Straining your eyes? You can listen to this automated AI version of the article here:
If you are a fan of Avocados, it can be a very satisfying experience to eat fruit grown from your own tree.
Besides from knowing exactly where your food is coming from you can also save some money in the long term.
Given the right conditions, Avocados can be relatively easy to grow.
This Blog post will discuss how to get an Avocado tree started at your home and how to maintain it as it grows.
Avocados are native to the rain-forests of South America.
As such they like free draining, fertile soil and lots of sunshine.
They do not like wind and will not tolerate frost or having roots in waterlogged ground.
Lack of sun and cold temperatures can be hard problems to deal with and may determine if it is possible to grow Avocados at your site.
The wind protection and soil conditions can be easier manage.
If you have an exposed site, you can plant a wind break or use shade cloth to protect your tree.
If you have poor soil or drainage issues you can try planting your tree in a mound of good quality soil on the surface.
Approximately 3-5 cubic meters of soil formed into a mound is enough for one tree. Once planted apply well-rotted mulch over the surface.
It usually takes 3 year for a grafted tree to produce fruit once planted.
You can grow your own tree from a pip, but it will take much longer to fruit, and the fruit is likely to be of poorer quality.
If you are growing for fruit it makes much more sense just to buy a tree from a reputable seller.
Avocado trees grow on their new wood.
This means the fruit will only grow on the outer edges of the canopy and once a branch has produced fruit it won’t produce it again.
If not pruned an Avocado tree can grow up to 20 metres. So if you don’t prune your tree you will need very long arms.
Pruning Avocado trees is simple.
You basically want to prune the tree to a size that is easy for you to manage, this will depend on whether you wan to pick from the ground or if you are happy to climb a ladder.
Selectively remove the longer branches and leave the shorter ones.
It is important that each time you prune you leave some branches untouched.
If you trim all over the outside you will remove all the fruiting wood and will not have any left to produce fruit.
Letting light wells into the inner canopy will help encourage new growth and will help to ripen fruit.
Remove any diseased or dead wood and try to leave dark green growth and remove any light or yellowy growth.
Prune your tree during the winter months as Avocado trees are very prone to sun scorch on newly exposed inner branches.
Avocados can be prone to Phytophthora disease which is a type of fungi.
Products are available to help with this. Generally, when pruning trees, it is not advised to paint wounds.
Avocado trees are one exception to this rule especially when making large pruning cuts as they can tend to decay quicker without painting.
Growing your own food can be very fun and rewarding, especially when it ends with smashed Avocado on toast.
For tree work on avocado trees, call our arborists.
Make sure to check out all our “How To Provide Tree Maintenance Series” instructional guides.
These arborist guides are aimed for tree owners who are keen to get their hands dirty.
- How to plant a tree guide with plenty of helpful advice…
- How to prune a tree and how you can manage the condition of your trees…
- Best time of year to prune large trees is now…
- How to mulch a tree and take care of your trees…
- How to care for your trees in the summer heat…
- How to trim a hedge the right way for the best results…
- How to stop tree leaves falling on your property…
- How to carry out smart tree attachments the right way…
- How to understand Arboricultural terminology…
- How to grow and prune an Avocado tree the right way…
- When to prune fruit trees by our expert arborists…
Join us on Facebook and we’d love you to recommend our services on Google and Facebook.
Rossy and the Team.
Rossy | 09 3001422
FAQs
How long does it take for an avocado tree to bear fruit?
It typically takes an avocado tree about 3 to 4 years to bear fruit when grown from seed, but this timeframe can vary based on growing conditions and avocado variety.
Can I grow an avocado tree from a seed, or is it better to buy a sapling?
While you can grow an avocado tree from a seed, buying a sapling is generally better to ensure quicker fruit production and consistent fruit quality, as avocado trees grown from seeds may have genetic variability and take longer to bear fruit.