Hey, Toni, I don't mind answering questions. ;)

I live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains...
the Donner Pass is a little more than an hour away. California is a big place, representing nearly all of the climate zones.
Most people think "beach" and blond hair when imagining California.....
but I think of cold granite, rushing rivers, conifers, and snow....

None of my houseplants are outdoors now. But I do have some Sempervivums planted in the ground,
as well as some Cyclamen that I released to the wilds... ;)

Root-pruning:
In the ground, the roots continue to expand into the soil, constantly growing news roots
and root-hairs away from the main trunk/root-ball.

In a container, the roots can't keep extending because of the limits of the container,
so they end up circling the pot or eventually dying off because of crowding and lack of air/moisture.

I could solve this by continually increasing the size of the container.....
but I want to keep this Avocado more as a houseplant in a manageable container than I can move around.
A larger pot would allow for larger, faster growth, though.

In order to keep the root-tips healthy, I prune the long roots shorter.
From these cuts, new root-tips grow. New growth is healthier and more efficient than old growth.
So, by keeping the majority of a plant's growth new, it is as though the plant is in a perpetually youthful
state.


Josh

Hey Josh...
Asking is one way to learn. I've seen your plants, therefore respect your answers.

Does the Donner Pass have anything to do with the Donner PArty??? Hungry??? lol

When thinking of CA, most think of beach, blond hair, and don't forget surf boards..lol..
I went to CA at 16-yrs-old..LA. I'll never forget, everything was so big..the streets..Cement walks, w/huge palm trees growing 'X' feet, between more cement..lol. A block seemed so much larger than those in IL. Oh, and your airport! I got lost trying to find the exit..lol.
Also saw the mountains..oh God, what a view!! I wanted to hike up the mountains until someone said there were Tuarantulas, lol..sp.
If it wasn't for the net, I'd still think, CA = Beach, blond hair and surf boards.
Heck, even tv sitcoms discuss Sunny CA. Yesterday, I watched an old, 60's tv series. The woman, 'trying to trick her husband said,' she couldn't go somewhere because of the snow. He replied.."Snow? In CA!" lol.. See what I mean?

There's a Cyclamen hardy to IL, but flowers differ from the non-hardy type. I bought my Cyclamen at a hardware store 3-4 yrs ago..it's flowers in winter. Pink flowers. It's in a cold/drafty west window. It'd never survive the outdoors..even the hardy, z5 is iffy. I planted a corm? years ago, never grew back.

As soon as weather permits, I'm going to plant a rooted and unrooted 'cado in the garden. One problem is squirrels..they love the pits, even though they're supposed to be toxic..I hope they take. Got two in water, but neither rooted. To be honest, I've neglected adding fresh water..time after time the water evaporates.

I understand what you mean about root pruning now.
Josh, did you ever hear or see the plant show, Victory Garden? The TV show started some time in the 70's, host and author, James Underwood Crockett. He passed away, 2/3rds writing a second garden book, and others took over his tv show.
They usually discuss garden veggies/herbs, but during the show talk about a certain house plant.
One episode was about pruning two, huge trees. Ficus benji, and a Citrus.
Both tree roots were pruned by a third, but according to the person doing the pruning, he said, 1/3rd foliage must also be removed, for balance. I don't know if this is true or not, only that he stated it as fact. When I say balance, I don't mean so the trees stood erect. He was talking energy supplied to roots and foliage. Know what I mean or not?

My largest citrus is in a 17" pot...when I was given this beauty, it was in a 24" container. At the time the largest pot I had was 17". Since there excess soil, it fit in the 17". That was 4-5 years ago. Come spring, it'll need repotting. (citrus was bare-root when I brought it home. The giver needed the pot.)
Now you mention root pruning. If I was to prune roots, would doing so stop the tree from getting taller?

I'm back!
I have an appointment this morning, so I'll be brief.
If I miss anything, I'll be sure to answer later! ;)

1. Donner Pass - yes, the ol' Donner Party. Grim and fantastic local history.
I live in Placer County, off of highway 49 (named after the Miners who came in 1849).
There's a great pioneer feeling to this entire area.

2. Victory Garden - you bet! I enjoyed the program.

3. Cage those 'cados! ;)
If squirrels are an issue, definitely protect the little guys.

4. Pruning to balance roots and shoots: *sometimes* this is done, yes, but not always.
Sometimes the loss of roots means that the root-system won't be able to support all the foliage.
In this case, it's loss management. In other words, you selectively choose branches to remove,
so that the plant won't "choose" for you and discard a branch that you wanted to keep.

5. Re-potting your citrus: root-pruning, by itself, won't dwarf or stunt your citrus.
The root-pruning will actually re-vitalize the tree.

Bonsai plants start out in the ground or in large containers to get maximum growth.
When they've achieved the size needed, the roots are pruned and the plants are put into
smaller containers. It is the reduced size of the container - and the limited soil volume -
that limits the continued growth of the plant. The root-pruning is what allows the bonsai to
thrive in such a small amount of soil, without branches dying or tips browning.

So, if you return your citrus to the same size container, you should not notice any stunted growth at all.

Remember, though, that when you bare-root the citrus, you'll want to work quickly and
keep the exposed roots moist. Fine roots can die in 5 minutes if exposed to wind/sun.
I recommend re-potting/root-pruning on cloudy or overcast days. This also helps prevent
the loss of moisture in the foliage.

After re-potting, you put the citrus in a protected location - out of the wind, out of direct sun.
Protect the tree for a few weeks, and this will minimize leaf-loss.


Josh

Here we are with an update!
Two weeks later, and the leaves are beginning to expand....

Pardon the kitchen sink. I was watering my plants today, and thought I'd snap some pics ;)

You can see how fast the Avocado grows when it starts to kick into gear.
I really enjoy the vibrant color it adds to the house during Winter.

{{gwi:111381}}


{{gwi:111382}}



Josh

Hi Josh!
The new growth looks great! I'm surprised at how much it's grown!
I love it when the new growth is a different color. Adds alot of interest to the plant, and how much it's growing at a glance. :)

Great work!
JoJo

Nice, Josh! Looking good!

I still haven't gotten around to grabbing an avacado at the grocery... it slips my mind every time!

I should probably wait until spring, anyway... then, I'll be able to use the greenhouse!

Thanks, Jodi!

The leaves have doubled in size again.

I'm already think of pruning ;)


Josh

You must have been a barber in a past life! ;-)

Oh I love it Jodi! LOL!

Hi Josh!
JoJO

Hello, all!

Jodi, a barber! That's pretty funny!

I'm going to allow a few more pairs of leaves to grow before I whack the Avocado back....
If I chop these two branches properly, I'll end up with four branches total.

{{gwi:111383}}


Josh

Looks good Josh!
I love the color of the new growth!

Jodi~
I think the "bonsai" in Al has worn off on Josh! lol!!

Every time Al~ recommends to cut something back, hubby says it's the "bonsai" in him. ;-)...lol...

JoJo

Josh, the trunk has really thickened.

Hey, JoJo, I think I've got some "Bonsai" in me, for sure...
In general, I'm willing to sacrifice flowers and fruit in favor of form.

Hey, Toni, you're right. I was looking over the progression of pics,
and the trunk has really thickened since last year. The small container has
kept the growth in check, but I'm satisfied for the most part. This year I'll
re-pot, root-prune, and see if I can't take the growing up a notch.

This plant is honestly one of the easiest "houseplants" I have.


Josh

Josh, 'cados might be easy for you, but.........
Do you think it'll ever fruit?

If you look at the 'cado photo before the last, 'more recent,' there's quite a difference in trunk size.

Wonder if it's thicked because you're pruning or light? The bottom reminds me of a caudex..lol

HI Josh,
I agree, for your needs, sacrifice the flowers and fruit for form. :-)

Toni,
He's not looking for it to fruit, he wants it as a houseplant.

Or

Are you asking if as a house plant, would it fruit?

I see it has thickened up a good deal Josh!

Toni, my guess would be it's a little of both, but probably thickened more due to his constant pruning.

Josh?
Looking forward to hear if I guessed right? lol

JoJo

Hey, Toni, I wonder if the pruning has thickened it, too.
This plant doesn't get as much light as my other plants do. It sits on the floor,
beneath a bistro table, more than a foot from the window. My hot peppers have the best
spot right up against the window because I do want those plants to provide fruit.

I don't expect this plant/tree will ever fruit, but I'd be really happy/surprised if it did.
In optimum conditions, I've heard they'll sometimes take 10 years to fruit....if they're going
to fruit, that is. Some never do.

JoJo, you're right! This is an Avocado houseplant experiment.
I want to work on developing a low form, with multiple branches, a sturdy trunk,
and healthy, numerous leaves (free of crisped brown tips).

Josh

Jojo, I was wondering if Josh's avocado would fruit one day even though it's pot-grown and indoors. Like citrus and olive trees.
Because Josh lives in CA, has longer seasons, anything is possible.even indoors...besides, he summers plants outdoors, I believe.
Wouldn't it'd be a surprise growing an Avocado as a house plant, and discovered a baby fruit?
What's your definition of a house plant? Perhaps we're miscommunicating?

Josh, wish you knew for sure. I have two Coffee Trees. One is a bush, the other has one trunk.
The single trunk is thin. BTW, it's a young plant, 4" pot, stands about 9". Would you suggest cutting back? If so, should I wait a couple months?
I'd like it grow as a standard. If I prune the top, would it continue growing upright or bush out? If you don't have an answer, that's okay.

You want your peppers to provide fruit? lol..okay. Maybe if you were growing 'sweet' peppers..lol..j/k.
Did you discuss/post pics of your peppers? Seeds or plants?
Like I mentioned on the other thread, I'm thinking of growing veggies in large pots, but need help.
You don't have to reply..think you said you were busy.

I hope your 'cado does fruit. If it was grafted it'd be likely to fruit, and wouldn't take 10 yrs.
Either way..its leaves are very pretty, fruit or not.

It wasn't that long you started your avocado

That Avacado is just Awsome overtime I look at it Josh!

Great work!!

I love this thread and the pics to keep us updated..

Thank you

Mike

Thanks, Mike!
It's a joy to document the process, and hopefully to encourage others along the way ;)
Eventually, I'll have to start a new Thread in order to keep the updates coming!

Toni,
it is sort of funny to think of hot peppers as fruit, I know ;)
The mildest pepper I grow is Pepperoncini...the rest range from hot to Super Hot!

I have full-grown plants in containers for the winter. I treat them like houseplants
until they go outdoors. Then I plant them in the garden, and dig them up in November.
My first pepper plant was a Hungarian Wax - and I still have that plant today.
It's going to be 4 year's old. I started growing peppers just to see how long I could
keep one alive. I also have a Chocolate Habanero that will be 2 year's old.

I'll post a link to my Pepper Threads a little later - I have pics of the entire process,
from seed-starting to digging the plants out of the ground for the Winter. If you e-mail me,
I can send you pics of my peppers more easily.

For your coffee tree - yes, wait a few months before pruning.
I think it will respond well to pruning. I've seen others that do quite well when trimmed.

You're right, I could graft to my Avocado for fruit...and that would be faster.
(However, I don't like the taste or texture of Avocado).


Josh

HI Josh,
What is your goal for this plant?
Bushy? Tall and tree like? Just curious. :)
Or a mini tree?

JoJo

Bushy! ;)
Short and squat!

Josh

Well, you're on the right track, it appears... with repeated haircuts, it should stay short and get bushy!

I still haven't managed to obtain an avacado... I forget every time I'm grocery shopping! I walk right past the pile of avacados in the fruit section, grab a banana bunch on the way through, and head straight for meats! :-)

Hi Josh,
That's what I was picturing, especially since you keep lopping the poor thing off. lol..

That's going to look nice, with the shape and texture of the leaves, and the new ones coming in a different color. :-)

JoJo

I love that plant Josh. I had to have another look..

It is going to have the perfect form.

Mike

Josh:

I love your story. Your avocado is thriving, and I hope it will bear fruit one day. I'd like to share my story of an avocado that has become a close friend.

I grew a Hass avocado plant from a pit that sprouted in my compost pile about 20 years ago. My intent was to teach my then 7-year-old daughter about growing plants from the things we eat. (We also grew a pineapple and a lemon tree that actually bore fruit, although they were never particularly attractive.) The avocado tree has grown as tall as seven feet several times, and each time I've cut it back by half or more so I could bring it in for the winter. It never flowered.

Today, it is about four feet tall with a trunk diameter of less than 2 inches. It has always lived in a two-gallon pot. I've changed the potting soil and done some root pruning every few years. I thought about throwing it out several times to make room for a growing collection of more exotic plants, but I couldn't do it to an old friend that has taught me so much.

I found that I had to prune it heavily and often to keep it from being leggy and unkempt. I also learned that during the six months it lives indoors, I need to water it more often than most of my other plants. It doesn't seem to ever go dormant. I must feed it "weekly, weakly" throughout the year if I want it to look halfway decent. In the summer, I grow it in full sun. In winter, I grow it at a north window behind other plants I value more. I'm not particularly proud of the way I've treated it, but I must say I am impressed with its will to live. My dream is to retire to a warmer climate where I can grow it in the proper environment.

I tried to upload a photo, but have had no luck. Maybe I'll figure it out later.

Hello, Ohiofem!
I love your story in turn!

It sounds as though you're doing everything right for your tree...and the proof is in the pic!
Yes, it's difficult to keep these trees compact, but you've done a great job. An inspiration!

Pruning the foliage, pruning the roots, re-potting periodically and using the same sized
container, fertilizing "weakly weekly"...that's the perfect advice, as far as I'm concerned -
a recipe for success.

I'm so glad you stopped in! Welcome!

Josh

My avocado and I thank you! ;-) I just joined GW about six weeks ago and have learned so much. After almost 40 years of growing things I finally found some solid, evidence-based information about the best container soils and fertilizing practices. I plan to repot this plant (and most of my collection) in one of Al's mixes and begin using a fertilizer closer to the ideal 3-1-2 formula. Through trial and error, I learned that this is the right thing to do. Several years ago I found a potting mix that was more than 50 percent pine fines, and noticed that it was clearly superior to mixes based on peat. I also have been using a 20-10-20 fertilizer with all micros because it was recommended for my clivia collection. I had to buy so much of it (25 pounds for $40 including shipping!) that I began using it on everything and saw that it also was superior to all the other formulas I'd tried. Now I know it's too low in N.

I have a question for you. It sounds like you are growing your avocado in Al's gritty mix. Would you recommend that over the 5-1-1 mix for an avocado house plant? How do you decide which formula to use? Since my avocado seems to like evenly moist soil, I would have thought it would prefer 5-1-1.

OF - I'll let Josh answer his own questions, you can always trust his advice; but I have one for you. Is the 20-10-20 you have soluble in water or is it a slow release (marginally soluble - like lawn fertilizer)? Don't be in too big of a hurry to get rid of it - you may find it valuable for certain applications a little later - especially if you grow tomatoes in a container, if it's soluble.

When I saw your tree and read the story, the first thing that caught MY eye was the wonderful 'movement' in the trunk - not straight like most trees you would buy. It has character that makes it 'unique in all the world' - no other tree just like it. It's a great illustration of how taking/keeping control of your plant can keep it looking good indefinitely - yours too, Josh. Great job, guys!

Great thread, Josh. I've enjoyed following it. Be sure to (I hope you) keep it going.

Al

Good morning!

Yes, I am growing in a mix very close to the Gritty Mix.
I chose the Gritty Mix so that I could let the plant grow in the container for a little longer
between re-pottings. The Gritty Mix is also easier to flush, which is important during the winter,
and dries out faster (important for those extended weeks without good light).

Don't get me wrong! I love the 5-1-1. I've called it my "work horse" around the yard.
It's light-weight, economical, easy to mix, and a pleasure to use. When I make the 5-1-1, I use
uncomposted, screened Orchid Bark, and I eliminate all peat moss, so even my 5-1-1 is durable
and longer lasting than any bagged, peat muck potting soil.

This Forum revolutionized my container growing.

Josh

Judging by the time stamps on our posts, you were typing at the same time I was. ;o)

Al

Al, you're right...I just now saw your post! ;-)
And a good post at that. I appreciate the fertilizer help, too.
I'll certainly create a new Avocado Thread once we hit 150 posts...!

Josh

Does my post make it 150? lol

I must say Josh that I am learning so much from you and this thread, and from many others here. I love following this thread and all the illustrations and explanations right down to the soil and fertilizer!

I think it will or should be impossible for me to fail with this plant by next time. I think I am ready to take that plunge. I have been hestitate, but my confidence level is definatly up there buddy.

Now I am in a race with two other friends of ours..lol. I just bought a bag of 6 of them. Or, I might even cheat, and get one from Logees that is grafted and already fruiting.

Thanks Josh, and what a supprise to see a very good friend pay a visit here. I am most excited about that!

Did I tell you already I am very impressed with the trunk?
When you said your goal was to keep your avocado short and bushy and "house friendly" with regular pruning, you were not kidding.

It is becoming a masterpiece of living art. Great job

Mike

Josh: Thanks for the detailed explanation of why you made your soil choice. After reading most of Al's many container soil and fertilizing threads, I was already planning to repot three dozen clivia using the gritty mix. But I was leaning toward using 5-1-1 for most of my other plants, partly because it sounds like less work. I must admit I'm intimidated by the screening requirements. I once spent most of a day screening fines out of 4 cubic feet of coarse perlite and found I had lost almost a third of it. But, I'll bite the bullet for my avocado too. I can see that yours is much healthier than mine.

Al: I am thrilled that you see character in my little tree. I based some of my choices on what I've read about bonsai. But it's character owes more to trial, lots of errors and dumb luck. I probably put the poor thing through torture in the early years. And it's been a great learning experience for me.

I don't want to stray too far off topic, but what you said about fertilizer intrigues me. Mine is Peters Professional soluble 20-10-20 peat lite, which is labeled as being designed for constant feeding. I use it in a weak solution every time I water most of my houseplants. I do grow tomatoes in containers, but I was trying to use organic methods on those. You convinced me that is not a good practice in container gardening, so I was planning to switch to something like Foliage Pro. But I'm cheap, and still have 20 pounds of the stuff. Can I use it on my tomatoes? Other stuff?

Yes - start a thread on the container forum (or here @ houseplants - containers is prolly better, though) if you're curious, so we don't go too far off topic here on Josh's thread. There will be times when you want to intentionally induce a N deficiency, and using a fertilizer with a 2:1:2 ratio is a very good way to do it. Changing ratios doesn't really do anything for you (the plant) though, unless you actually ARE reducing the amount of N the plant is getting to the point of mild deficiency.

More later. Sorry Josh - I made it quick. ;o) You prolly are already thinking that if you start a new thread just before this one tops out, you can provide a link in the last post here to the new thread, and link from the new thread back to the old thread? It would be a shame for someone to stumble on this thread weeks/months after it tops out & not be able to follow it to the new one. ;-)

Al

This is a great thread. My sister-in-law has given me three pits in a ziplock with a moist towel to grow. She had guacamole for the superbowl. You have given me some great ideas on what to do with them, and I will be following your thread to care for them.

Hello, Kinder!

Thanks, and I hope you'll share your progress with the Forum.
Stop by any time please. I'll keep the Avocado Thread alive ;-)

My initial goal in growing an Avocado was to figure out a technique whereby
my sister would have success with her plants. Every time I saw them, I would
say to myself, "There must be a better way." By that time, I'd versed myself
in the Container Mix principles put forth by Al (Tapla), and I was absolutely
convinced that failing (or ugly) Avocados were due to crappy potting mix.
So I told my sister that I'd grow an Avocado in a free-draining mix and report
the outcome. This Thread was a natural progression. It's been a lot of fun!

Josh

All of my plants are itching for some outdoor sun...but the weather's still too cool! ;-)
Jodi, Mike, JoJo(?), check your Avocado pits. Hopefully they'll germinate any day now!

{{gwi:5992}}

Josh

Josh, can't believe how long this thread got! :)
My puter is slow; it takes a couple minutes to open.

You said 'above,' you don't like the texture or taste of 'cados.'
I dislike limes, but I have lime trees..I also have two Ficus elasticas but don't munch on rubber. lol.

The leaves on your 'cado are perfect...no flaws, whatsoever.
No pic of the trunk??? Toni

Josh your 'cado is looking lovely!

Mine, on the other hand, still has mostly large leaves & a few with a couple mm crisp on the tips. With the last chop, I did get 2 buds at the top, but one is growing much faster than the other (it's about 2.5" & the other is still a bud).

Now I've a couple of questions for you:

Will the lagging bud catch up, or should I chop again?

Any opinions - from anyone - about simply removing the larger leaves later in the year? Will that encourage any growth/budding? Since the larger leaves are on the portion that will end up being trunk, it's fine if they never come back...

Thanks!
GB

Howdy, Toni!

This Thread has gotten long for sure, and you've all helped it grow! ;-)
A few more posts, and I'll start a new Thread, which will load much sooner.

Sorry, no pic of the trunk today....the leaves have gotten in the way! ;-)
My camera's battery was dying, so I had to snap quickly before bringing the Avocado
back inside. The leaves are flawless, I think, because I'm able to water thoroughly and
keep the gritty container mix flushed of excess fertilizer salts. Eventhough my house
is very dry, the healthy roots mean that the leaves will stay green.

Gravyboots, thank you! Welcome to the Avocado Thread ;-)

One branch will always tend to outgrow the other/s.
What I do is turn my Avocado to try to encourage even growing, but even that isn't enough.
I do think you have to keep pruning to even the branches out.

Removing leaves will cause new leaves to grow where the old ones were.
I've seen an Avocado re-bud all the way down the trunk after it lost most of its leaves.

Now, let's hear a bit more about your Avocado!
What type of potting mix is it growing in? How large a container? How often do you water,
and what sort of fertilizer do you use when you fertilize? Also, where is it located?
I think we can get your Avocado looking vibrant and healthy.

Josh

Well... it's 2 yrs old, started in the compost pile & spent the first summer outside in the veg garden. I dug it up in the fall, since it had grown rather tall & looked happy. I was too tender-hearted to condemn it to death by frost.

Currently 2' tall (+ that 2" new growth I mentioned) & living in a 1 gallon plastic pot of garden soil/compost. It has a little over an inch of thin bark coming on at the base of the trunk.

I've been using 1/8 strength 3:1:2 fertilizer for about a month, usually about every week or 10 days. None of the new leaves since fertilizer have had crispy tips - I think they're from last summer when I let it get a little too dry - it really hasn't been a leaf-dropper at all.

At the equinox, I'm going up everybody's doses to 1/4 strength for a while. Everyone just got a pot flush yesterday (no food) since the weather was so nice - my S-facing glass-roof deck was out of the N wind & "warm" w/ the glass magnifying the sun. All the plants are getting southern exposure at this point & the 'Cado is right by the window.

Anyhoo - it will get a root prune & repot into fast mix in June. Maybe a move to a 2 gal pot; we'll see what those roots are doing... then it can eat as much as it wants. I may very well defoliate the trunk at that point. I think it will enjoy spending the summer outdoors.

I'm after a taller plant, so when I lop, it's just a few cm off the top. The last cut (only the 2nd lopping) brought 2 buds: the slacker & the over-achiever. If the slacker gets it's @ss in gear, that'll be enough balance for now & I'll let those shoots grow the better part of a foot or so before I chop them. If not, I'll take another few cm off the top & hope for more balanced budding.

Thanks Josh for sharing your experience on this thread - I think Avocado is something most people try, simply because it's around. You're proving that it can actually be a viable & attractive houseplant, given one is willing to put in some initial work.

GB

Josh, the thread has grown because many are interested in your success, and like Gravy said, you've shown a 'cado can be grown from a pit to a beautiful, mature plant, indoors. Okay, it wasn't said verbatim..:)

BTW, my pit is the pits. lol. It's been in water for months, nothing is happening. No split whatsoever. Think it's going in the compost.
Every so often I make tacos, with avocado placed on top. So there's no shortage. I will retry, Plus, as soon as it warms up, I plan on sowing a few pits in the garden.

Do avocados need humidity?

Gravy, you're doing just right...!
Your Avocado will really appreciate the re-potting in June - a faster mix will eliminate those
leaf-issues, I believe. Changing the soil would have been my only advise, but you have that covered.

Toni, thanks again!
Water-rooting is not a method I recommend. It usually just leads to rot...the pits, as you say! ;-)
Start your Avocados in a damp paper towel, placed in an open zip-lock bag in a cupboard or drawer.
To increase your success, do several at a time. I think you'll enjoy starting the pits in the garden,
and then digging them up and re-potting in a fast-draining mix for the winter - I think this produces the
best results, although you do have to watch out for those squirrels!!! ;-)

Avocados don't need humidity necessarily, but they need to be watered appropriately. My house is very dry
and I make no effort to increase humidity for my plants - but they're all quite healthy.

Josh

O.K. Better late than never. LOL!

I got my 2 seeds/pits in the cupboard now . ;-)

Josh,
Yours is looking great!
Talk to you soon!
JoJo

Josh.

Now you see what you did :-))
I just dicovered this thread and love it so much i'm digging up my avo tree tomorrow and will be planting it in a container ;-)
Its been growing outside for about 6 years now but just dont seem to get going. Its standing about 4ft tall and just dont seem to get going. It was a stupid idea in the first place to plant it here in lower half of NZ. Its just to cold for it. I'm sure it will be happier as a indoor plant here.

Freddie

JoJo, so glad you've joined the Avocado "race"! ;-)

Freddie, I'm glad to have helped you make the decision!
I still Summer my Avocado outdoors, which allows it to gain maximum vitality before the Winter indoors.
Even so, it never really stops growing...it just slows for about three weeks, and then a growth spurt.

When you dig yours up, take some pics of the roots (if you can). I was worried by the lack of fine roots
when I dug mine up, but it handled the re-potting well. Once you re-pot, keep it sheltered for a while so
the wind and the sun don't beat it all to hell. Then, put it back in the sun to enjoy the remainder of your
warm days down there. After two weeks, start the fertilization.

If I'm remembering rightly, you've been re-potting your trees into Gritty Mixes lately, yes?
Your Avocado will do excellently in a gritty, fast-draining mix.

Josh

Well, your Avacado is looking great, Josh! I think we're all in need of a little warmth and sunshine... not just our plants!

I am so not a winter person... the lack of light, the cold... it gets in my bones and is rather depressing after a while! I live for spring! :-)

Hello!

Since we're about to max out the number of replies for this Thread,
let me invite ya'll to the Container Forum where this might Thread shall continue ;-)

Avocado as Container Plant

Josh

I've planted a couple outside here in houston and they seem to love it! You can spot one on the left