Growing Avocados

Avocados are superfoods high in unsaturated fats. The avocado tree is native to south-central Mexico. However, they now have commercial value and are grown in tropical areas around the world. You can grow them in your garden if you have a little patience, as we will find out how we can grow them in our gardens.  

Health Benefits

• Avocados increase the level of good cholesterol and lower the bad cholesterol in your body.
• It contains more potassium than a banana, which reduces the risk of stroke, blood pressure, heart attack, and kidney failure.
• They promote healthier skin by defending it from free radicals that can damage it.
• Avocado is delicious and easy to incorporate into your diet.
• Vitamin K found in avocado is essential for healthy bones.
• Including avocado in your diet can reduce the risk of depression.
• The fat content in avocado helps kill cancer stem cells.
• Another benefit of this fruit is preventing hair loss and promoting hair growth.
• Avocados contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals that help minimize UV damage.
• The presence of folate in avocado is perfect for pregnancy.

 

Planting Avocado

Selecting Variety

There are three types of avocado: Mexican avocado, Guatemalan avocado, and West Indian avocado; two of them are grown in the United States. Guatemalans can survive 20 ° F, and you can harvest them 12-15 months after flowering, while Mexican avocados can tolerate 28 ° F and produce fruit 6-8 months after flowering. If you are looking for a strain that will produce fruit quickly after flowering, you can opt for Mexican avocados.

Selecting Site

Avocados grow well in full sunlight, like many fruit trees. They grow well in all types of well-draining soil. There should be no hard layers or lime deposits within 3 feet of the soil surface, as this can significantly affect the growth and quality of the avocado crop. Stagnant water does not stimulate plant growth and can lead to root rot.

How to Plant?

Before you plant your avocado tree, there are a few things to keep in mind. To maximize an avocado harvest, you will need more than one tree to plant for pollination. When planting, make sure the roots are level with the container. Refill the pit and force the top of the soil down by hand to fill the air pockets. Water your plant daily for the first two weeks and twice the following weeks.  

Care

• Unlike a lot of trees, avocados are pretty water-hungry. So you have to water them a lot, especially when they are younger and just getting established as the feeder roots.
• They want to stay more on that sandy, loamy soil rather than clay or clay loam soil. Clay soil holds a lot of water; therefore, you want to avoid that.
• Mulch your plant to keep the soil moisture and make sure not to push it right up against the trunk because it causes root rot.
• Mature avocados need extra nitrogen to grow, but excess supply to dwarf trees can damage them.
• Yellow round spots on the leaves indicate a nutrient deficiency; keep your soil tested and add fertilizers if needed.
• Spray a mixture of copper, zinc, and manganese for plants planted in sandy soils for the first five years.

 

Harvesting Avocados

Most avocado trees produce fruits six to seven after planting; bud trees usually have in four years. You can pick your avocado fruits when they stop changing their colors. The color of the dark purple or almost black varieties will intensify when ripe. Green guys’ skin glow will start to fade and switch to a yellowish tint as they mature. Fruits can be stored on the tree until they begin to fall. To test for ripeness, choose a fruit with a short stem attached, then place it on the counter for a few days; if the branch does not wilt or darken, the fruit is ripe, and the rest is safe to pick. Avocados do not weaken until they are picked; they generally soften the tree in three to eight days. The fruits will soften at room temperature; refrigeration will slow down ripening. Cut or slice the fruit from a branch with a piece of stem attached; do not pluck the fruits; it could break or break the branch. Instead, use pruning shears or scissors to harvest the fruits; a long pole pruner may be needed to harvest fruit from above. Wear gloves to avoid scratching the fruit. Avocados can be stored for several weeks when stored at a temperature slightly above 42 °. To freeze avocado, pure fruit, add lemon or lime juice, pack in freezer containers, and freeze.  

Disease, Pests and Their Management

i- Algal leaf spot (Cephaleuros virescens)

Embossed green, yellowish, or orange-red spots appear on the upper and lower parts of the leaves. Sometimes they spread to twigs and branches and form a gray to dark necrotic bark. As this disease matures, it damages the unaffected side of the leaves. Management Make sure that your plant is appropriately pruned and fertilized to promote vigor. In addition, it might be a good idea to remove any debris and weeds from around the tree basis.

• Sunblotch(Avocado sunblotch viroid)

Symptoms of sunblotch found on avocado are streaks and spots on the bark of twigs and branches. These spots are usually yellow but white or colorless on young plants. Management Use certified varieties and avoid the spread of diseased trees.

• Anthracnose(Glomerella cingulate)

Brown or purple lesions of various sizes can be found anywhere on the avocado. These lesions are dark in color, develop over time, and affect the skin and pulp. Symptoms appeared within 1 or 2 days on fruit that showed no signs at harvest. Management Prune the affected branch before the fungi produce spores. Spray fungicides on insects that damage fruit, such as fruit flies.

• Avocado thrips(Scirtothrips perseae)

Feeding scars can be found on immature trees; these scars become scabs and spread across the fruit. The adult insect is yellow and reaches 0.3 inches in length. Management Six inches of thick mulch at the base of trees can help reduce the population of thrips in the soil. Do not spray fungicides as they can kill beneficial insects at the bottom of the trees.