Avocado trees are some of the most common trees planted to date, especially since the avocado fruit has been gaining popularity in mainstream restaurants and dishes. The avocado fruit itself has a lot of benefits, and it is something that a lot of people enjoy eating. Aside from being delicious and a great addition to a lot of dips and dishes, the avocado fruit is also a healthy source of vitamins and minerals, which is why a lot of people opt to eat it. To gain these benefits you really need to know how to grow and how to prune avocado tree properly.
Avocado tree maintenance is quite a challenge if you want it to be a productive tree, even for experienced gardeners. There are a lot of work and nuances that must get into the work to make sure the tree bears much fruit. The same could not be said about growing and maintaining an avocado tree as a decoration. If you want your tree to be a decorative houseplant, then you will need to stump it, which can be fun and easy.
If you want it for its fruit, pruning the avocado tree gives you better and more fruits. Pruning a fruit bearing tree such as an avocado or blueberry tree allows it to produce better fruits. And if you want the avocado tree as a decoration, you still need to prune it. Just like all decorative plants, such as wisteria or orchids, you have to prune to control its growth and aesthetics. In short, you can’t ignore pruning. It is essential.
In order to plant your own avocado tree, you will need to learn how to properly water it and provide it with adequate sunlight. You will also need to pick the right soil for this plant, and you will need to learn how to prune avocado trees. These processes can be learned through experience, study and practicing, so if you are a beginner, do not worry, since this can be something you will learn eventually.
Avocado Tree Maintenance
One of the first things you need to know is how to grow an avocado tree. Along with learning how to grow an avocado tree comes the necessary knowledge and skills of avocado tree maintenance. By learning these things, you will be able to discover how and what needs the avocado tree has in order to grow and bear fruit.
The avocado tree can be a great decoration addition to your home, as well as a good source of fruit and income. Fruits are bought almost everyday in the market, and having a source of one of the most popular fruits out there can definitely be an advantageous endeavor to take on.
First, in order to plant your first avocado tree, you need to be able to remove the seed from a fruit and use that seed to plant the tree. You need to remove the seed carefully, without cutting it, and then wash the seed in water until it is clean. The seed should be housed in a brown external shell, which is something also that you should not remove.
That brown shell is important for the gestation of the seed, the seed should be planted with that fully intact. Do not try to scrape it off. Once you have the seed that is cleaned and still inside the shell, you can let it out to dry before planting it.
Avocado trees have a top and a bottom part. It is important to determine which is which since the plant grows directionally. The top is where the tree should start to grow from, while the bottom is where the roots start to grow. The tip that is more edgy and sharp than the other is the top end, while the other opposite end is the bottom end. Thus, when planting the avocado seed, make sure that the top end is facing towards the sky, while the bottom is planted towards the ground by a few inches deep.
Before placing the seed in the soil to plant it, you need to poke three holes the size of toothpicks in a downward angle on the seed, which should also be spaced out evenly around the seed itself.
Next, you need to place toothpicks on each of the holes to support the seed, and to prevent it from moving around when you plant it. This helps the tree plant in the upward direction, and helps the seed sprout in the proper places. You should make sure that the toothpicks are wedged in properly, and that the amount of firmness on the hold is good such that the seed will not move around in the dirt once you plant it.
Next, put the seed in a glass of water, and wait for the sprout to grow. You know this happens when the roots and tree itself start to emerge from the brown outer shell of the avocado seed you just placed in the water. This whole process usually takes weeks to happen, so if you do not see anything happening with the seed for the first few days, do not be discouraged. This is completely normal.
Light Requirements
Avocado trees need the full sun to thrive, like bananas do. They can tolerate a small amount of shade, but as much as possible, put them in the brightest spot you can find. The same is true even for indoor, stumped avocado trees. If you are starting from a seed placed in a glass of water, keep it in a sunny windowsill until roots form and a few leaves emerge from the seed.
Water Needs
Once the seed has gestated in a glass of water, you can transfer it to your garden or pot it indoors. Avocado trees need a constantly moist environment. So make sure that you water the tree adequately but also provide a good drainage system. Yellowing of the leaves is a sign that it is being overwatered.
Stumping Avocado Trees
Once your avocado tree has grown, you will need to know the techniques and tips on stumping avocado trees. This means that the avocado tree is cut down and painted to protect the tree from damage from the sun. They will eventually regrow, as long as they have adequate sun exposure and water, and can produce fruits within a span of 3 years.
Make sure to repot the tree every beginning of spring when the plant begins to grow again. Trimming the tree during these first few years encourages the tree to become bushy, perfect for indoor decor.
How to Prune Avocado Trees to Keep Them Small
The process of keeping the tree at a small size is done by pruning avocado trees to keep them small. In order to do this, you can cut the parts of the tree that have overgrown, or pinch stems that are growing in the wrong direction.
If you leave around 8 inches the length of the stem, you can cut about half of that total length. This helps maintain the size of your avocado tree to a controllable level, all while making sure that the healthier parts of the tree get the nutrition and water they need.
Pinching off new branch growths in the tree forces the tree to focus on new growths. Since fruits can only grow from new branch growths, there will be less chance of a fruit from forming and a higher chance of more branch growth possible. With this method, you have yourself a bushy avocado tree indeed.
Watch Out for These Common Avocado Tree Maintenance Problems
As was already mentioned above, the yellowing of leaves is a sign that the plant get an unhealthy amount of water. Aside from that, there are also other signs that show that the plant is not getting optimum care.
Root rot is also a consequence of too much watering of the avocado plant. You can characterize root rot by their dark color and mushy texture. Watch out for a white sort of crust forming on top o the soil the plant is planted in. This white crust is a buildup of salt from the fertilizers you may be chucking at the plant. You should flush the pot regularly.
Most of these common problems can be avoided by using a rich, quick-draining soil for the plant. This elminates the problem of too much water absorbed by the plant and is useful in flusing out the salt out of the fertilizers.
However, if you are growing the plant outdoors, you may have a problem with laurel wilt, caused by a certain fungus. This fungus is transmitted by several species of the ambrosia beetles. Avocado trees affected by this die in a month or two. You can try using pesticides. But if you want a more natural solution, try planting mint plants. They repel a lot of bugs.
The Best Way to Eat Avocados
So you’ve put all of the effort into nurturing your Avocado Tree and you have a plentiful crop so what do you do with them? Avocados are a delicious and nutritious fruit that can be eaten in many ways. Here are some of the best ways to eat avocados:
- On toast: Mash up some avocado and spread it on toast for a healthy and satisfying breakfast or snack. My favourite is to add a little salt and pepper and a splash of lemon juice.
- In salads: Add diced avocado to your favorite salads for a creamy and flavorful addition.
- In guacamole: Mash up avocado with some onion, tomato, lime juice, and cilantro to make a classic and delicious guacamole dip and serve with corn chips.
- In smoothies: Add a ripe avocado to your morning smoothie for a creamy texture and healthy dose of fats and nutrients.
- Grilled or roasted: Cut an avocado in half and grill or roast it for a smoky and flavorful side dish or topping.
- With eggs: Top your scrambled or poached eggs with sliced avocado for a healthy and delicious breakfast.
- In sandwiches or wraps: Add sliced avocado to your favorite sandwich or wrap for a creamy and nutritious addition.
DISCLAIMER: Avocados are extremely delicious so don’t blame us if they mysteriously make their way to your mouth straight after cutting them!
Conclusion to How to Prune Avocado Tree
Avocado trees can provide you with a natural source for these wonderful fruits. Avocados are common in almost every country of the globe, especially since they have a mild taste that makes it a great addition to any dish. Avocado fruits themselves can be eaten as a meal, as a dip, or even as snack, especially since the fruit is already as good as it is alone than it is when paired with other food. Learning how to plant your own avocado tree is an interesting and useful experience, since you get to learn things like how to prune avocado trees and how to nurture and care for them.
Stumping and pruning are just some of the methods by which avocado trees can be cut and maintained, but other techniques that might be necessary for its upkeep are also available. Learning everything there is about this tree can help you plant more than just one avocado tree.
