Hi Ken, growing avocados is a delicate balance. Please bear with me on the explanation about flowering and pollination. Avocado trees have male and female flowers (type A & type B) which open at different times of the day. Type 'A' tree female flowers open and receive pollen in the morning, and are closed in the afternoon. Type 'A' male flowers are closed in the morning and shed pollen in the afternoon. Type 'B' tree female flowers receive pollen in the afternoon and are closed in the morning. Type 'B' male flowers shed pollen in the morning and are closed in the afternoon. Therefore type A female and type B male are open at the same time; Type 'B' female and type 'A' male flowers are open at the same time. Your Hass and Reed avocados are both type 'A' trees. Commercially the pollinators for Hass are Bacon, Fuerte and Zutano, all type 'B' trees. While trees can be self-fertile, the yield is better with the correct pollinator. The likely reason your Reed tree is fruiting is from the cross over of flowers on the same tree opening and closing (usually in cooler weather) so they self- pollinate. The tree may have many flowers, but it is common for only one in three flowers to set fruit. Common type 'A' varieties are Hass and Reed; Type 'B' are Bacon, Fuerte, Zutano, and Cleopatra. Other reasons for lack of fruit is cold, wet, windy weather at the time of flowering as bees and insects do not work in poor weather. Avocados need cooler night temperatures to induce flowering, but cold weather at the time of flowering can affect pollination. Whether your tree is seedling grown or grafted will affect fruiting, if your tree is seedling grown it can take longer to set fruit (7-10 years) but if grafted, trees will fruit in 3-4 years. I hope this is helpful. Lianne, Tui Team.

Lianne, Tui Team