You're Probably Not Watering Your Avocado Tree The Right Way

Avocados (Persea americana) are types of evergreen trees that are originally from Central America. Coveted for their edible fruits, avocado trees aren't exclusive to agricultural settings. With the right conditions and care, avocados can grow in yards and home gardens in USDA hardiness zones 10 to 12. While there are a lot of care requirements to consider, you'll want to pay extra attention to how you're watering your avocado tree, as you could easily be doing it wrong. Unlike many other plants and trees, avocados need more frequent, shallow waterings to stay adequately hydrated throughout the year.

With more than 900 varieties, each avocado tree has slightly different growing needs. When growing and caring for an avocado tree, it's important to provide the plant with the right amount of water and fertilizer, and to place it in an area with full sun. Most cultivars also need plenty of space away from other plants to grow properly, as some can become 30 to 65 feet tall. Surprisingly, these big trees do not have very deep roots; most go no further than 8 inches into the soil. While trees with deeper root systems can access water stored further in the ground, the shallow roots of an avocado tree cannot; hence, it needs regular moisture, not over-wet soil (as avocado trees are also prone to root rot from overwatering). These are important facts to keep in mind as you consider a watering schedule, and they can even influence when you might see fruit on your avocado tree, too.

It's a mistake to overwater avocado trees by giving them too much water at one time or by watering them too frequently. On the flip side, you will do your trees a disservice by not watering them often enough. As a rule of thumb, avocado needs smaller quantities of water at more frequent intervals. A new tree may need 5 to 20 gallons of water at a time and irrigation several times per week to help it get established. A more established avocado tree may go several days or weeks without supplemental irrigation, so long as it gets enough water from rainfall. However, if conditions are dry, mature trees may need 20 gallons of water every few days. All avocado trees need well-draining soil.

The best way to tell whether your avocado tree needs water is to feel the topsoil. If the soil feels moist when you poke your finger in the soil, chances are you can skip supplemental irrigation for the time being. Dry soil indicates the tree needs a small amount of water. Always make sure you water avocado trees at their roots with an even application.

Mulching your avocado tree can also help to prevent moisture loss and root rot. However, it's recommended that you keep mulch at least 6 inches away from the trunk of the tree, or else it can lead to collar rot. Aside from water needs, avocado trees are also notoriously fussy about the pH of their soil. When fertilizing your avocado tree, test the soil to make sure it doesn't exceed a pH of 7.