How to Care for Hass Avocado Trees
The avocado is appreciated not only for its creamy texture and mild flavor but also for its antioxidant and cholesterol-lowering properties. If you are a fan of the fruit, growing your own can save you money. Avocado varieties abound, but the Hass avocado accounts for 80 percent of the avocados sold around the world. In fact, the Hass avocado tree is among the hardiest and can withstand temperatures of less than 32 degrees F. Caring for your Hass tree takes commitment, but your efforts can result in years of free avocados. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Hass avocado trees have shallow roots that are fragile when first planted. Plant your Hass tree in warm soil. If you are in North America, this means planting sometime between March and June, typically. If you are elsewhere, plant during the spring or very early summer. If you plant the tree when the weather is too hot--during midsummer months, for example-- you run the risk of exposing it to sunburn.
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Disease-free woody mulch will help protect your tree's roots. Mulch your Hass avocado tree. Apply the mulch at least 6 inches from the tree's trunk. For best results, use a woody mulch consisting of tree bark or treetop material. About 1/3 cubic yard should suffice. Avoid using mulch from diseased trees because the disease can be transferred to your Hass tree.
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Hass trees need abundant water, especially when first planted. Water your Hass tree. These trees need a good soaking when you water, so do not skimp. To know when to water, take some soil from the tree base and squeeze it between your fingertips. If you can see your fingerprints in the clump of soil, the tree does not yet need water. If you cannot see an imprint, it is time to water your Hass tree. When you first plant your tree, you may need to use as much as a gallon a day. As the tree begins to take root, you can reduce watering frequency to two to three times per week. After a year has passed, a good soaking once a week should do the trick.
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Fertilize your tree. Hass avocado trees need nitrogen and zinc, primarily. Apply about 1/2 to 1 pound of nitrogen over the course of a year. To give your tree enough zinc, use a typical plant fertilizer throughout the year. If you cannot find a fertilizer that includes zinc, you may need to purchase zinc powder separately and add it to the fertilizer.
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Paint your Hass tree trunk to help protect it from sunburn that can occur during the hotter months. Mix one part white paint with one part water, and paint the trunk with the resulting solution.
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Expose your Hass tree to lots of light. Unless heat is extreme, your Hass tree will need full sunlight for the whole day. If you live in a very hot area, morning sun will be enough.
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Tips & Warnings
Hass avocado trees rarely thrive when planted in a lawn area, so choose another space for your tree to take root.
Frosty, windy areas are not good locations for a Hass avocado tree. Find a wind-sheltered spot to plant your tree.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit avocado image by Lucy Cherniak from Fotolia.com avocado tree image by Lexon from Fotolia.com pine bark mulch image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com water or garden hose image by Katrina Miller from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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thank you so much!
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I know this is late.. but if you live in a cold winter area, you might consider growing a "mexicola" variety of avocado.. it's hardy down to 18 degrees and produces avocados with thin edible skin. I'd also recommend a good fertilizer.. my favorite is "espoma organic avocado and citrus tree fertilizer" in addition to nutrients it has beneficial microbes which help make the soil healthy (think of jamie lee curtis and her activia commercials, lol) Does pretty much the same thing except for the plant. Personally, I have a mexicola, and I couldn't resist the urge to buy a hass avocado tree from lowes, on sale for 14.98.. woohoo!
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If you see leaves that are getting burnt and brown, prune them. Mine was doing so bad until I decided to try this, now its better than ever. My first two trees would have certainly died if I didn't do this, now they are both thriving. I have decent drainage and we get a lot of sun in San Diego. Make sure you leave leaves on top to get big. I leave them out in the sun all day.
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I've seen pictures on the Web that show small avacado trees in large planter pots with fruit. I have personaly killed my first two avacado trees (Haas & Fuerta), by maybe not having proper drainage. I bought a third avacado tree from Home Depot in the Spring and it was doing well until the hot weather arrived a few weeks ago - which burned many of the leaves, however there is new growth and I hope it makes it.
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Isn't there an internet meme about a happy cat that says " I can Haas avacado"?
