Pruning Avocado Trees Trimming An Avocado Houseplant

The first serious trimming should occur when the plant is only 12 inches tall. At that time, cut it back to 6 inches and allow for new leaves and stems to form. As it gets taller, pinch off new growth throughout the summer to force new branches to form, because avocado fruit develops on new growth.

1. Are you supposed to trim avocado trees?
2. What time of year do you trim avocado trees?
3. How do you take care of an indoor avocado plant?
4. Where do you prune an avocado tree?
5. How do I make my avocado tree bushy?
6. How do you prune an overgrown avocado tree?
7. Do I need 2 avocado trees to get fruit?
8. Why are the leaves of my avocado tree turning brown?
9. When should I fertilize my avocado tree?
10. Will a potted avocado tree bear fruit?
11. What do you do when avocado leaves turn brown?
12. Will avocado cuttings root in water?
13. What's wrong with my avocado tree?
14. What's the best fertilizer for avocado trees?
15. How do you keep an avocado tree small?
16. How long does avocado tree live?
17. What is the height of an avocado tree?
18. How do you tell the difference between a male and female avocado tree?
19. Do you need a male and female avocado tree to produce fruit?
20. How do I know if my avocado tree will bear fruit?

Are you supposed to trim avocado trees?

Avocados do not like being over-pruned. They are fragile trees and major pruning should only be done during spring and summer and great care should be taken not to damage the tree.

What time of year do you trim avocado trees?

The best time when to prune an avocado tree is really anytime, as long as you are doing a light pruning. If you wish to do a heavy pruning on your avocado tree, then you may want to wait until late winter or early spring, which is right before the active growing period for the tree.

How do you take care of an indoor avocado plant?

Avocado Houseplant Care

Keep the plant soil consistently moist but not over watered. Over watering will cause the leaves to curl and the stem to soften — not a desirable trait. Don't under water the avocado either or the foliage will wilt, dry and drop. Your avocado, as with most houseplants, will need to be fed.

Where do you prune an avocado tree?

Avoid pruning the plant when it's actively growing. To prevent a young plant from becoming weak and spindly, trim the central stem to about half its height when it reaches 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm.). This should force the plant to branch out. Trim the tip and uppermost leaves when the plant is about 12 inches (30 cm.)

How do I make my avocado tree bushy?

As it gets taller, pinch off new growth throughout the summer to force new branches to form, because avocado fruit develops on new growth. Keeping the new growth pinched off will also keep the plant bushy while controlling its size.

How do you prune an overgrown avocado tree?

General avocado pruning principles are:

1. Prune horizontal branches developing low to the ground, as these interfere with tree access.
2. Push light into the tree interior, by cutting "windows" in the canopy.
3. Trees grown on slopes should be pruned to a lower height than trees on flat land.

Do I need 2 avocado trees to get fruit?

For the best yields of fruit, two avocado trees are required. Avocado tree cultivars produce either type A flowers or type B flowers. Both flower types produce and are receptive to pollen at different times of day, and the best pollination and fruit set occur when type A and B avocado cultivars grow together.

Why are the leaves of my avocado tree turning brown?

Browning leaf tips are often a sign of salt burn, caused by a salt build up in the soil. Salts in the water and in fertilizer build up over time. ... This excess salt accumulates in the leaf edges, where it kills the tissue and the leaf dries out and turns brown. It's important to water deeply and slowly.

When should I fertilize my avocado tree?

Fertilizing new avocado trees should occur three times in the first year – once in spring, once in summer and again in fall. When the tree becomes dormant in late autumn, cease feeding. How much should you be feeding avocado plants? One tablespoon of nitrogen broadcast over the soil around the tree.

Will a potted avocado tree bear fruit?

Avocado trees are evergreen and need good light year round to bear fruit. Indoor trees need the sunniest, most south-facing windows in the house. ... An avocado tree grown from a pit could eventually bear fruit, of course, but that first fruit would be long in coming and of unpredictable quality.

What do you do when avocado leaves turn brown?

If the brown is just on your leaves then your tree will probably be fine. Keep it well-watered and it should bounce back. It is a good idea to get your soil tested to see if it needs any additional nutrients. If your branches and trunk are browning, you're going to have to do some rescuing.

Will avocado cuttings root in water?

Make two small cuts on either side of the base of the cutting and dip it in a liquid rooting compound (indole butyric acid known as IBA) for a few seconds. IBA is a plant hormone and will stimulate the growth of roots on the shoot.

What's wrong with my avocado tree?

Avocado trees are troubled by relatively few pests, the most common of which are various root rot fungi, persea mite, and excess salt accumulations. Fungus is the most serious avocado disease in California.

What's the best fertilizer for avocado trees?

For young avocado trees the recommendation is 1/2 to 1 pound of actual Nitrogen per tree per year. You can spread it out over several applications as long as it totals 1/2 to 1 pound of Nitrogen. The other important nutrient for avocado trees is Zinc.

How do you keep an avocado tree small?

You can do this by either cutting them with shears or pinching them. If you choose to pinch, do so to the lateral and vertical stems at least once every year. It will help maintain the size of the plant. As long as you leave an 8-inch length of stem, you can cut up to half the length of the stem.

How long does avocado tree live?

Avocado trees begin bearing fruit in three to five years and can thrive for decades.

What is the height of an avocado tree?

Avocado trees can reach 80 feet (24+ m.) in height. Most plants do poorly where freezing temperatures may occur. Gardeners in United States Department of Agriculture zones 8 and below should be wary of trying to grow these trees as outdoor plants.

How do you tell the difference between a male and female avocado tree?

The flower has both female and male organs, but they don't function at the same time. Each flower is female when it first opens. That is, its stigma will receive pollen from other avocado flowers, but its stamens (male organs) do not shed pollen at this first opening.

Do you need a male and female avocado tree to produce fruit?

Pollination: While avocado trees self-fertilize and produce fruit, yields should increase if both a Type A avocado tree and a Type B avocado tree are planted in order to increase the chances for successful pollination. The avocado tree has both functional male and female organs.

How do I know if my avocado tree will bear fruit?

Look for small, greenish-yellow blossoms that appear on your avocado tree branches from January through March. Flowers open and close in the span of two days and are a good indication that your tree is getting ready to bear fruit. Watch for bee activity around the tree blossoms.