On the 26 of August 2012, I upload a video showing a major problem that I have been having with growing Avocado trees.
Please check my first video “Avocado Tree Problems” this video is an update to the unresolved problem.
https://youplanttube.blogspot.com/
I can't tell by the video what kind of soil you have in the pots but avocado tree's prefer well draining soil and letting a finger depth of the top of the soil dry out between watering. Over watering can lead to root rot which prevents uptake of water and nutrients no mater how much you water. I use a course bark fine mix for my avocado plants in containers and they do fine even in hot weather as long as I let a finger depth of soil dry out before watering again.
Thanks for the advice, I'm learning from my mistakes unfortunately, if this tree doesn't survive which I very much doubt it will, I always have the option to buy or start a new one which is very time consuming when it could have been producing fruit.
Depending on the type of fertilizer whether it is organic or synthetic, it may be contributing to excess salt buildup in the soil media. Synthetic fertilizers have much greater amounts of salt excess than organics do. Avocado has a low tolerance for salt buildup so it wise to flush out salt excess by flooding the container with water 2-3 times the volume of water the container can hold a couple times a year. A little garden gypsum can also help bind up salt excess as well as provide calcium.
That's very helpful to hear but would the buildup of salt not be detected by a pH reading, in my previous video on this topic I took two readings one was a moisture reading and the second one was a pH reading they checked out both fine, thanks for commenting.
I tried growing an Avacado tree from a pit a few times and each time it would make it through being potted into soil and grow into a good sized tree then after a few months the top would start to turn brown and the tree would begin dying from the growing tip down.I'm trying it one more time with a different variety I found in the produce section and I was wondering if there's a way to keep this strange cycle from repeating?Thanks.
I also am growing five avocados from seeds at this present time, one is all most 2 years old and has been having growing issues the others are seven months old and struggling, I have not given up yet , but to answer your question would be very difficult because of so many factors such as location soil type and so on, a key factor in reducing this problem is to use a rich light black compost and perform a moisture test to check if it's necessary to water. Thanks for commenting.
Root fungus? To tell dig down and see if you see health small feeder roots on one side of your plant. This shouldn't kill the plant. No feeder roots or dark roots indicate root fungus. Health feeder roots tend to be light colored. The limbs and tips actually look ok. your dark tips on older leaves indicate excessive compounds in the soil. pH looked alkaline side. Add 1/4 gypsum and 1/4 cup soil acidifier every 2-3 months. Your water may have excess minerals or CL, use filtered or rainwater.
Your leaves look slightly pale (hard to tell in video) that would be consistent with a slight pH problem. Similar situation with one of my trees and the gypsum and soil acidifier brought it back to life once it could execute photosynthesis. Avocados are REALLY sensitive. They need consistent moisture, slightly on the drier side, which avoids their chief problem – root fungus. pH checks free ions; dry salts may not be detected. Test it at home, put salt in cup, test, then add water, test again
Ok, one last comment. If you get creative and decide to use vinegar as your soil acidifier, use only 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per gallon. Vinegar is potent and quick acting. My experience indicates more is not better ! Gradual is good. Best of success with your tree.
Really sound advice, yes avocado trees really hate tap water, unfortunately this avocado tree didn't make it, but I did find out what was wrong with it, when I pull the root out an inch above the root’s I noticed two small hole’s and some Earthworms crawling out, I haven't given up, I've got a replacement, thanks for sharing that information with us.
that is the ugliest avocado tree i have ever seen! personally i think your problem is your plants location. get it somewhere open. i also think that the soil was poor when you planted it.
It needs better drainage, do you live near a nursery? Take some leaves in and show one of the workers there…Dry brown leaves sometimes indicate too much sun, BURNED. But if you take your leaves into a nursery they can help you better than ALL us online experts…
I'm not an expert on this subject, still learning, but I have a feeling that putting a layer of mulch at the BOTTOM of the pot would help (and the sides if practical), or adding lots of perlite to the soil. I hope the next one does well for you.
anybody know why avocados fall off my tree the size of small finger nail. will not sty on tree to mature
I had a similar problem with my rose bushes actually, the leaves were turning brown and crispy and falling off, and then the stems started dying too. From what it looks like it could very likely be a heat problem, the leaves look rather sunburned. Over-fertilization could also be a problem which would lead to pH problems in the soil.
Hey bro…. I live on the big island Hawaii, where our soil is mostly porous black lava rock with a topsoil of mulch from leaf fall and grass growth and dying processes. I have one very rapid growing split or twins butter avocado tree from 1 seed that's 4 years old and already 25 feet tall on both sides, but its growing right out the front of my temp cesspool, so its heavily fertilized and constantly watered, and last fall the away from sun side fruited its first flush of over 200 wonderful butter avocados, and now this late winter into spring the sun side is getting its preblooms already and it is loaded…. I have dozens of other avocados all only about 3 feet tall that are the same age but nowhere near the cesspool, and strangely enough, some of them just up and die for no obvious reason. They get plenty rainforest water, and I inoculate with local homemade EM1 and mulch around them with aged grass piles from mowing…. I don't fertilize but I do mulch heavily and use weekly EM1 which is effective microbes grown in molasses and water, which draws in earthworms and they derive my free fertilizer, plus I have a small hottub of goldfish I use fishwater from as it is constantly overflowing from rain, and that too creates free nitrogen liquid fertilizer and everything stays 100% organic…. Just keep in mind, life happens and so does death, don't be afraid of having too many avocado saplings because the future only holds too many fruits and lots of sales or givaways to friends and neighbors…. Shoots!!!! Oh yeah, I had like 200 virgin year avocado seeds which I literally threw all over the empty properties all around me. In 5 to 10 years, theres going to be hundreds of avocado trees everywhere down my street…. Same with Rambutan and Lychee seeds, threw them everywhere, oh, and apple banana saplings too…. and strawberry cuttings from overgrowth too…. threw that stuff all along the sides of the roads, all around my lot, all up and down the street…. its nice to share…
Your tree is sunburned, nearly to death.
Three steps to prevent it.
1) Use ½ strength Latex white paint, diluted with water and generously paint entire trunk and EVERY limb. redo as needed since you are in a high direct sun and reflected sun area.
2) Place a lattice or screen over the tree.
3) generously water 2-3 times a week using mulch around base to drip line to prevent evaporation from base of tree. (Yes I know you planted in a pot)
Resuscitate your tree with a high nitrogen fertilizer preferable an organic product like horse or cow manure (is the best), Urea a good second, third best is lawn fertilizer. Don't use too much of the inorganic fertilizers as they will tend to salt out your leaf tips Turns them brown)
Keep the top of the roots just exposed from soil. you should put 2-3 inches manure or mulch (see #3 above) on top of that to keep sunlight from drying out your soil. soil should always stay moist ( soil clumps in your fist) but not dripping wet between waterings.
Thanks for sharing your story. I have two avocado trees that I started around 3 months ago, one of them i potted and the leaves started turning brown although i have them both indoor with controlled temp, sunlight, and fairly watered. The one in water container out grew the potted one and is doing great. I assumed it would be the soil draining issue and root problems. So i transferred it back to water container, i hope this will save it. Not sure if I will attempt to re-pot any of them again.
In most cases it's due to salt build up, I'm guessing avocado are not salt resistant as mine also doing the same
It's getting too dry. Try watering a great amount every 3-4 days in the summer and 1-2 times a week in the winter.
Bad
growing fruit trees are more intensive. if the pot is too small and/or plant is too big, everytime you water vital nutrients wash out. fruit trees need more nutrients then non fruit bearing trees. one thing avocados need and love is iron. without it, leaves cannot use the sun, leaves will not turn green and die. without leaves, plant will most likely die. adding iron will not cure the leaves currently on your plant, but the new leaves coming out should be green. also add scrap iron, nails, filings, etc, to the soil around your avocado tree for long term slow release. use pots to start your seed, after it gets a foot or so tall, transplant into the ground. most fruit trees send a taproot down deep to stabilize itself for growing and getting nutrients and water. when it's in the ground, you will not have any problems over watering. I hope this helps.