Avocado Trees in a Container

Young avocados only need a small container.

Avocado trees grow successfully as potted houseplants when provided with proper care. Most container-grown avocados never set fruit, but the glossy green evergreen foliage is an attractive addition to your home. You can grow your avocado as a tall indoor tree or train it to a smaller, bushier form as desired.

Pot and Soil

Use an 8-inch diameter pot with bottom drainage holes for newly planted avocado trees. Avocados grow best when planted in well-drained potting soil. Do not use garden soil as it's too dense to work successfully in container culture. Avocados require repotting every two to three years. Repot the tree in spring into a container one size larger than the old container, using the same potting soil blend that it was growing in previously.

Sunlight and Temperature

Avocados prefer warm temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and no lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Place the containers in a window where they receive direct all day sunlight. Avocados cannot tolerate frost, but you can place the trees outside in a sunny area in the summer month to ensure they receive plenty of light, warmth and fresh air. Just bring the containers back indoors once temperatures begin to drop in fall.

Water

Both too much and too little water can damage your avocado. Water the plant when the top inch of soil begins to feel dry. Too much water makes the foliage curl and the tree develops a soft stem, which eventually leads to rot and death. Too little water causes the foliage to brown and die. Once-weekly watering is usually sufficient for indoor plants. Plants set outdoors may require daily watering depending on how quickly the soil dries out.

Fertilizer

Container-grown avocados only need light fertilization to replenish the nutrients in the potting soil. Use a balanced fertilizer formulated for houseplants. Apply the fertilizer every three months for a total of four applications a year. Use the lowest application rate recommended on the label for your avocado's container size.

Pruning

Avocados begin developing into trees once they are about 4 feet tall. Full avocado trees may difficult to maintain indoors because of their size. If you prefer a smaller, bushier avocado, cut back the plant by 2 inches once it's 6 inches tall. Continue to cut back the plant for each 2 feet of growth it puts on. This type of light pruning encourages branching and makes the avocado former a lower, bushier growth habit instead of developing a single trunk.

References

• Colorado State University Extension; Avocado; Oct. 27, 2010
• Michigan State University Extension; From Pit at the Table to Avocado Tree in the Home; D.M. Jones, et al.