Avocados can be a fantastic addition to your home garden. Whether you are looking to add some flavor to your favorite dishes or just want a unique and beautiful houseplant, learning how to grow an avocado tree in your house is a great way to add a bit of greenery and health to your lifestyle. Growing an avocado tree in your house can be easy with the right climate and care. With minimal effort and an understanding of the right techniques, you could reap the delicious and nutritious rewards of your own mini avocado tree.
Avocado trees love warm climates and need indirect light. They require good moisture and well-drained soil, and need to be watered regularly. Choose a container that’s large enough for a 10-inch-deep root ball, and line it with a plastic bag to improve soil drainage. You’ll also need to mix your own potting soil and use a high-quality fertilizer to give your tree the best chance for survival. When selecting an avocado tree for your home, opt for a dwarf variety, like the Little Cado, which is disease-resistant and can be grown in a small pot.
To get started, snip the top off of an unripe store-bought avocado, remove the fruit and slice the top away from the seed at the neck. Use a toothpick to suspend the avocado in a jar of water with the pointy end up. Change the water every two to three days, avoiding pooling on the bottom of the jar. After two to six weeks, you should see a small root emerging from the avocado.
Once the root has grown to several inches long, gently remove the seed and plant it in a pot with a thin layer of soil. Do not cover the top of the avocado seed with soil, as the taproot will be stunted. Keep the soil damp but not saturated, and place the plant in an area with bright, indirect sunlight. After a few months, you should start to see new leaves emerging from the center of the seed. Monitor your tree for pests, and water it once a week, allowing the top few inches of soil to dry between waterings.
In the right conditions, your avocado tree will thrive, and four to six years after planting, your tree might finally yield some avocados. To ensure a healthy crop, you’ll need to prune the branches and thin out any competing branches in the spring and summer. When the fruits are almost ready to harvest, you can look for the classic yellow-green color and give the newly-ripened avocados a gentle twist.
How to Feed Avocado Trees
While keeping your avocado tree healthy and producing delicious fruits, you can also ensure its continued growth and health by feeding it properly. The best time to feed an avocado tree is in the spring and summer when the weather is warm and the tree is actively growing. To give your avocado tree the nutrients it needs, feed it with a slow-release fertilizer or diluted liquid fertilizer. The amount of fertilizer needed depends on the size of the tree and the type of fertilizer used.
The amount of fertilizer should also be tailored to the type of soil in your home. Choose a fertilizer that is high in potassium and phosphorous, but low in nitrogen, to ensure healthy and plentiful fruits. If needed, you can also supplement with a compost tea or organic compost. Apply the compost tea to the soil and around the base of the tree for best results. This will provide your avocado tree with additional macro and micronutrients for better growth and nutrition.
In addition, make sure you prune the plant regularly. This will help keep the tree healthy, as well as make sure that it is not overcrowded with leaves. Removing dead branches and problematic areas will also help keep your tree safe and produce healthier fruits.
How Much Sunlight is Needed
Avocado trees need at least five to six hours of sunlight each day in order to survive and thrive. Maintaining enough sunlight is key, as lack of adequate sunlight can slow down photosynthesis and slow the growth of your tree. Place the avocado tree in a spot that has enough sunlight, but also has some shade to avoid excessive heat and sunburn.
If you live in an area that does not get enough natural light or have a lot of trees that overshadow your home, you can also use a grow light to provide light for your avocado tree. Choose a full-spectrum LED or fluorescent light that mimics natural sunlight and place it a few feet away from your tree. This will allow you to control the amount of light that your avocado tree gets, and provide it with the necessary amount, regardless of the season.
Tips to Remember Before Planting
Before planting your avocado tree, it is always important to keep in mind that avocado trees can grow to be quite large and may require some extra space in your home. Make sure that you choose a spot for your tree that is not too cramped and has enough room for a few feet of growth. It is also important to remember that avocado trees are sensitive to frost and extremely cold temperatures. If you live in a place that gets cold in winter, you may need to bring potted trees indoors in order to protect them from any damage.
Finally, make sure you keep your tree watered! Avocado trees are not very drought-tolerant and need to be watered regularly in order to survive. It is also important to note that over-watering can actually be worse than under-watering, as too much water can lead to root rot. Stick to a regular watering schedule, and keep an eye on your tree to make sure it’s not receiving too much or too little water.
When to Harvest the Fruits
Avocado trees take a few years to start producing fruit, so it’s important to be patient. When the time comes to harvest your avocados, the fruits should be of a deep green color and can be easily plucked from the branch with a gentle twist. Depending on the variety of your tree, avocados typically take from five to seven months to ripen. If you’re unsure of when to harvest, it is best to wait until the skin is slightly soft and the color has changed from green to a dark yellow-green. It is also important to handle the fruits carefully as they can bruise or be damaged easily.
Troubleshooting Avocado Trees
Sadly, avocado trees are not immune to diseases and pests that could cause detrimental effects to the quality and quantity of the fruit they produce. Therefore, the best way to prevent damages is to adequately monitor your tree for any signs of pests or diseases. Some of the most common pests and diseases are mealy bug, scale, and root rot. Additionally, cold snaps can cause frost damage and slow growth.
If you notice any of these pests or diseases, make sure to address them immediately so as not to cause any further damage. This can be done by using organic control methods such as horticultural oils or neem oil. If the cold is a problem, you can wrap the trunk of your tree in a blanket during winter to protect it from frost. Ultimately, the best defense against any problems is to regularly watch over your tree and address any issues as quickly as possible.
Conclusion
Growing an avocado tree in your home is an enjoyable and delicious way to add greenery and nutrition to your lifestyle. By providing the avocado tree with the right climate, soil and care, you can limit the hassle and maximize your efforts. Feed your tree with the right amounts of fertilizer, water, sunlight and compost, and monitor it regularly for pests, diseases and frost damage. With patience and practice, you can learn to grow delicious and nutritious fruits right in your own home.
