[Update] An accidental avocado tree way up north

[Update 9/13/2016] 

Sadly, Avo died in late 2015 due to horticultural incompetence.

The lemon tree had a hard time, too, and almost died, it was down to a single leaf. Replanting the lemon in a much larger pot did help. It looks better than ever.

But - surprise - there is another avocado tree in the garden. It popped up all by itself in a neglected area next to some raspberry plants and barely escaped a vigorous brush clearing spree.

[End update]

The other day, while working on the compost heap in the back of the garden, a few dark green, very shiny leaves caught our attention.

One quick pull on the stem beneath, and another undesired plant popped out, ready to be discarded.

Wait. there was an egg sized clump of compost at the bottom of the plant, with roots coming out on the side and at the bottom. A quick flick of a finger, just to figure out what plant that might be, and the surprise was complete: it was an avocado pit, nicely split where it had germinated.

A tiny avocado plant, the stem about seven inches long, three pairs of leaves at the top. How could that happen at a latitude higher than Vancouver? Vancouver, Canada.

The tree was expeditiously replanted at the edge of a veggie bed which had not fared that well in a somewhat cool summer, so there was space left. And given that the peas and cucumbers were inspected twice daily, the avo would be under our watchful eyes from now on.

Moving way up north from the sunny climate of the U.S., where an avocado tree in the yard was as far as we needed to go for some super fresh avos when they were in season, some adjustment had been required. Avocados were hard to come by, and expensive.

Despite the obvious fact that no avocado tree would survive around here, the "easy grow" instructions on internet sites like this one proved irresistible. And proved a failure as well.
Eventually, the pits were tossed out with other compost and forgotten.

Forgetting the pits, maybe helped along by an unusually warm spring, may have done the trick. If the plant makes it until fall, it will spend the winter in a large pot inside the house, where it can keep the lemon bush company.
The lemon bush was, once again, another idea born out of nostalgia and the excessive confidence that built up over many visits to the swanky garden center a couple of towns over.

If they can grow one, why shouldn't it work for me, too? 

Several winters later, the lemon bush barely brought back from oblivion each time, we know why it might not work.

Bye now, time to have a chat with the avo.