Carmen in the Garden is reader-supported. I'm pained by the LA wildfires and have donated to Baby2Baby and World Central Kitchen, urging others to help. I’m hosting an Indoor Seed Starting workshop on January 18, with a replay available. Regarding the potential TikTok ban on January 19, I reflect on my journey going viral and adapting my business towards newsletters and YouTube. My aim is to bring joy through gardening. In this edition, I analyze the ROI of growing avocados, having planted two types for better yield.
What's the ROI on THAT!? Avocados
- my thoughts on the TikTok ban Wed, 15 Jan 2025 19:48:19 GMT https://carmeninthegarden.substack.com/p/whats-the-roi-on-that-avocados Carmen in the Garden is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
My heart aches for everyone affected by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires—the loss is truly unimaginable. I’ve donated to Baby2Baby , which provides essential items like diapers and clothing to children in need, and World Central Kitchen , which delivers meals to those impacted by disasters. If you’re able, I encourage you to find ways to provide support as well. I’ll continue sharing resources and donation efforts here and on Instagram as the long road to recovery begins. Let’s stand together and do what we can to help.
It’s not too late to join me for Indoor Seed Starting 101 , happening this Saturday, January 18 at 10am PST! If you can’t make it live, no worries—there will be a replay available. In this workshop, I’ll show you my exact step-by-step process for successfully starting seeds indoors. Not only is it cost-effective and incredibly rewarding, it also gives you a head start on the growing season and opens up a world of plant varieties to choose from. I’ll even help you troubleshoot common pitfalls and show you real examples of my own seedlings.
Seed Starting Workshop
My Brief Thoughts on a Potential TikTok Ban TikTok, tick tock… there’s a whole spectrum of reactions to the possible TikTok ban on January 19: anger, schadenfreude , apathy, denial, optimism. I’ll keep my thoughts brief. Sometimes you just get lucky.* An unexpected opportunity, like going viral for something you assumed was ordinary (in my case, growing and harvesting vegetables and cooking with them) comes along.
At the start of 2022, I never imagined my years-long hobby could turn into a viable career, nor did I foresee the immense fulfillment I’d find in the community and joy on a single app. If TikTok disappears, I’ll be sad, and yes, it’ll affect my bottom line. But adaptability is crucial to any business, and evolving alongside outside forces is key to staying relevant. One way I’m doing that is by investing time and effort into alternative connections—like this newsletter (hi!) and long-form YouTube videos (shameless plug to subscribe! ). Both take resources (time and money), which always carries some risk, but I’m confident it will pay off.
Above all, my goal remains to bring you joy through gardening —whether you’re a complete beginner, a seasoned pro, a farmers market regular, a community garden volunteer, or just along for the ride. I hope the app stays, but if it doesn’t, I’m not going anywhere. I’m sure the next step in this journey will be even better.
*I have written more extensively about going viral on social media here:
Welcome to the Fifth Installment of “What’s the ROI on THAT?!”—Avocado Edition
Without further ado, the star of today’s newsletter: is growing avocados worth it? So, what makes me qualified to tackle this topic? Before I went full-time with Carmen in the Garden, I worked as the director of acquisitions for real estate investment companies—think spreadsheets, acquisition strategies, and (most importantly) post-mortem analyses. When an investment didn’t pan out as expected, I’d dig into the numbers to learn how to optimize future decisions. Now, I’m applying the same process to my garden, and so far, I’ve covered garlic, artichokes, sweet potatoes, and pomegranates. Today, we’re slicing into avocados! You can watch me harvest these avocados here.
BACKGROUND I planted two avocado trees—a Hass (Type A) and a Fuerte (Type B)—on February 1, 2021 . For those new to avocados, having a Type A and a Type B cultivar typically boosts pollination and yield. (Other Type A varieties include Pinkerton, Gwen, Reed, and Holiday, while Type B might include Zutano, Prize, Bacon, or Sharwil.) I purchased both trees from a local nursery, and they started out quite small—just a few feet tall each. Larger, more mature trees can cost more money.
Why two trees? Avocados have a unique flowering cycle, and mixing Type A and Type B varieties often results in more abundant fruit sets. Plus, I love the flavor diversity between Hass and Fuerte; you get the classic creamy Hass texture alongside the lighter, sometimes nutty Fuerte.
COSTS Let’s break down the investment:
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