Pruning is an essential part of avocado tree care. Proper pruning at the correct times encourages your young avocado seedling to grow into a healthy, productive tree. Knowing when and how to prune avocado trees will create a strong tree structure, stimulate new growth, and maximize fruit production. In this comprehensive guide, we will cover when to prune avocado seedling.
Why Pruning is Important for Avocado Trees
Pruning serves several vital purposes for avocado trees:
- Promotes Good Structure and Form: Pruning when trees are young shapes them to have a strong central leader and open canopies, preventing future structural issues.
- Encourages New Growth: Selective pruning stimulates the production of new shoots and branches.
- Maximizes Fruit Production: Thinning directs the tree’s energy into growing larger, higher quality fruits rather than excessive foliage.
- Improves Air Circulation: Pruning creates an open canopy, increasing light penetration and air movement to reduce disease.
- Makes Harvesting Easier: Pruning keeps trees at a manageable height and shape for easy access to fruits.
- Rejuvenates Old Trees: Judicious pruning can bring declining trees back to vigour and productivity.
Properly pruning your avocado trees at strategic times will set them up for health, beauty, and productivity for years to come.
When to Prune Avocado Seedlings
Timing is critical when it comes to pruning avocado trees. Here’s guidance on when to prune at crucial growth stages:
Pruning Newly Germinated Seedlings
Once your avocado pit has cracked open and the taproot emerges, it’s time for the first pruning.
Using sterilized scissors or pruning shears, snip off about one inch from the tip of the emerging taproot. This encourages the young seedling to develop lateral and fibrous roots, providing a robust root system as the tree matures.
Pruning the First Year of Growth
The top priority in the first year after germination is developing a healthy root system. Limit pruning to:
- Pinching – Using your thumb and forefinger, snap off the tip of new shoots. Do this when new growth is about 2-4 inches long. This strengthens stems and encourages bushy, compact growth.
- Light tip pruning – Snip an inch from the ends of overly long shoots to shape growth.
Avoid removing more than 20% of the plant. Excessive pruning stresses young trees and diverts energy from root development.
Pruning Mature Trees
Once trees are 2-3 years old, established, and actively growing, adopt a regular pruning regimen:
Spring – Just before the main growth flush, prune to:
- Remove dead, diseased, broken, and crossing branches
- Thin, congested areas for improved light and air penetration
- Tip prune to stimulate vigorous growth
Summer – Prune lightly and selectively to:
- Pinch or tip prune new shoots for shaping
- Thinly develop fruits 6 inches apart when tiny to promote the growth of more extensive, higher quality fruits.
Fall/Early Winter – Prune to:
- Remove suckers and water sprouts that emerge from the trunk and scaffold branches
- Shorten drooping branches for better structure
- Thin additional branches and fruits if needed
- Reduce tree height and width to the desired dimensions
How to Prune Avocado Trees
Follow proper techniques when making any pruning cuts:
Tools Needed
- Sharp bypass hand pruners for cuts up to 1/2 inch diameter
- Lopping shears for thicker branches up to 1 1/2 inches in diameter
- Handsaw or pruning saw for large branches
- Sterilizing spray or wipes to clean tools between trees
Pruning Cuts
- Always make clean cuts just outside the branch collar without leaving stubs.
- Avoid flush cuts that damage the trunk or parent branch
- Use the 3-cut method for thicker branches: Undercut first to prevent bark tearing, cut from top to remove most of the branch, then final collar cut
- Paint cuts over 1-inch diameter with a tree wound dressing to prevent infection
Training Young Trees
- Select one strong, vertical leader as the central trunk and remove competing shoots.
- Choose 2-4 well-spaced main scaffold branches vertically 24-36 inches apart.
- Keep scaffold branches Spread at wide angles from the trunk for good structure.
- Remove shoots below the lowest scaffold branch.
- Prune lightly to encourage growth up and out, maintaining an open vase shape.
Thinning and Shaping Mature Trees
- Remove inward-facing branches and crowded interior growth to open up the canopy.
- Thin peripheral branches to contain treewidth.
- Shorten lateral branches by a few inches to encourage new fruiting wood.
- Remove suckers and water sprouts as they appear.
- Reduce total height as needed but minimally for dwarf varieties.
Common Pruning Mistakes
It’s easy for avocado tree pruning to go wrong if done incorrectly:
- Pruning too heavily or at the wrong time of year. Never remove more than 20-25% of the canopy in one pruning.
- It is making bad cuts that leave stubs or damage the trunk. Take time to make clean collar cuts.
- You are neglecting to prune suckers and water sprouts, which can take over. Remove these vigorously.
- They are allowing co-dominant stems to compete rather than selecting a central leader.
- They are failing to maintain an open, spreading form by pruning annually. Dense trees invite diseases.
- They are removing large branches improperly. Use the 3-cut method and take care not to tear the bark.
Learn proper techniques and stick to a regular pruning schedule. Consulting an arborist can be extremely helpful, especially for mature trees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best time of day to prune avocado trees?
Ideally, prune in the early morning when daytime temperatures are still low. Avoid pruning at the hottest time when the sun can damage exposed wood.
Can you prune avocado trees in the summer?
Light summer pruning is fine, but avoid heavy pruning. Remove only minimal branches and fruits to redirect energy during the primary growth season.
How often should you prune an avocado tree?
Plan to prune avocado trees at least twice yearly – in late winter/early spring as growth resumes and again in early fall after fruiting. Additional light pruning in summer may be needed on vigorous trees.
Do avocado trees need heavy pruning?
Avocados rarely need heavy pruning. Remove no more than 25% of the canopy at one time, sticking to light but regular pruning for best results.
What is the best fertilizer for avocado trees after pruning?
Apply a balanced 10-10-10 NPK fertilizer or an avocado-citrus unique blend after pruning to support regrowth. Scatter lightly under the canopy and water in the well.
How do I know if I pruned my avocado tree too much?
Signs of over-pruning include excessive new shoots emerging on bare branches, leaf yellowing, or dieback. Allow the tree time to recover before pruning again.
Conclusion
Well-timed pruning is crucial for nurturing a healthy, fruitful avocado tree. Follow the guidelines in this article to determine the right pruning approach at each stage of your tree’s growth. As avocados first start growing, they appear as small, green shoots emerging from the seed, a humble beginning that, with some planning and proper techniques, can evolve into robust trees. By promoting shape, productivity, and vigor through regular pruning, you’re making an investment that pays dividends for any avocado grower, enhancing fruit yields over the lifetime of their trees.
