Would you like to know how long it takes for an avocado to bear fruit? I'm not surprised! When combined with lettuce, tomato, peas, asparagus and peas to make a salad it is exquisite. What's more, it has multiple health benefits, as it is rich in fiber, potassium and vitamins, and since it lacks cholesterol, it is good for cardiovascular health.
As if that were not enough, it is a plant that can become very productive, almost as much as the lemon tree (Citrus x lemon). So if we see that time passes and it does not bear fruit, it is important that we ask ourselves why, since it may simply be that it is very young. Let's see when does it start to bloom and what to do to make it bear fruit.
When do avocados start to bloom?
El avocado, whose scientific name is Persea americana, It is an evergreen fruit tree native to Mesoamerica. Widely cultivated in tropical regions of the world. Although there is some variety that can withstand the cold and even some slight frost, such as the Hate, it is recommended to have the exterior all year round only in those areas where temperatures remain above zero degrees.
And it is that the climate will not only determine if the plant will succeed or not, but also its growth rate and therefore when it will bloom. Therefore, when conditions are favorable and nothing is missing, it can flower at 5 years of age; but if the winter is cold it will take longer, as it will need more time to resume its growth in spring.
And when does it start to bear fruit?
Image – NurseryBrokaw.com
To answer this question we have to continue talking about flowers. Are they are bisexual, but the female organs mature first and the male later. This means that they are flowers that open twice: once in the morning or in the afternoon, and the other at sunset that day or the next morning.
It is estimated that a tree produces a million flowers, but less than 1% becomes fruit. Therefore, to ensure the fruition are grafted, although it is also interesting to plant several specimens nearby so that bees and other pollinating animals take care of pollinating them. A) Yes, will begin to bear fruit at 5 years, more or less.
How to avoid the fall of the avocado flower?
When the flowers of the plants fall before their time, it is because their life comes to an end. They have been produced for pollinating insects to carry pollen from one flower to another, but not all flowers are pollinated. Therefore, the only way to prevent them from falling is precisely by attracting the attention of those insects that are so beneficial.
For example, a good way is planting plants that attract them, such as daisies, rose bushes, buddleya, or lavender. There are even other trees that they will love, such as those of the Prunus genus or the Citrus. However, this alone is not enough: it is very important to prioritize, whenever possible, the use of organic products, since insecticides and fertilizers can cause very serious damage to native fauna.
Another way that can be useful if the specimens are young and not very tall, is to pollinate the flowers ourselves, with the help of a brush. It's not practical, but as I say, if you have small avocados and you want them to bear some fruit, you can brush them first by a female flower of one, and then by the male of another.
What to do for the avocado to bear fruit?
Apart from what we have discussed so far, there are some things that we must keep in mind if we want our tree to bear fruit:
Plant it in the ground as soon as possible
The less time it spends in a pot, the sooner it can grow at a normal rate and flower. Although it can be grown in one for a few years, it is very difficult to bear fruit if it is in a container, because it would lack space. The lack of soil is a serious problem for the roots, since the avocado is a large plant, which reaches a height of about 12 meters and can reach 20 meters; therefore, we recommend having it in the orchard or garden.
Improve the land if necessary
avocado grows in soils rich in organic matter and light, so if the soil in your garden has a tendency to erosion and/or if it is very compact and heavy, you will have to take measures so that your plant can be well. For example, you can:
- Install drainage systems in the area.
- Dig a large planting hole, at least 1m x 1m, cover its sides (except the base) with weed control mesh, and then fill it with quality potting soil.
- Mix the soil from the garden with some organic fertilizer to improve its nutritional richness, and/or with perlite so that the water drains faster.
Do not expose it to frost
Being a fruit tree of tropical and subtropical origin, if you want it to bear fruit, the ideal is to grow it in an area where there are no frosts. Even it would be very, very good for him if the lowest temperature was about 10ºC or higher. But you should know that it withstands the cold without problems, and even if it is sufficiently sheltered, such as in a corner of the lot or protected with an anti-frost fabric, it will hold up to -2ºC.
Water it and pay it when it touches
You can not miss neither water nor fertilizer. It is a plant that does not support drought, so you have to water it several times a week in summer, and a few times less the rest of the year. And with regard to the subscriber, it is important for it to flower and bear fruit as soon as possible, so we recommend fertilizing it with fertilizers rich in potassium and phosphorus, such as guano.
This way, you will get it to bear fruit.
Excellent explanations of how you can have a productive tree and that allows ordinary people to have an avocado tree at home.
Thank you very much, Carlos.
because my avocado plant takes time to bear fruit is that I see it the same
Hi Luis.
It may still be young (it usually begins at 5 years of age to bear fruit). Although it could also be that your tree was seed or cutting, since if it were grafted it would take less time to produce fruit.
Anyway, I'll tell you that if it's well taken care of, it's only a matter of time.
A greeting.