Pruning Avocados

Learn how to prune avocados from Fairchild's Senior Curator of Tropical Fruit, Dr. Richard J. Campbell.

[@Pepesplants]

Great stuff! Thanks Richard for sharing your expertise. :-)

[@lexmovius4574]

Really great demonstration, short, complete, excellent instruction. Thank you very much!

[@fairchildgarden]

Hi Lex, Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed the video!

[@karencunningham]

Thanks so much for such an informative lesson ~ Cheers

[@juliecoleman6168]

what time of year is this pruning ? Early spring, after fruit ? before bud ?

[@psychogorilla7496]

Does this decrease the amount of avocados it will produce?

[@ANCIENTWARRI0R]

I know this response it late but just saw it. I have a very large tree and trim it back. The year after I trim it I hardly get any fruit but the following year I get more than usual and the avocados are much larger than usual.

[@MightyGodofGods]

It produce less fruit than a larger tree. But you can increase tree density allowing for higher yield. Reduce chance for infestation, easier to maintain, and improve harvest quality.

[@fairchildgarden]

Hello! We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@engraveoprint2476]

After the tree was pruned do you have to cover the cuts to protect them from disease?

[@fairchildgarden]

Hi! No we do not cover them with anything post-pruning. Thank you!

[@vincenty747]

Avocados can be fussy when transplanting into the ground. But once it establishes it self, the tree will grow like a weed. I love your advice. It's simple and to the point. I don't think people realize how hardy these trees become once established (no freezing winters of course lol)

[@margotmccormack7105]

what happened to the rule of not pruning more than 1/3 of a tree or shrub at any given time?? He is chopping away like no tomorrow and I see stubs that are also a NO NO. Slow down Dr.!!!

[@Mrbfgray]

Hitting it harder than I, a rank amateur, can on mine but look at that beautiful basic trunk/limb structure. He's doing something right.

[@Antesdelfinadmin]

The video doesn't specify that that is the pruning for HIGH DENSITY orchards.

[@1sevillana]

That is pretty neat info. on how to keep a avocado tree small but they will still fruit. Thank You

[@Cookiejug1]

Nice video BUT… do you prune after it fruits for the season or just before it buds? I have a DAY Avocado tree in zone 9b. Thank you!

[@EJisArete]

In Riverside County, CA my avocado trees self prune. They freeze back in the winter and get sun burnt in the summer. LOL.

[@RomeliaGomez-Calmell7934]

😄

[@Mark300win]

Lol

[@romanoaugusto7137]

..not gently worker!

[@antoniiocaluso1071]

Old FL grower here. Wouldn't hurt to get some close-up shots of the cuts. You know what your doing, but...this is YT, & there's lots of newbies watching :-)

[@Bart_starr]

His video is fantastic, make a better one

[@riverfrontdavid]

He is just offering helpful advice, not criticizing

[@HayroHaryo]

love the way you explain pruning >>> NO NEED TO BE SELECTIVE >>> CUT CUT CUT N CUT. cut the crap just DO IT. Great job sir

[@snowvalley11]

Holy smokes this comment made me laugh really hard

[@putiwang7679]

when did you prune that tree? Jan, my avocado has a lot of flower buds already.

[@LissaAus]

No nonsense advice about pruning avos. Thank you. I was treating mine with kid gloves but I'lll just get stuck in.

[@QuickCookie]

Nice video! I will start pruning our tree tomorrow!

[@raulsanchez4493]

What time of year is best for pruning? I was thinking of doing it after I’ve picked the fruit but I wasn’t sure & didn’t want to hurt my yield next year as I had a nice crop this year

[@rickhatgoog6736]

He’s wracking away but never says when it’s safe for the tree

[@cktanlundujaya]

Do you know the transpiration pull of plants? Overpruning cause plant roots stunned. Plants' roots will not absorbed plenty of water in the soil due to transpiration pull --- plants roots absorb water from root system to leaves. Plants' height should be maintained frequently (by light-pruning), in order to reduce damage to plants.

[@oeff7744]

Good to water them immediately after pruning to prevent excessive water loss.

[@DavidAtchison121]

Does pruning help with fruit production?

[@rinijudhypratiwi7617]

How long you've wait after tree pruning for fruit production ? Thank you from Indonesia 🇮🇩

[@radinhs_belajarmenanam09]

Sepertinya pruningnya mantap yaa ? Kalau ngeliatnya sayang batang besar2 di pangkas begitu lho...

[@rahmansetiawan4085]

Memang sayang sih, tp harus tega. Kalo gk nanti masing2 pohon akan saling berlomba utk terus naik sampai tinggi, juga cabang2 akan saling desak2an dan akhirnya malah jd kering dan mati percabangannya.

[@4000marcdman]

Would it be best to airlayer all those branches first? This way you have trees to plant?

[@worldofislam]

or send people who need these plants

[@raverbrant]

I have a Reed that is about 4-5 years old, about 6-7 feet tall, and has yet only had little baby avocados that haven't made it to maturity in the past 2 years. It's definitely grown and healthy, but the central leader is somewhat skinny at the top, and there seems to be a hardened piece of leader and above that a weak point, where the entire 1-2 feet above that point bends over a lot with the wind, almost to horizontal. My question is, should I cut that leader off below that hardened wood? Would that then force a new leader to start at that point? or would that stunt the height of my tree?.. Thanks!

[@fairchildgarden]

Hello! We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@javierosborne255]

"Be a very good green person and sleep welll..." Ha, ha. Such a subtle sarcasm...And I agree. Trees not taller than 3 meters or 10 feet, and do not be that selective (hesitant). Yo can not spend one hour in a single tree. Actually, prunning is an art of sculpture, with the advantage that yo can revert the possible mistakes next year, with light ore medium pruning.

[@ralphc8500]

In Santa Cruz California what month would it be best to do heavy pruning to a hass tree. Is October to late in the season to prune a Avocado?

[@swfloridagal]

I am on the Gulf in FL zone 10 & have a FL Avo tree. This year was the first time i harvested avacados and wondered the optimum time to pick them? They got bigger and bigger but not soft! They were giant! Not too flavorful like a Haas. The branches seem to heavy for the tree. They bend low w/o fruit on them and I'm worried when fruit comes they will break off the trunk. I didn't prune after the fruit was picked - when should I prune? What avo is the most flavorful for Florida? Thanks!

[@1968Olympica]

I tried this and was very disappointed - it's not thorough enough. My trees roared back too dense and the crop was average. I learned that you have to create windows of light for the blossoms and growing fruit. The demo tree is very small and perhaps not the best choice for this video.

[@shelleybear2]

Hi Dr.Campbell, I am in SoCal, zone 9.I planted a Holiday 1.5 yr ago. It was 5' tall & 1.5' wide then, but didn't thrive.This summer it put out many new branches & is now 9' tall.One of the branches grows about 3' from the ground straight out & 5' long,1" in diameter where it comes off the trunk.The trunk is only 1.5" in diameter at that point.The branch seems too heavy for the tree to support.Is it OK to prune now (Aug) & how far back should I prune it? Thank you for any advice you can offer.

[@ShlomoWalfish]

Great video, I have an Etinger Avocado in Israel, Last year I got hundreds of flowers and small Avocados, but most of them fell, and only 6 survived. They were huge and delicious. How can I get much more to hang on this year? Thanks Blessings.

[@fairchildgarden]

Hello! We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@caseG80]

Israel's Blessing having a healthy happy tree will help the tree hold more fruit. But sometimes Mother Nature can put stress we can’t control that will contribute to loss of fruit. As well avocado is known to start with many fruit and dropping a huge amount of them as the tree ages it will hold more fruit as well. Cheers

[@CharlotteFairchild]

@Eric Outram Water more?

[@ssa8479]

Thanks for posting this. I love avocados, and had wanted to plant one (or two!) - but did not want a huge tree. This video, like your mango videos, made me realize it IS possible for a homeowner to keep a few trees without the yard turning into a jungle. Had watched many of your videos (over and over again!) when planting mango trees a couple of years ago. They have been a major inspiration. I follow your suggestions on tip pruning every 20 inches or so, and send links to your videos to people who argue it is not possible to keep mango trees small.

[@putiwang7679]

i want a small tree too. just read a book . you don't need thousands of apples, a small tree with 100 sweet apples is enough, enjoy.

[@ConnySandland]

Hello fairchildgarden, thanks a lot for your helpful answer! I am happy if I get the pruning done as I am a total rookie, so grafting is advanced stuff. I haven t even seen another avodado tree in Malaysia so far.

[@totonsutoton4995]

How is the tree now?

[@LissaAus]

Thank you for a great straight forward pruning video for Avo's. Much appreciated.

[@ikylejm]

Our tree always fruits late. We are just now picking them. Is it ok to prune now after we pick them?

[@914light]

OMG !! I can't stand to watch chopping that beautiful tree up ... :(

[@Antesdelfinadmin]

Painful but vital!

[@mainlawcafewv7681]

Loos pretty random.

[@carharttblade]

And this guy even suggest to leave its cut branches under that same tree, thats just not morally right bro

[@suehowie152]

@@carharttblade It is..Mulch with the tree clippings..

[@dadlifediydoityourselflike2293]

@@Antesdelfinadmin Totally agree. I have 6-8 trees on my property (in Southern California) many years old and they grow fast ! One is about 30 ft high. Also they grow very 'gangly' and the branches droop down on the ground and/or risk breaking off. Important to keep the growth manageable and make sure a branch isn't going to fall on someone ! Less critical if your tree is only a few feet high...

[@JYFChung]

I wonder how old is the tree.. look very mature.. thanks for the useful information :)

[@devbachu7072]

Be careful I had cut my avocado tree rain fepo an rot the you g stem away please people do not foppiw him ok

[@bengbengvanila6040]

Jigaaa na hartos naa kiyee. Usqhaa ken dahan anu ka luhur di ragaji supayaa tangkalna te luhur teing tah dahan anu kq gigir antep ken pan ke sidahan member kawas jangjang manuk ambeh ke muncngalana babari kituuu maksud naa mah jigaa na

[@lion5452]

Why would u want the prune ur avocado tree like that ?

[@victoriajackson8361]

Could you propogate any of those cuttings?

[@phyoesoe9131]

thank u very much for your showing

[@ismasoc5]

I didn't appreciate that sarcastic comment at the end sir.

[@Mary70490]

Aren't you severely undermining the avocado fruit that you produce by pruning so drastically?

[@fairchildgarden]

Hello! We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@Draperyforyou]

Just what I was looking for on pruning on avocado.

[@Andreas0705]

I have a 1,4 meter "tree" it got about 45 leaves and it has created 2 branches. But it looks to be a bit too many leaves inorder for the plant to grow. So how should i cut some of the leaves?

[@Bocahtanii]

Say thank from indonesia..

[@J_LOVES_ME]

I have an avo tree in my courtyard, so naturally I want to keep it as small as possible. Is it true that keeping the tree pruned and especially the canopy narrow, will also control root expansion? I am a bit afraid of the roots going too far and damaging stuff. Currently it is about 12 feet from the house. Great video, by the way! Makes me feel much better about trimming my tree, I was scared to cut anything, but knew I had to in order to be able to keep it.

[@peterpiper5300]

T.R. MCT i wonder if you found an answer about root expansion. i am curious about this also.

[@oeff7744]

Roots are usually proportional to canopy.

[@MsFishingdog]

great video.

[@joeholiday5568]

There is NO NEED to cut for height. You do not need a ladder. I have an avocado tree that is over 30 feet high! I just wait for them to fall. Guess where the best place to store avocados? On the tree! What a waste of hundreds of avocados. Everything you cut, is lost avocados. Save a canopy window to let light in.

[@Andreas0705]

@fairchildgarden Many thanks! :) But the other problem is, it's ability to stand up by itself. Without a supporting stick I fear it will break or something... the pitt is sort of a very round one and not pear shaped.

[@alamdes]

awesome keep up the good work

[@cg1031]

Thank you so much for your help.

[@Ericjunior7656]

Isn't the pruning excessive????????? Seems we gonna have less foliage for fruit bearing

[@ZE308AC]

i have small tree thats about 2 feet tall but its drying from the top or it has dried branches at the top. what can i do? it is still alive i just dont know what to do? can you help me try to solve my problem?

[@cg1031]

Hello, Just purchased a house with a huge avocado tree that hasn't given fruit since the the owner passed five or six years ago. It's maybe thirty foot tall with huge branches, I had someone trim it back and it's starting to show new signs of life. However it's so tall we'd never be able to get the fruit, can we cut some of the large branches down without hurting it?

[@rafaelzamora3466]

great info and great video. Thanks!

[@CityZenGardens]

nice work Richard I have a small dwarf Hass about 2-3 years old and about 3 feet tall. It has many branches shooting wide . Do you think its a good idea to reduce the branches and shape the tree now? The thickest main branches form a Y shape, with many other random branches shooting off the main stem. Should I form the trunk shape now for later, or is it such with avocado that they don't follow any shape and just grow scraggly and random?

[@cankrl7152]

Süper 💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

[@lofenoialof5320]

Do you recommend cutting up to the main branch that it's coming from , or leave a couple inches of stub ? Thank you : )

[@fairchildgarden]

Hello, Thank you so much for your question! We've sent it over to our certified arborist here at Fairchild, Nat, and he says that it really depends. You should cut branches back to the parent limbs (the main branch where it is stemming from). However, since it is also an avocado tree, growers often cut back to the nubs all the time. If the nub that ends up getting left behind contributes to the shape of the tree - feel free to leave it. But if you'd like to cut back to the parent limb and it looks okay- then it's okay to do that. Because it's an avocado and (if you do live in Miami / are in a tropical climate), the climate allows vigorous year-round growth, which means that either way works! Please let us know if you have any other questions! - Fairchild

[@lofenoialof5320]

Fairchild Garden thank you ! Also when would you recommend pruning ? After the fruiting has completed or is it okay to prune while there are fruits still on the tree ?

[@jelatinosa]

@@lofenoialof5320 that's what I want to know

[@lofenoialof5320]

Fairchild Garden thank you

[@LaurieSavage]

Thanks, that is so much simpler than other fruit trees. Just treat it like a woody weed! I'm off to the back yard with my cutters right now.

[@songwang8136]

Great video. How do you suggest pruning Hass Avocado? The fruit won’t ripen until after second year flower.

[@bounlathhansackda7079]

l only take the water branches and after it fruited.tgis has so many fruits but some will fall off.any advice to prevent this.

[@jaybebop179]

excellent video!

[@lofenoialof5320]

Would it still be okay to prune now , even if flower buds have already appeared? Thanks !

[@easyingles9883]

Doesn’t all the pruning reduce the amount of flowers you will get and effect the fruiting amount

[@tormentor87]

cool video. i just wanted to know what is the best time to prune trees?

[@fairchildgarden]

Hello! We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@sukitph7931]

Afet harvesting

[@persadsanjay]

So by pruning it like this would force it to bear at a smaller size?

[@gustav-adolfschildt]

Thank you for your education from the Philippines

[@bza069]

that was great. Only thing... I wish i knew what month he was pruning

[@diomedesmontanez9493]

Nice tree avocado

[@writersamikhan]

I wanna give you a name (the man with cutters) love from India@

[@MsOlive101]

my trees avocados are dry tasting......maybe more water???

[@alos2099]

dry tasting can happen if you ve left the fruit on the tree for too long before cutting it.

[@fairchildgarden]

Hello! We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@CharlotteFairchild]

@Eric Outram Not fish emulsion?

[@BeckyLouOutdoors]

I purchased an avacado tree that has now been in the ground about 10 months, During the summer I thought is was a goner for sure, but just in the last 5 months, (cooler here in South Texas) It has looked happier and is showing growth! I am afraid for this summer as I planted it in Full Sun as recommended. It has 2 main trunks, and is about 4 ft high. I was wondering what you suggested for pruning, Thanks!

[@fairchildgarden]

Hello! We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@shirleyleach9163]

You didn’t say WHEN a good tree can be pruned.

[@eightmeg2003]

@JohnnyBlueification and did you see how he chopped that huge branch right onto, and almost ruined, the REST of the tree he had!?!!!!

[@qiwasfarm326]

thank you im from indonesian

[@bengbengvanila6040]

Boleh juga tuh si bule ajjhibbbb cumn te ngarti aing sia nyarios naooonn

[@baboucarcham3592]

Will the cutting, will it not affect fruit bearing

[@hienphan4067]

Bo booth cắt như vậy có đươc không

[@hienphan4067]

Bo booth cắt như vậy có đươc không

[@VietFiddle]

Do you sell (via USPS or FedEx) some of the branches you cut out of the tree for me to graft onto my avocado? What varieties do you have, please?

[@fairchildgarden]

Hello! We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@janebell7122]

I've just cut my seed grown avo which is 20 years old (and has given 6 fruit over past 2 years) to a 1 metre high stump. Hoping to graft onto water shoots this season. Should I beeswax the cut top which is around 6" in diameter or leave it to callous by itself?

[@Mark300win]

20 year old avocado giving only 6 fruits!! Commercial avocado farms wouldn't exist if this was the "normal" case

[@unklemakab]

yeah, you can really tell how much you love nature !

[@psychogorilla7496]

Before pruning could I take cutting to grow more trees?? And could u tell where I would take the cutting from? My tree is huge and everything seems to be droopy I can't find a straight stem/branch to get a cutting? Thank you I have a bacon avacado tree

[@fairchildgarden]

Hello! We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@susanwelton8509]

I have a 4 year old avo tree.. about 10 feet high. for the last 2 years it has produced many avos but they all drop before they grow large. I also get this tiny white bug . ( thripe?).. How can I stop the aos from droppping.. SHould I prune it?

[@fairchildgarden]

Hi Susan, We're sorry to hear about your avocado tree. We've reached out to our Tropical Fruit Curator, Dr. Noris Ledesma - but in the meantime, also looked up some thripe management practices: UF/IFAS: trec.ifas.ufl.edu/tropical-entomology/factsheets/Avocado_flower_thrips.shtml California Avocado Growers' Management: www.californiaavocadogrowers.com/cultural-management-library/avocado-thrips-pest-management

[@kiwiwala]

Good one . Thanks.....no mumbo jumbo.

[@EskimoLady870]

Hello is this avacado grafted

[@IceCreamCornDawg]

What time of year is best to prune?

[@dontbea7237]

Man they would have made some nice air layers

[@MightyGodofGods]

All I can think of is, can I get one of those large branch cutting. Pretty plz. Thanks for sharing.

[@fairchildgarden]

Hi! We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. I reached out to Dr. Noris Ledesma and she told me that avocados are under quarantine. We can't share avocado cuttings for now. Please let me know if there are any questions I can help with. - Maureen

[@ConnySandland]

Thanks for that info. I have some small avocado trees (2 and 3 years from seeds, 1.20 to 1.60 meters) but only a small garden. Can I cut them already and do I have to plant them near together?

[@naturedegree5671]

Lovely and nice presentation Friend obrigado

[@mimipech8329]

i have a question, so i have a avocado that i have grown from a seed and its about to grow a stem, when it gets bigger will it produce avocados or do i have to do something that will cause it to produce avocados?

[@fairchildgarden]

Hello! We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@TheNatushtatush]

Hello, thank you for the informative video! I have a potted avocado tree that I grew from a seed about two years ago (it was an experiment and it's still going strong :) Do the pruning rules you pointed out in this video also apply to young potted trees? I read what you said about not pruning too much all at once, but if that is the case how do I know where to stop? Thank you so much for an advice you may have for me!

[@fairchildgarden]

Hello! We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@ramoncruz6468]

hello can you tell me how to save an avocado tree that I have in my backyard for years but it seems like it is routing

[@fairchildgarden]

Hi Ramon, We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@rumahalpukat5045]

Nice Avocado

[@mainlawcafewv7681]

Wouldn't the poor little tree produce more fruit if you didn't hack half of it away?

[@thehuntfortruth]

nope. Usually cutting stimulates new growth and more branches which means more fruit.

[@zai403]

Can you explain why my advocado tree leaves are falling??

[@fairchildgarden]

Hi Zai, We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please reply below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@emmitt1]

Hi, I grew an avocado from a seed. It is now six feet tall with a bunch of low branches. should I prune it to be come a tree or leave it alone to be more of a bush. please give me details as to what I should do. thx

[@neelimachopra7861]

Mango prunin

[@fairchildgarden]

Hello! We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@jeffholbrook8076]

I HAVE AN AVOCADO TREE, THIS IS THE 4TH YEAR OF FRUIT . THE TREE IS ABOUT 30 FT TALL. IT WAS GROWN FROM A SEED. WE WOULD LIKE TO PRUNE IT SO WE COULD REACH SOME OF THE FRUIT BETTER, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO KILL THE TREE. SHOULD WE LEAVE IT ALONE?

[@fairchildgarden]

Hi Jeff, We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen

[@Mark300win]

Why are you screaming 😂

[@LifeofLisaSimpson]

How old is that tree?

[@Joseph1212121]

Is it true that if I start a plant from seed it won't bare fruit?

[@fairchildgarden]

Hello! We apologize for the late response! We’ve recently reactivated our KZbin login and gained access to our profile. If you’d like your question answered, please let us know in the comments below and we’ll gladly answer it! Thank you and have a great day. - Maureen