Avocado Trees

If you’re planting this tropical fruit tree as a container plant, make sure that you place it in an area that gets a minimum of 6 hours of sun per day. You should place it in front of a large window in your home that gets direct afternoon sunlight. If you’re able to plant your tree in the ground, then the best area to plant your tree would be the southern side of your home in an area that has well-drained soil. If your yard tends to hold a lot of water, you can amend the soil with sand or other gritty matter to soak up the moisture. Remember, you should plant your Avocado Tree in an area that gets 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day.

Avocados are tropical trees, so they will prefer a warmer environment with lots of sun. The Haas and Condo Avocados can be grown outside in Zones 9-11, while the more cold-hardy Mexicola, Brodgon and Bacon varieties can be grown outside down to Zone 8. If you live in a colder, more northern climate, you can keep your container-planted Avocado outside in the sunny summer months, and bring it in when the temperatures start to drop in winter.

First, as previously stated, find an area that receives at least 6 to 8 hours of direct afternoon sunlight daily. Next, you will want to take your avocado tree out of the standard nursery pot that it was shipped in, and plant it in a container that is twice the size of the root ball and has drainage holes. The drainage holes will help to keep the plant from catching root rot, but you have to make sure you dump out the sitting water in the saucer because this can cause funguses to grow as well.

If you’re in the areas highlighted green on the map, that means you’re able to plant your tree in the ground year-round. If you’re planting multiple trees, make sure to leave about 5 to 8 feet of space between other trees and structures. Dig a hole that is two to three times wider and deeper than the container it was shipped in so that those roots have enough room to get established. These tropical fruits will need frequent deep waterings once or twice a week while letting the soil dry out a little between waterings. Do not fertilize your tree in the first year.

The only time you will need to prune your tree is in the late winter or early spring to get rid of dead wood. If you want to maintain a certain height, then you should trim the tree lightly by cutting the tallest branch off the tree. If you would also like to maintain the width, then you should trim the longest branch and work your way in each year by cutting another branch.

Hass Avocados are ready to harvest as early as February to as late as September. Cold Hardy Avocados (Mexicola, Brogdon and Bacon) usually ripen between November and March, and Condo Avocados are harvested from July through September. However, it depends on the weather in your area, fertilization, and the bearing pattern of the tree. If you didn’t know by now, avocados have to be harvested by hand. If you do not pick the fruit they will not fall off the tree and will never ripen! The tree can be used as a storage unit for your savory avocados, also known as alligator pears, for as long as 8 months. The longer the fruit stays on the tree, the richer the taste.