How Long for an Avocado Tree to Fruit
An avocado tree can produce numerous fruits in a season, providing an ongoing supply of avocados for the household. But how long does it take for an avocado tree to bear fruits for the first time? This is an important question for home gardeners and commercial avocado growers.
Avocado trees generally take four to five years before they bear any fruits of their own. The exact timing of fruiting depends on the cultivar, tree health, and growing conditions. Generally speaking, the larger, seed-grown cultivars take longer to produce fruit than the smaller, dwarf varieties. Additionally, while they speed up growth, growing avocados in containers also delays the first fruit harvest.
Experts say that soil fertility and water are the two primary factors that can increase or decrease fruit production. Nutrients in the soil give the tree a good foundation to help with flower formation, pollination and the Brix level. A Brix level is the natural sugar content of the fruit which affect the flavor, color and size of the avocado. To get the optimum result, experts say that soil pH must be maintained between 6 and 7. Additionally, avocado trees need regular waterings especially at the beginning of their growth cycle.
The amount of fruit a tree bear depends on how it is grown and managed. If a tree is well cared for, it will likely produce more. To bolster fruit production, some gardeners practice a pruning technique called thinning. Thinning involves removing immature fruits from the branches to ensure that only a few healthy fruits survive. This helps the tree maintain its energy, thus producing healthier avocados.
Though the process of fruiting may take several years, the resulting yield can be lucrative. According to growers, one mature tree can yield around 500 avocados a year. Commercial growers harvest the avocados four times a year, ensuring a steady supply of fruits.
Fertilization and Pest Control
Fertilizing an avocado tree is essential for healthy growth and fruit production. During its fruiting period, an avocado tree requires regular doses of a high-phosphorus fertilizer. Additionally, gardeners should also remove competing weeds as they sap the tree’s energy.
It is also important to control pests. While there are several pests that may damage an avocado tree, the most common ones are aphids, whiteflies and scale. These pests feed off the tree’s succulent leaves and young buds, draining energy and slowing down fruit production. For effective pest control, gardeners should spray their avocado trees with insecticide formulated specifically for avocado trees.
Many gardeners also practice integrated pest management, which involves protecting the tree from exposure to pests as much as possible. This includes avoiding overcrowding and cultivating other plants that deter harmful insects. Additionally, they should also remove infected branches and twigs from the tree to ensure that the pests do not spread throughout the tree.
Harvesting the Fruit
Avocados are well-known for their thick outer skin, which must be removed before the fruit is ready to be eaten. Harvesting a ripe avocado is easy but knowing when to harvest them is the most difficult part. Generally, avocados are neither too firm nor too soft when they are ready to be picked. To know exactly when to harvest the fruit, gardeners must inspect the stem of the fruit. If it comes off freely then the fruit is ready.
Gardeners generally harvest the fruit when the main stem closes, preventing it from swinging in the breeze. Those that are still attached to the tree tend to resist picking and could be overripe. When harvesting an avocado, one should use a pruning shears to cut off the fruit, as opposed to plucking it off manually with hands.
Storage Tips
Once harvested, avocados can be stored for several days. Some gardeners prefer to refrigerate their avocados for quick, lasting preservation but this has the downside of darkening the fruit’s skin, giving it a less appealing look. The best way to store a picked avocado is to put it in a pit and leave it at room temperature until ready for consumption.
One should also avoid the temptation to harvest an unripe fruit as it will not ripen once picked. This could damage the existing tree and drastically reduce its future yield. Additionally, gardeners should also remember to clean their pruning shears and tools before and after use to avoid spreading diseases and pests.
Seeing Results
Overall, keeping an avocado tree as healthy as possible is important for optimum fruit production. Good soil, a hospitable environment and ample sunlight will ensure that the tree grows healthy and strong. This, in turn, could lead to earlier production and a greater yield of avocados in the later years.
Unlike other fruits which require the constant and immediate attention of their owners, avocado trees are a long-term investment for the home gardener. With patience and consistent care, the tree can bear fruits for several years, providing an abundant harvest. With good maintenance, one can expect to begin harvesting avocados as early as four years after planting.
Propagating Avocados
Young avocado trees take a while before they bear fruits. For this reason, gardeners must often propagate their trees to speed up growth and shorten the waiting period. Propagation is the process of cloning a tree to create an exact replica of the original. It is a popular practice among home-scale gardeners and commercial growers alike.
The two most popular methods of propagating an avocado tree are through grafting or through air layering. While grafting is the more popular technique, air layering is used to propagate fruit-bearing trees. The process involves removing a section of bark from the tree and wrapping it with damp sphagnum moss and plant hormones. After a period of about two to three months, the wrapped moss will develop roots, forming a new plant.
Both techniques involve transferring the scion (the newly formed tree) elsewhere, thus forming an exact duplicate of the parent tree. The new tree should bear fruits in the same way as the parent tree, thus providing an instant harvest.
Inorganic Growing Methods
Inorganic growing methods have also been gaining traction among commercial avocado growers. It involves producing avocados in greenhouses with complete control over the trees’ environment. This allows growers to produce a higher yield of quality fruits with consistent sizes and shapes. Additionally, inorganic growing methods are ideal for areas with unsuitable climates for growing avocados.
These methods involve the use of hydroponics and acquiring particular nutrient solutions to feed the avocado trees. The roots of the avocado tree are directly suspended in a solution ever several weeks, ensuring that the plants get optimal nourishment. This, in turn, helps increase the Brix level in fruits and reduces the time taken for the tree to bear fruits. Using inorganic growing methods, experts say that one can expect a tree to bear fruits as early as three years after planting.
From Planting to Fruiting
Home gardeners and commercial growers must build up a considerable store of patience before their avocado trees bear any fruits of their own. From preparing the soil and maintaining fertility to checking for pests and overall tree health, there is a lot of work that goes into the process of planting an avocado tree. But when done right, the fruit-bearing tree can bear fruits for several years, allowing one to enjoy a plentiful harvest.
