Can You Keep An Avocado Tree Small?

With a small number of cuts done every year, and possibly some pinches, you can keep an avocado tree

down to 15 feet

(my Hass), 12 feet (my Reed), even 10 feet. … And if the pruning cuts are done at the right place and in the right time, our trees will still make quite a lot of fruit for their small size.

How long does it take for an avocado tree to bear fruit?

Be patient about seeing fruit. If you have purchased and planted a tree, you can probably expect to see your first fruit

three to four years after planting

. If you are growing from a seed, it can take anywhere from five to 13 years before the tree is mature enough to set fruit.

How big is an avocado tree?

Avocado trees can

reach 80 feet (24+ m.) in height

. Most plants do poorly where freezing temperatures may occur. Gardeners in United States Department of Agriculture zones 8 and below should be wary of trying to grow these trees as outdoor plants.

How much space does an avocado tree need?

If you have soil that doesn’t drain well, work in sand or other gritty matter to increase its drainage. Also, you need to leave 8 to 10 feet (2.5 to 3 m.) from buildings and

up to 30 feet (10 m.) of space apart

when planting avocado trees.

Can avocado trees grow in pots?

To grow avocados in pots, look for

dwarf cultivars

, like Dwarf Wurtz, Dwarf Lamb Hass or Dwarf Pinkerton. They typically grow to half the size of a full-sized tree or can be kept more compact with regular pruning. Choose a pot at least 600 mm wide and deep (a half wine barrel is ideal).

Do you need 2 avocado trees to get fruit?

For the best yields of fruit,

two avocado trees are required

. Avocado tree cultivars produce either type A flowers or type B flowers. Both flower types produce and are receptive to pollen at different times of day, and the best pollination and fruit set occur when type A and B avocado cultivars grow together.

Will a potted avocado tree bear fruit?

Do not expect fruit when growing avocados in containers

. Indoor plants need cool nights to force blooming and fruiting. They can also take up to ten years to get to fruiting stage. If you do get fruit, the flavor is not as good as those commercially produce from rootstocks.

Can I cut the top off my avocado tree?

Snip the top of the avocado tree

off when it reaches approximately 12 inches in height

, cutting the tree back to 6 inches. … 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.

Will a single avocado tree produce fruit?

So one reason why

an avocado won’t produce fruit

is simply because it is not a mature grafted variety. … Avocados have a unique flowering behavior called ‘protogynous dichogamy. ‘ All that this cumbersome phrase means is that the tree has both functional male and female organs in each flower.

Where should I plant my avocado tree?

Planting position

Give

trees full sun and shelter from frost and strong winds

. They also need protection from salt-laden winds in seaside locations. Although they like extra water during dry periods, they hate boggy conditions, so good drainage is essential.

Do avocado trees attract bugs?

Greenhouse thrips

and ash whiteflies are tiny sucking insects that might gather on the undersides of avocado leaves to feed. … Avoid planting your avocado near a perennial bed or vegetable garden, where thrips and whiteflies love to feed and plant your tree where air circulates freely to discourage landings.

Can I plant two avocado trees in the same hole?

Planting two trees of different varieties in one hole is a great option for a yard with little space or for a person or couple who only need one tree’s worth of avocados.

How long do avocado trees live?

How do I know if my avocado tree will bear fruit?

Look

for small, greenish-yellow blossoms that appear on your avocado tree branches from January through March

. Flowers open and close in the span of two days and are a good indication that your tree is getting ready to bear fruit. Watch for bee activity around the tree blossoms.

Do avocado trees need full sun?

Place your avocado tree in an area that

receives full to partial sunlight

. Avocado trees perform best if they receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. 2. If you keep your avocado tree indoors, place it by a large, sunny window.

Can avocado trees survive winter?

Avocado trees (Persea spp.) … West Indian avocado trees sustain severe damage at any sub-freezing temperature. Guatemalan avocados are hardy down to 26 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the cultivar, and

Mexican avocados

are the most cold hardy, able to withstand temperatures in the low 20s.