Thanks tim45z10. I've loosened up the tie to the stake. I will make sure to paint the trunk prior to spring/summer. I hope this year, this tree will produce some fruits. Thanks again for your input.

What have you been fertilizing it with? The leaves look a bit light which may be a lack of iron or something, avocados tend to be heavy feeders like citrus. What happened to the mulch you said you put down? I would also remove that grass at the trunk as it competes for water and nutrients. I'm not sure if your irrigation water or soil is alkaline (most likely both as you're in Cali) but if the lack of iron is due to high pH then fertilizing with c chelated iron for alkaline soils (iron EDDHA not iron sulfate) should fix the nutrition situation.

Often times answers can come with the simplest of advice. Avocados like moisture in the soil. Drought or no drought...the tree needs constant moisture to thrive...just not standing water for a long time. Once it starts to thrive (next Spring)...the tree will shade itself with new growth. As tim says...whitewash the tops of those sunburned branches. Save this nice tree!

BahamaDan ZTropic - Thank you for the feedback. The fertilizer I've been using is worm casting (vermicompost). I don't have a schedule I follow, so I haven't been consistent as I'd like to be. The mulch I had down, prior to the picture were a bunch of leaves from my other plants. I have removed the grass that was surviving near the trunk. I wouldn't be surprised if water and soil is high in alkaline. I'll buy a soil/pH test to confirm. I plan to to use the Iron EDDHA you suggested as well. I also plan on providing this tree actual mulch (wood chips) and a better watering schedule. You have any suggestions on fertilizer I should be using?

fireduck(10a) - Thanks for your feedback. I can't wait. I will definitely whitewash the tops and provide better care for this true, especially during the summer months.

Avocados need a lot of nitrogen - vermicompost has hardly any. I'd recommend getting a standard citrus fertilizer mix and give that plant a handful or two every 3-4 months. Also, the soil looks dry, uncovered - have you thought about putting a good 2 cubic feet of garden compost around it? Water more? If you have a lawn, spreading an inch of fresh cut grass around the tree every time you cut the lawn creates a very decent mulch, and it feeds the tree as the clippings rot.

Here is a link to the California Rare Fruit Growers' culture sheet on avocados:

http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/avocado.html

No problem Josh, I have pretty alkaline soil here too (island sits on limestone bedrock) and water (pumped from the bedrock and maxed out the pH test kit I used which tests up to 8.3, and this is treated water the city provides lol), I just ordered some Iron EDDHA this morning for a couple plants. Avocadoes definitely love a good mulch, your plan sounds good. Pine bark mulch should work very well and be locally available. Like Mj said any fertilizer that is formulated for citrus should work fine as they have very similar nutrition requirements (and are both greedy). Shredded grass after mowing does make a cheap/free mulch too.