the roots are stressed from the transplant .. and can not support the leaves ... water properly.. and pray ken ps: grass grew that lushly around the trunk since planting????

Travis van der Font, if both shoots are in the same container, I believe that the problem is in the potting medium. I hesitate to say moisture stress because the leaves are still somewhat open faced rather than rolled up. The blackened upper part of the shoot suggests a fungus. Cut back both shoots (tool sterilization between cuts) well below the blackened portion and nurse them along to encourage new shoots. Select a new leader and hopefully you will get a good healthy plant.

I am admittedly not an avocado expert, but I do have two fully mature trees and live in a huge avocado farming area. Avocados need a LOT of water, but they don't like to sit in the water, which is why most of them here are planted on hillsides. We water twice a week (on irrigation), but our trees are on a somewhat steep incline/hill, so that the water that isn't absorbed can run away. kristincarol's advice about wanting a deep leaf litter (6" or so, I mean deep) around their roots is also spot on - if you move the leaf litter, you'll even notice little feeder roots growing in the bottom layer of the leaves. They do not like to be in bare soil that is exposed to the sun to turn into cement, as they take up most of the water/nutrients very close to the surface. You also want to be fertilizing every three months or so if they are putting out fruit (follow the directions carefully since those are such little guys you have there), in case the nursery didn't mention it. Anyway, I personally would suggest frequent shallow/short watering so that they're not sitting in water as it looks like you don't have them on mounds/hills, but enough so that the feeder roots can uptake the water. Don't water if the soil is soggy. I'd also try to get some more leaf litter in there - if you have other trees to steal dead leaves from it should work until your guys build up their own, although I would imagine you could substitute something like wood chips or deep straw, but I would avoid anything that would mat down like grass clippings. The mulch should help somewhat with keeping the surface soil moist and you should be able to avoid watering as often. I bet you can save them. I think I'd find another expert to help in your area outside of that nursery, what they're telling you is so all over the map that it's kind of scary.

Yes, younger leaves are actually the most sensitive. I grew up in Westchester...and I know your weather is good for avos. But, this Santa Ana condition (coming in again tomorrow) is rough on the trees. Actually, dwarf trees are the most vulnerable because of their limited roots to take up moisture. Your soil is probably pretty sandy...so you need to be diligent about keeping your soil moist. I have shadecloth that I use on occasion to combat intense sunlight during heatwaves. Also, avos do shed their leaves (all at once) in the Fall (usually). ED of Somis