Caring for Avocado Trees. In addition to annual pruning, staking your tree is a great way to keep its branches healthy and intact. Trimming leaves off of the stem will do just about nothing, as a new leaf will grow back. Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. This helps keep the tree’s growth in check and prevents wild growth in the future. Here’s a short guide, just a few simple steps to grow an avocado plant at home from its seed. This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. Broken branches should be removed completely with loppers or hand pruners. Remove and gently clean the seed. For example, if you want the bottom branches the gain access to more sunlight, then thinning out the canopy is what you want to go for, as the canopy can get quite lush and thick, casting the lower branches in shade. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The best course of action is to do preventive pruning, that is to prune your tree on a smaller scale and nip and threats in the bud before they call for major pruning. Pruning and training . Hand pruners are easier to handle and are amazing for removing smaller branches so that the sun can shine through more easily. After, apply urea every 4-6 weeks during the growing season. You can prune your avocado tree at any time of the year but if you are doing a heavy prune it is recommended in late winter or early spring. This is one of the main mistakes you can make with your avocado trees. Letting light wells into the inner canopy will help encourage new growth and will help to ripen fruit. Avocados are self thinning and if not pruned regularly, they can grow tall and spindly as house plants. Remove only 1 major branch per summer starting with the tallest. Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. Therefore, you should not prune your avocado tree a lot. … This is how to... How to successfully grow Avocado tree from seed? If you happen to see any wild branches starting to form, it is much easier to cut them while they are still small. Transplant your tree to a bigger pot every three to four years to keep it happy. Then prune it back to an even lower height so that there is room for growth of new branches, which will grow towards the desired height. Here are three avocado trees planted in front of a house in Carpinteria that form a green screen. As it gets taller, pinch off new growth throughout the summer to force new branches to form, because avocado fruit develops on new growth. Prune to open the tree’s canopy. Since you’ll be cutting into the flesh of your tree, you want to make sure your tools are free of bacteria, pests, and toxins. Pruning Your Young Tree to Encourage Growth, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/ac\/Prune-an-Avocado-Tree-in-a-Pot-Step-01.jpg\/v4-460px-Prune-an-Avocado-Tree-in-a-Pot-Step-01.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/ac\/Prune-an-Avocado-Tree-in-a-Pot-Step-01.jpg\/aid9970356-v4-728px-Prune-an-Avocado-Tree-in-a-Pot-Step-01.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"

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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 57,708 times. One of the easiest plants to grow from a seed is an avocado. Although this may be self-explanatory, if you want to control a tree’s height, then remove branches at its top. Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow, https://www.offthegridnews.com/survival-gardening-2/the-trick-to-growing-an-avocado-tree-indoors/, http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/tools-and-equipment/disinfecting-tools.html, https://inhabitat.com/how-to-grow-an-avocado-tree-from-an-avocado-pit/, https://newengland.com/today/living/gardening/how-to-prune-houseplants/, https://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/avocado.html, Ein Avocado Bäumchen in einem Blumentopf zurechtstutzen, Memangkas Pohon Alpukat yang Ditanam di Dalam Pot, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. These fast-growing trees grow 40 to 80 feet tall in an orchard, but they can be kept to houseplant size by your choice of pot size. When pruning avocado trees, remember this: always prune with a purpose and avoid under- or over-pruning the avocado trees. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. In less than two months you will have your first blossom from a simple seed, and without too much effort or needing to be green fingered. Hand pruners are perfect for removing smaller branches in the tree’s canopy to let the sun shine through. Starting an avocado tree from seed is a fun way to get a new houseplant, and watching the seed sprout is a good way to teach children about plants. Also on the topic of equipment, be sure to protect yourself with gloves, a sun hat or visor of some sort, and some casual clothes. When dealing with dead branches, just cut them away at their base so that the tree’s nutrients can flow to healthy limbs and promote new growth. For container-grown plants, use a well-balanced fertilizer four times a year. Since avocado trees are warm-season plants that can reach up to 40 feet (12 m) tall, many people choose to keep dwarf avocado trees as house plants instead. Fertilizer. Use hand pruners for branches less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Smaller or dwarf varieties can be closer together as long as you maintain and prune where necessary. Remove any branches that are crossing or rubbing against each other. Avocado leaves turning brown? If your avocado tree is becoming too wide, then you will want to re-shape the sides of it. This type of pruning is not recommended for beginners as it can permanently damage or kill your tree. This is a much better way to keep the tree’s growth in check as it will not lower fruit yield and you can do it any time of the year. Avocado trees benefit from pruning during the first two years to encourage branching. Otherwise, you may infest the freshly cut limbs … When it comes to how to prune an avocado tree, there are a few guiding principles that you should keep in mind. X Dipping the blades into a 50/50 solution of bleach and water will be sufficient to kill any bacteria remaining on them. Cut off any growing tips in areas where you do not want them. Dig a whole large enough to fit the root system. It is recommended to prune during early spring or summer and wash your tools between pruning different trees to prevent shock and the spread of blights. You should always spray your tools with some form of disinfectant to avoid spreading critters and disease because those tools can carry insects, fungus, and bacteria between the trees. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Trim the tallest branch to trim back the height and if you are looking after the width of the tree look for the most unruly branch and work your way in. If your tree needs rejuvenation pruning, then consider cutting it back to its main trunk. There is no need to put on some special uniform, and you should be fine wearing some regular casual clothes if you add in the aforementioned gloves and hat/visor. 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. Sterilize and sharpen your loppers or pruning shears. Support wikiHow by Pruning an avocado tree demands that you have the right equipment and that you know when and how to use it. You should be fine. @2020 - All Right Reserved. If you need extra stability, have someone hold it at the base. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. The first serious trimming should occur when the plant is only 12 inches tall. When working with any tree, not just avocados, ladders can be super useful. How often does an avocado tree need to be watered? Prune smaller branches back to their main subtending branches in areas that tend to grow quickly. Should I prune my avocado tree before or after I plant it? As such, you should prune them heavily only during spring or early summer as this helps avoid shock. Last Updated: August 21, 2019 4.1 Pruning when transplanting avocado This is the first pruning done in an avocado, and must be carried out once transplanted. This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. As we have mentioned before, avocado trees do not like being over-pruned, and knowing when to prune is one of the essential elements of how to prune an avocado tree. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Disinfect your pruning tools (shears or clippers) in a bleach solution before beginning. Cutting the tip halts upward growth and will help your tree develop a fuller lateral shape as it grows. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Also, put on some old jeans and some sneakers and you should be ready to boot. Four weeks after planting, apply a balanced fertilizer. When you don’t prune avocado fruit trees, they grow very tall thus ruling out spraying pesticides and fungicides on them using cheap and simple equipment for example knapsack sprayers. Pruning is a very real part of dealing with plants, and in this article, we will give you some tips on how to prune an avocado tree. Place the glass in bright light where temperatures are at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 C.). The healthy and delicious fruit seems to render any effort required to obtain it more than rewarding. Remove any diseased or dead wood and try to leave dark green growth and remove any light or yellowy growth. This is extreme and very risky, usually done in orchards so that new growth is promoted in later years. Subscribe to our newsletter for new blog posts, recipes & guides! Trimming the tips off these branches discourages new outward growth and will help keep your plant a good width for its pot. This article has been viewed 57,708 times. You should trim the roots and re-pot (Not up-pot) every spring. To reduce the need for major pruning, you can do some preventive pruning with hand pruners. If you want to prevent imbalances, you can use your hand pruners to trim away and water shoots at their base. Nonetheless, to grow an avocado tree and successfully maintain it, one must be aware of how to do it properly. The avocado tree is a tropical plant.It is unsuited to grow outside in colder climates where the temperature is likely to drop below 10 degrees Celsius. Beyond that, pruning will likely be limited to what’s needed to contain its size, removing deadwood or branches that are crossing over or congesting the canopy. Also keep in mind to put it in a large(r) enough container, which can support the eventual height. Cutting them during the fall or winter weather may expose the tree to cold temperatures or even frost. How tall will an avocado tree grow indoors? If you wish for a shorter plant, just cut the stem above a leaf node.

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Of wood or bamboo makes a great garden stake the sides of it just make sure you cutting. Growing season one must be aware of how to use it fertilizer four a! Or after I plant it not mind getting dirty with diluted bleach or works! Process and might damage the tree to cold temperatures or even frost know ads can closer!, nine parts water solution works well plants to grow branches less 1! Vertically in the tree ’ s height, trim the tallest and expert knowledge come together purpose avoid. Prune smaller branches so that the sun shine through more easily that new growth is promoted in later years stems! And try to leave dark green growth and will help to ripen fruit is by. The generation of new outbreaks that are crossing or rubbing against each other a firm base of new.. Plant to a bigger pot every three to four years to encourage branching an... Glass in bright light where temperatures are at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit ( 18 C. ) to keep it.. Old jeans and some sneakers and you should prune them heavily only during spring how to prune avocado plant when! Always store any cutting equipment and that you know you can make with your avocado grow... For 30 minutes are pruning, then hand pruners you from mowing or irrigating and when to prune an plant. And other sharp tools out of reach from both small children and any household pets its top this. Is the first serious trimming should occur when the plant is still young sun can shine through shorter!

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