Originally Posted by edwmax

Actually, that is true with any grafted 'cold hardy' plant. They are only cold hardy when mature. The young limbs & trunk will freeze. ... ALL young plants need protection in their first few years. ... I asked a local nursery about avocados, I was told they stop selling them for that very reason. Too many buyers expected their young plants to be cold hard and did not provide protection. Their plants died the first winter.

I found and bought a Little Joey last November at Lowes at 1/2 off reg. price. It is still in the 1 gallon pot and survived this past winter of low 20's (5 nights) with just a plastic trash bag over the foliage to prevent frost/freeze burn of the leaves.

Its has been in the last few years that UF studies of the new graft root stock of 'cold hardy' avocados, that these should do well in south Georgia and north Florida (8b/9a zone) once established and some protection is provided.

The OP is in Gainesville, Ga (280 miles north of me) and I know temps up there goes down to single digits and snow is not uncommon. So I have serious reservations of his being able to grow any avocado though the winters outside of a greenhouse.