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What's wrong in my avocado?

Eleonora Guglielmini

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Hi

i'm completely new at gardening and i'm trying to grow my avocado

from the seed. I thought everything was fine when it started to grow so i decided to prune it at the top as i read on web. As you can see, though, now there's a new leader growing in place of the first branch while the third at the bottom stil doesn't grow in lenght. I fear the new leader will crack if i don't prune it. So what shall i do? where i was wrong?

thank you everyone!

Featured Answer

Sugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)

8 years ago

Well, you pruned the leader so the side shoots came in. And depending on lots of things (light, soil, food and water), how fast each branch grows will differ.

Like Christine noted, your soil does look awfully wet and if I'm not mistaken, the pot is also quite large for the little plant, though avocado roots do tend to fill fast if you don't drown it in the meantime.

Though I guess it depends on the type of wind you get, there's no way my avocado branch would break itself with California winds. Bend, sure, but not break. I have, however, broken them off accidentally myself...quite easily, at that.

I'm not sure I understand what you are wanting your tree to do, though. I wanted mine to be like a tree with one leader for now (thread), not a bush, so I cut off all the side shoots it had and left the leader. So mine grows taller but not wider. You, having chopped the leader, I would think you want more of a bush and branching out from the bottom of the plant, yes? If so, I'm not sure why you'd prune the branches coming out...?

Just want to make sure you topped it for the right reason. :-)

I took this multi-stemmed plant:

To this single-trunk one:

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Comments (6)

christine 5b
8 years ago
You will receive a lot of advice here, my first thought is the soil looks very compact and the plant is stretching for the sun. Your off to a good start :>)
Eleonora Guglielmini
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you dear!

Do you think i should move it under the direct sunlight and see what happens?

i'm also worried about the weakness of this new branch cause the place where it stays is a little windy.

Do you think this could be a problem?
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Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
8 years ago
Wind causes trunks to become stronger, build resistance, but too much can send a whole pot flying, or pull a newly repotted plant out of its' pot. Unless either of those occurs, a stiff breeze should be helpful. Whenever going from less light to more light, try to do a gradual adjustment, so leaves can adjust & don't sunburn from too much, too quickly.

Beautiful plants, Grace!
Eleonora Guglielmini
Original Author
8 years ago
Hi friends! Thanks everybody for your advices. Grace, i really didn't know what to expect when i pruned my plant. I just thought this could help my little friend to become stronger . Anyway, i decided to move it under direct sunlight and to reduce water (maybe every 2 days instead of 1?)

as you can see within a day that little branch staightened itself and i get the feeling it is yet heavier than yesterday.

Yay!
Sugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years ago
Looks better, yes! I'm not sure how you are watering but really, that pot is too large. I'd be totally nervous about overwatering more than once a month! Be very careful. Since the pot looks big enough to stick your whole hand in there, I'd reach on about 10" before I water. If it feels moist, do not water. Give it the best sun you have. :)

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