This will remove any bacteria or fungus that might be present and keep disease from the avocado tree. The best time to prune live branches may depend on the desired results. EDIS is the Electronic Data Information Source of UF/IFAS Extension, a collection of information … For example, you could wear a long-sleeved T-shirt, some old jeans, sneakers, and a wide-brimmed straw hat. Heavy pruning is best done after the crop is harvested but before late summer or early fall. If your soil is clay, dig a hole 3 feet deep and 3 feet wide and … Kakuzi Plc's Kelvin Gathee takes you through the process of pruning an avocado tree. For over 25 years, Joyce Starr has owned businesses dealing with landscape & design, lawn maintenance, specialty herbs and a garden center. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Whether it's a Florida or California avocado, a … "Well presented article; everything I needed to know. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Although it may be tempting to cut away dead wood at any time of the year, remember that frost damage can sometimes make a branch look dead. Change the water regularly within 2-4 we… % of people told us that this article helped them. Plant the tree in well-drained, loamy soil. This will stimulate new growth near the cut. Enjoy! They were first reported being transported into the state in the early 1800s. For more information, visit our offices. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. Avocado trees are arguably one of the easiest plants to grow in your own home. The best time to prune Hass avocado trees is when they are dormant in winter, and growth is slow. It was propagated and patented from a single seedling that grew out of the Great Depression and produced a funny looking bumpy skinned dark avocado! Avocado trees do not need much pruning. for later maturing varieties you should also wait until fear of any cold weather has left. This will contain the tree's height and make picking the fruit easier. The adage of “prune avocado trees cautiously” was heard round the avocado community and as a result many growers would not do anything. Limbs can be broken by strong winds or heavy crop loads. Make any major cuts clean and keep them in line with the natural contour of the trunk. I rooted it from a seed from the tree next door. There are several tools that you will need to perform your pruning or trimming of a guava tree. The avocados trees bear fruit generally from late winter through early summer. Columnar cultivars of avocado are pinched at an early age to attain a more rounded habit, but most other types of avocado require no training and little pruning. Only prune-out dead and crossing branches or cut the tree to limit size. You May Also Like: LED vs Fluorescent Grow Lights. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Keep in mind, though, that mature avocado ripen in about three to eight days once they are removed from the tree, and take care not to let them ripen too much. 3 Be extra vigilant with trees purchased from nurseries, which will likely have a good deal of the roots removed. Remember to be extremely careful with this kind of heavy pruning! Heavy pruning, as the term implies, involves cutting greater portions from the tree. Temperature: Avocados are best suited for growing in a lowland tropical climate or frost free subtropical areas along the coast. Start with an avocado seed from a ripe avocado fruit. A dense leaf canopy can act like a kite by catching the wind and can result in tree breakage and the heartbreak of lost avocados. All Rights Reserved. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, California Agriculture Service: Pruning Avocado Trees. Pruning should never be done in the fall or the winter as this could expose newly-cut branches to cold temperatures and frost. Aim for a symmetrical conical shape, which provides the best amount of sun exposure. Each of them is appropriate for different cases depending on age, time of year, type of pruning, etc. Trees can grow up to 30' tall and 20' wide, and often have a good year followed by an 'off' year. Ideally, avocado trees would only be pruned when there is minimal risk of both extreme cold and extreme heat. Last Updated: April 19, 2020 If pruning is needed, a gardener should save it for the beginning of spring or the first weeks of summer. The general rule of thumb with pruning avocados is less is better. Dead branches can, however, be withdrawn whenever you want. What is EDIS? Hand pruners are perfect for removing smaller branches in the tree’s canopy to let the sun shine through. However, your tree may need some minimal pruning to maintain easy tree access, balance, and enough sun exposure. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. References. Re-shaping will likely make fruit yield drop drastically that year, but it should stimulate fruit growth in 2 years. Be careful not create too many open areas in the canopy, though, as this could expose the tree’s major branches to heavy sunlight. To promote overall regrowth, prune back branches in the spring. Prune the avocado in early spring through early summer. If your tree needs major re-shaping, some heavy pruning may be necessary. Avocados (Persea Americana) are well suited for Florida’s warm, tropical climate. Avocado trees usually take 3 years to grow and produce fruit again after rejuvenation pruning. Use hand pruners for branches less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Late pruning may stimulate growth. Unless you have experience with avocado trees, have your rejuvenation pruning done by a professional service. Too much pruning can affect next season's fruiting. A conical or pyramidal tree shape is best for even sun exposure. Fortunately, your avocado tree won’t require much maintenance, but you’ll still want to prune it during growing season to keep it in shape. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. Do not prune after February. Cut back several of the taller limbs to their original crotch. When the fruit grows, the tree’s weight will be unevenly balanced and make it more susceptible to strong wind and harsh weather. A few people have asked me about how I prune my young avocado trees, so here's a video in which I demonstrate how I do it. For example, watch for horizontal branches forming close to the ground. For more tips from our Gardening co-author, including how to prune your avocado tree for rejuvenation, read on! Known to be very prolific, and also produce well … ... Just prune your Avocado to shape the tree and to control its height. Your avocado tree can begin to bear fruit anywhere from three to fifteen years, but around five years is probably average. Use pruners or loppers to cut any dead-looking branches. Hand Pruning Shears: Stems up to half inch in diameter can be pruned with hand shears. Lopping Shears: It is suitable to use on stems between half inch and 2 inches in diameter. When the tree has produced several crops of fruit, it is desirable to remove the entire top of the tree, then prune yearly to maintain the tree at a workable height. If you prune too much, you can permanently stunt the tree’s fruit growth. Pruning any later can stimulate new growth that will be susceptible to injury if a frost or freeze affects your area. Pruning avocado trees in July will cause the tree to flower less the following spring. Pierce seed with three toothpicks and submerge the bottom in water. Pruning. I can’t find much info about the avocado tree I have in the backyard. Remember that less pruning is always better for avocado trees. If pruning part of a branch, make your cut right above a leaf eye. Prune the avocado tree once the fruit has been harvested, if needed. Over-pruning can lead to stunting, losing all of the fruit, frost injuries, or sun damage. Will you get avocados from your tree grown from seed? If your tree is getting too wide, trim a few branches back from the sides to keep it under control. Surprisingly, avocados don’t ripen or soften while still on the … Because avocado trees need lots of foliage to ensure a high amount of fruit, they don’t need a lot of pruning. You should also cut a few branches from the canopy to ensure sunlight can get through to the rest of the tree. It is best to prune a Florida avocado tree when it is only necessary and allow the tree to grow in its natural form. Pole Pruner: Pole pruners have a hooked … Keep an eye on how many branches you prune from each side and try to keep it symmetrical so your tree isn’t too heavy on one side. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 41,425 times. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. If you live in a particularly sunny area, paint a thin layer of white latex paint diluted with water over the cuts to protect them from sun exposure. The best time when to prune an avocado tree is really anytime, as long as you are doing a light pruning. Light selective pruning may be done at any time of year. Avocado trees grow well in USDA climate zones 9 to 11. Avocado trees grow up to 80 feet tall in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, and dwarf varieties reach about 15 to 20 feet. When caring for an avocado tree, prune to open its canopy. How to prune your avocado tree in simple steps. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014. Avocados (Persea Americana) are well suited for Florida’s warm, tropical climate. Prune back to the terminal bud on any shoots that are growing upright. Pruning any later can stimulate new growth that will be susceptible to injury if a frost or freeze affects your area. http://www.treeremoval.com/trimming-and-pruning/how-to-grow-and-prune-an-avocado-tree/#.WjcxWiPMzPA, http://www.californiaavocadogrowers.com/cultural-management-library/avocado-tree-pruning-basics, https://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/903, http://www.californiaavocadogrowers.com/cultural-management-library/deciding-when-prune-avocado-trees, http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/AgNatRes/Pubs/Pruning_Avocado_trees.pdf, http://www.avocadosource.com/CAS_Yearbooks/CAS_46_1962/CAS_1962_PG_42-43.pdf, http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=12051, http://www.groworganic.com/organic-gardening/articles/when-and-how-to-fertilize-your-fruit-trees, http://mimiavocado.com/2012/04/why-we-cut-the-trees-down-avocado-trees-can-regrow/, http://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/gardens/planting-and-maintenance/tree-pruning-removing-water-shoots-and-suckers, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fruit-tree-limb-damage-repair-60821.html, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. With yearly pruning, you can keep your tree to a manageable size. ... Hi Greg, I do not live in California but central Florida. When pruning your trees, always wear gardening gloves or wash your hands thoroughly after pruning. Avocado trees enjoy ample sunshine and water, but impeccably free-draining soil and absolutely no standing water. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/bf\/Prune-an-Avocado-Tree-Step-01.jpg\/v4-460px-Prune-an-Avocado-Tree-Step-01.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/bf\/Prune-an-Avocado-Tree-Step-01.jpg\/aid9595796-v4-728px-Prune-an-Avocado-Tree-Step-01.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"