this:

In my case, the ones here in the field that are rootstock trees are being used as pollinators for other trees... And sometimes it happens that they set fruit, but they have no commercial value because they don't have good flavor or seeds.

So, as Salvador tells us, rootstock trees need to be grafted with a variety to produce fruits of good size and flavor. But in turn, the rootstock provides resistance to the tree. The rootstock and the scion, by becoming a single tree through grafting, contribute the best of each part to a single organism.

Although we have talked about avocado plant care, there are always new contributions from our fellow farmers. Salvador, in this case, tells us about his experience growing avocados while enduring such high temperatures as those we experienced last summer:

This summer we have had very high, extreme temperatures. The consequences can be seen because the plant gets stressed. We're talking about plant stress that manifests itself in the drying of the leaf margins. This is because when the plant is stressed, it assimilates chlorine from the soil, which concentrates at the tips and causes drying.

Chlorine is phytotoxic, and what it does is dry the tips of the leaves. Chlorine is naturally present in the soil and is toxic to the plant, but not to the crop or to people.

In Salvador's avocado field, it is clear that many hours of work are put in. The trees look lush, and the hanging fruits give the impression that they could break the branch. But no, they bear the weight very well because they are well cared for. One of the techniques Salvador uses has to do with organic farming:

In my plot, no herbicides are used. Simply when the weeds grow too much, they are cleared. In fact, we are re-populating the field with Agret, which is a typical Valencian herb. This herb is what farmers historically leave in their fields so that citrus fruits don't become waterlogged. It also eliminates other weeds that grow more than they should. Agret, for its part, always maintains a constant height.

In addition, we are carrying out sustainable fertilization. We are increasing organic fertilizers using organic fertilizers, which result in lower nitrogen losses to the atmosphere and to the aquifer network.

As we always say, working in the field is not easy at all. It is a hard job in itself, and if we add to that the fact that, in the case of avocado, it comes from a different climate... There are many cares that must be taken. Avocado trees need a specific climate to grow correctly. Salvador explains it this way:

Regarding the climatic characteristics for cultivation, we can highlight that it is a tropical plant, which requires moderate temperatures, neither very low nor extremely high, and requires high rainfall and also high relative humidity, that is, what is known as a tropical climate.

Pollination of the Bacon avocado

Regarding pollination, avocado trees are quite particular, as they carry it out through what is known as cross-pollination. Salvador explains it this way:

You might wonder why we have different varieties. Here we have planted Bacon, Topa Topa, and also Hass.

We use Bacon as a pollinator and Topa Topa also as a rootstock, to increase yields. Ultimately, the tree itself, if there weren't two types of varieties, couldn't pollinate.

We have two groups of varieties, A and B. Group A opens female flowers in the morning and male flowers during the day, so they cannot pollinate each other. What happens? Hass is from group A, and Bacon is from group B, so they open their male and female flowers at the same time, which does not happen within the same variety, because the male flowers open during the day and the female flowers at night, but they never overlap.

So, as our fellow farmer explains, two varieties are absolutely necessary to pollinate an avocado tree. Of course, this is the natural way, because as Salvador says, there are other, somewhat more artificial, methods.

There are some farms where there is only one variety in general, and what they do is use methods to enhance bee pollination. For example, they spray with sugars or place attractants, or they also bring in bumblebees.

Main types of rootstocks

Salvador is going to tell us about avocado tree rootstocks. It is very interesting because he talks about clones. Agriculture is not just about hoes and tractors; it also involves a lot of research and practice. This is how Salvador tells us about his clones:

We actually have two main types of rootstocks: clonal and seedling.

Clonal rootstocks are more complicated because a clonal rootstock involves three steps: you plant the seed; after planting the seed, when it sprouts, you graft it with a variety; this variety is a clone of the rootstock. A clone is used to ensure it has the same characteristics in terms of disease resistance, nutrient assimilation capacity, waterlogging tolerance, etc. And once you have the first graft, you perform the second graft with the variety you want, whether it's Bacon, Hass, Lamb Hass, Maluma, Carmen, whatever you wish.

What Salvador tells us is very interesting because the small tree is grafted twice to combine the strength of the rootstock with the characteristics of the desired variety:

Indeed, the rootstock transfers superpowers to the variety, giving it the ability to withstand frosts and adverse climatic conditions. You also have to consider which variety adapts best to the soil you have. If it's calcareous or acidic, you have to choose the rootstock based on what you have in the field.

We continue with Salvador on his plot. It's like a jungle of avocado trees of different varieties, but since this time we are focused on the Bacon avocado, we are going to learn about its most outstanding characteristics.

Characteristics of the Bacon avocado

Salvador holds two immense avocados in his hands as he tells us how to identify this avocado variety:

The first thing you will see is its smooth skin. Secondly, that it is consumed in the months of October, November, and mid-December. So, if you find it outside of these months, keep in mind that you are not consuming avocado at its ideal time.

Another characteristic is its high creaminess, it's like butter. As for the taste of Bacon avocado, I have to tell you that it is one of the best flavors out there; for me, it's my favorite.

Avocados must be harvested at their peak fat content. If harvested too early, they will likely never reach full maturity. In other words, there's an exact point for harvesting. Salvador tells us how he knows if the avocado is ready to harvest:

The trial and error method is the most authentic way to know when avocados are ripe. We start testing them three weeks before harvesting. That way, we can see how they taste.

At the beginning of September, we start eating them at home, checking their fat level, until we know it's the optimal moment and they are perfectly ripe.

Avocado is a climacteric fruit, meaning it ripens once it's off the tree. And since at Campos del Abuelo we harvest them and send them directly to your home, you should keep in mind that they need to go through the ripening process. Asking when an avocado is ready to eat is completely normal. Even more so in these cases, when it arrives at your home directly from the tree, it won't be at its perfect eating point.

Salvador, from the farm, tells us what he does to ripen his avocados:

The first thing is to put it with fruit that produces ethylene. The best fruits for generating this gas are apples and bananas. What you can do is put your avocados in a pot or an airtight container with some of these fruits.

Since we harvest avocados at their optimal fat content, Salvador also recommends that you leave them with apples or bananas for about four or five days.

And as we once heard Eduardo, farmer and founder of Campos del Abuelo, say, to know if an avocado is ready, you have to do the "cotton test." Salvador explains it this way: When you press the skin and it gives a little to the touch, then it's ready. I also recommend that you don't put them in the fridge, as they stay in perfect condition at room temperature, and if you put them in the fridge, they might turn black.

Now we can say we know a little more about the Bacon avocado, the first avocado of the season. If you want to buy avocados directly from the farmer, remember to visit our online store. That's all for today; we hope this article was interesting and that you'll return to our blog directly from the farm soon.

See you next time, and thanks for reading!