San Jose has hugh variance. Alviso along the bay is very low chill, but Almaden where I’m at, gets 800+ chill hours most years. This year, I’m probably at 1200 chill hours!
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Santa Clara Valley used to be the area for growing cherries.
Our microclimates are weird. The parts by the Valley don’t get enough chill like @bleedingdirt noted. There were some citrus orchards around North San Jose/Alviso. There is one even now. Quite close to my place. A huge grove of Navel oranges surrounded by Google and Cisco buildings 
The stonefruit orchards are deeper inland. Never by the coast or by the Bay.
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I feel like avocados are highly adaptable . Here’s a 30 footer in London. Yes…London. 50 degrees North. And it’s loaded. May well be the northernmost avocado tree
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Keep in mind, that’s growing in the heart of the urban heat island, an area that is basically zone 10a or at least 9b, surrounded by brick walls and concrete. But yes, it’s an interesting tree and in terms of latitude, it’s probably the northernmost regularly fruiting outdoor, unprotected avocado tree.
I am in touch with someone growing avocados near the English coast south of London, and he’s planning to try grafting that tree to one of his trees. His biggest tree is a Hass seeding that’s 5 years old, so not even particularly hardy. That London tree may also not be particularly hardy, in light of its protected microclimate.
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This tree is in Lafayette and seems to be quite productive.
I’ve been growing Fuerte for 40yrs. Have 2 Fuerte trees 90yrs. and 13yrs. This year has been the worse year especially after reading the top post it all makes sense. In San Diego we’ve had a cold and wet winter which dictates the flowering season. The weather was to cold, and yes, seeing still thousands of blossoms for the past 4 weeks, and many bees doing their jobs, more than normal. Very little fruit showing and now I understand why. The tree is the 1st. of fruiting every year, my second is my Gems and Reeds. If the blossoms had started later in the season when we were having warmer weather this tree would have high yields. The tree is 20’ tall by 25’ wide. Use to have aprox. 1700 avacado’s on her, off season would be less than half. Hasn’t seen that in many years. I also sweeten up the blossoms so the bee’s are attracted to the blossoms. Let’s not kid ourselves peach, apple and nectarines have a better scent. So I spray a sweetener on the Fuerte to attract em. Good luck to all and now understanding more about farming. Like going to Vegas, like a crap shoot every year. My Reeds do very well as well as my Gems. Keeping them down to 12’tall by 6’wide and doing very well. Hope this may help others with issues with fruiting problems.
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Hello, living in San Diego and have 2 Fuerte’s, one larger over 25’x25’ and the other 15’x14’ which is 15yrs. old. It’s hard to keep them short as short as my Gems and Reeds. They grow like weeds. I grew the Fuerte first and planted the other varieties. years after. The Fuerte to me is the best tasting avocado, then comes Reeds and a close 2nd. Gems. The Gems taste like a Reed but smaller. All delicious and I am very lucky. I just wished this winter in San Diego wasn’t so cold and wet which ruined the flowering season. Next year hope it does better. Good luck with your trees!
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I’m in Oakland 10a. It’s nice for avocados as the low was 38F and it’s rarely 90 or 100 when they start to get stressed and burn. The Fuerte as well as Sir Prize and Stewart seem to be heat dependent. Now I know better but I already planted a large Fuerte I got for free so I will find out if it’s ever going to fruit. I’m not expecting anything but I am hoping it will make 1 fruit so I can try it. Once it’s well established I will probably topwork it
You might actually have success if that’s what your low is. The only challenge you will get is if it’s too cold during pollination time. Record when your flowers are in the female stage. That’s when you might actually get fruit. When it’s cold in San Diego they stay in the male phase all day long.
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Hi everybody, I fogged all of my trees for 4 weeks and all now have the most fruit since living here for the past 40yrs. or more. I had come across an article about sweetening up the blossoms and it worked for me. My new Gems and Reeds are growing like weeds. If all goes well I will have close to 50 trees with 3 varieties. My son asked who is going to pick all the fruit which I didn’t expect him to say that! Growing high density and all organic. Good luck to all growers and enjoy!