OMG.. will you stop trying to love it to death ... it does not need to be fed.. nor thrived ... nor stimulated .. [though i have cussed out many a plant] read how to water at the link.. and follow it precisely ... proper water for up to 3 years at this size.. IS ALL IT NEEDS ... if you do not perfect moisture at root depth.. it will die ... and no other goo will stop such ... save your money on the other voodoo stuff .. ken Here is a link that might be useful: link

yes.. of course.. there are a multitude of reasons ... but you dont do it for the heck of it ... as to winter ice .... as snow is usually irrelevant on a deciduous tree ... i have had more snap at my poor attempt at staking.. as compared to bowing over.. and springing back up.. once the ice fell off ... but again ... my soil didnt make it falling over an issue ... and.. in my z5 MI .;. the ground freezes solid... so it isnt going to fall over.. it would more likely break ... my biggest problem.. was usually the second year ... thin wispy trunk .. and the thing leafs out and grow a foot or two .. w/o ever any fert ... and the sailboat sail of leave mass... overwhelms the thin trunk ... and a couple broke at the stake connection ... as i guessed wrong about the placement of such ... i didnt allow the wood to flex .. like a bow ... i created a static point ... such was rejected ... and that is when i learned.. that when dealing with a thin trunk .... you drive a stake as close to the plant.. and splint it to the trunk to make it stronger .... that i learned not to go for instant gratification..and started buying smaller ... so the trunk would grow in sync with the canopy .... and lo and behold.. found out.. that a smaller transplant will usually outgrow the larger instant gratification plant... go figure ... ken

Well, since there's no big loss if it doesn't work, how about re-potting it in a very well draining mix, and putting it outside for more light. If it's been inside a long time, set it out in the sun slowly, like a couple hours the first day, then back in a shady spot (but still outside) more hours the second and so on over the course of a week or so. That way you'll not shock it or sunburn the leaves. Also, don't fertilize after re-potting until you see new growth, then use a good liquid citrus food at half strength. Avocados don't need a lot of humidity, they like it just fine but they don't NEED it. If they did they would not grow in areas like Southern California, which is basically a desert. So I wouldn't worry about that if I were you. And I would snip off that brown tip just past it and into the green trunk. I've found brown tips like that just keep going unless you cut them off. It might still come back, imo, 50-50% chance.

I'm planning to get a 'Holiday' avocado tree (dwarf). This would be the first tree I've ever planted. Wondering if I can just dig a hole use the existing soil or should I be adding something? I've done research but haven't found a solid answer. I think my soil is pretty good. I have some thriving succulents and random drought tolerant plants, indicating that the drainage should be good. I'm located in northern CA if it matters. The same question applies for peaches or any other fruit tree actually. I'd like to plant a couple more dwarf trees if possible. I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks!