Being tropical, timing is important, as young avocado trees are vulnerable to cold and frost. So spring, going into early summer is ideal. Choose grafted tree from the nursery rather than a home raised seedling. Seedling trees will eventually fruit but don't be surprised if it eventually translates to 12 or 15 years.
When to plant an avocado tree. Unless you live in tropical and subtropical zones, avocados are best planted in spring. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the root ball. Remove the plant from its pot, then tease out roots and position in the hole.
Avocados are a perennial fruit and Australian premium produce is available all year round because of the widespread and climatically diverse growing regions. The highest volume of fruit is available between March and November.
In general, on a single tree all the open flowers will be synchronised. That means they will be all functionally male or all functionally female. The avocado pollen of one tree is compatible with itself and quite capable of pollinating its own flowers — known as self-pollination.
Although they like extra water during dry periods, they hate boggy conditions, so good drainage is essential. Soil should be sandy and well composted to ensure good drainage. Avocados grow well on sloping ground, where water does not settle around the roots.
Feed with a complete fertiliser, such as Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser in spring and autumn. For an added nutrient boost, feed with Yates Thrive Citrus Liquid Plant Food weekly during the flowering season.
Most mature avocado trees require regular fertilization with nitrogen. Typically, most other nutrients are available in sufficient amounts in the soil. Nitrogen should be applied in fall or winter. Dwarf plants or trees in containers with restricted root space may require less fertilizer.
If you plant during the summer, there is always the risk of sun damage, because avocado trees don't absorb water very well when they're young. Plant it in a non-lawn area and away from sidewalks and, if you can, plant it in a spot protected from wind and frost. Remember, full sun is best.
It's possible to plant avocado trees even closer than 10 or 7.5 feet apart and keep them productive and healthy, especially if you're planting only a pair. Below are two avocado trees that look like a single tree.
You can grow the tree outside if you live in one of the warmest parts of the U.S. Although they grow in plant hardiness zones 8-11, in the U.S., avocados only thrive in southern parts of Florida or California, and in Hawaii. Avocado trees are subtropical plants native to southern Mexico.
Avocado trees prefer deep, well-drained soil and tolerate soil from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline — anywhere from pH 6 to 7 is ideal. A few weeks before planting, improve the soil by digging through a combination of blood and bone and well-aged cow manure.
Hass is the most widely planted variety in the world for good reason. If I had the space for only one avocado tree, I would plant a Hass. You might find this answer boring, in which case I'd be willing to bet that you don't already have a Hass tree in your yard.
The most popular varieties of avocado are the Hass (shown above) with its pebbly purple-black skin when ripe, and the pear shaped Shepard which has smooth, thin, green skin. The yellow-green flesh has a rich smooth consistency and a nutty flavour. Choose ripe avocados which are soft but free from dark sunken spots.
They require full sun to thrive and produce fruit. Avocado trees need 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day to remain healthy and productive. If they are planted in a shaded area, the tree will struggle to survive and may not bear any fruit at all.
Avocado trees grow through any warm months, so in warmer parts of Australia, they will not have a dormant season. In cooler parts of the country, they will hold their leaves but lose vigour for two months in winter.
More importantly, Reed avocados are often celebrated as the best-tasting avocado variety thanks to their rich, nutty flavor. Reed avocados are classified as type A avocados, meaning their skin remains green even when ripe. Type B avocados like Hass become very dark, almost black, when ripe.
One of the most important components of the best soil for avocado trees is that it must be well-draining. Few things will kill your trees faster than when the roots hold onto moisture and start to rot. As such, soils mostly composed of sand, loam, limestone, and granite bits are usually the best soil for avocado trees.
Avocado trees must have well-aerated soil. They cannot tolerate heavy or waterlogged soil, so it's important to monitor the trees and soil as part of your irrigation process. Avocado trees that don't get enough water can experience: summer stress resulting in early flowering and poor fruit set.
It takes about 4-5 years for an avo tree to start producing fruit anyway so it's certainly not a short term thing even with a proper seedling. So if you really want to grow your own tree at home, the best thing to do is go to a local garden centre and buy a grafted seedling.
Fortunately, avocado trees can thrive in heat well above 75 degrees as long as they're watered sufficiently. But there does come a point on the thermometer at which an avocado tree suffers regardless of how much moisture is in the soil. Apparently, above roughly 90 degrees avocado trees begin to function poorly.
Soil Avocado grow in a wide range of soils but grow best with good drainage in deep, fertile soils. Keep soil well mulched. In containers use a high quality potting mix such as Seasol Advanced Potting Mix.
Avocados need nitrogen, first and foremost, and a little zinc. You can use a citrus tree fertilizer as an avocado fertilizer or go organic and use compost, coffee, fish emulsion, etc. Avocados are hardy in USDA zones 9b to 11 and in those regions soil is generally sufficiently nutrient rich to support an avocado.
Avocados grow best in slightly acidic soil (pH of 6–6.5) with good drainage. Fill a 6- to 8-inch pot with a drainage hole with a cactus/succulent indoor container mix. This mix is formulated to be loose, fertile, and quick-draining for plants preferring drier soil conditions, like avocados.