The most common mistake that I see made, and that I have made myself, when watering a new avocado tree is . . . well, let me show you:
As an example, if your newly planted avocado tree needs, say, six gallons of water per week, then it must get that six gallons on its roots. Three gallons on its roots and another three in the general vicinity will not satisfy.
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Good reminder, Greg. Always amazed by people’s believing that tree roots can go “seek out” water.
One of my pet peeves, Patty! As if roots have eyes and can see that you are putting water “over there.”
Geez Greg, lighten up about putting water in the wrong place! We get it. Sheesh.
I’m just pulling your leg, of course. 🙂 <3
In addition to wasting water, making the ground soggy in areas where no tree roots are pulling it out of the ground might encourage the soil-borne water mold Phytophthora cinnamomi, "which thrives in waterlogged, poorly drained, and warm soil conditions." My biggest mistake with young avocados in my clay-like soil has been overwatering and concomitant root rot. I killed several young trees before I got my mind right!
That’s a very good point, Randy. Thank you.
Hey all, my avocado has been in the ground now for 2 1/2 years, its showing new growth finally. Its about 7 ft tall, slender, open gaps, looks to be happy. Whats the root system and watering pattern look to be now? I am doing an apx 5 point, 2 to 3 foot out from the truck. Truncks apx 2 gage at the soil level. Im in alpine, the soil is clay on the outside perimeter, but when I planted, I made a 3 ft deep, 8 foot wide hole, and back filled with munlches, leaf and twig matter, soil conditioner, sand and rock. Planted it on a small mound. I was hoping it would have had some good growth. It looks happy, and finally some blooms this year, very encouraging.
Hi Greg: Very good short fundamental video we often forget. I noticed you planted on a mound. Is this your new method or a test of sort? Can you state what GPH dripper you used in your video? I’ve been using a 2 GPH dripper run x 2hours on a new tree but i always think its not enough water. Thank you ,
Hi Joe,
I plant on a mound according to the quality and depth of the dirt in a spot. I aim for a minimum of two feet of good dirt below/around a tree so I mound up as necessary in order to achieve that. It has worked well as long as the mound is broad enough (not steep like a pyramid).
That’s a 2 GPH dripper in the video. I find that 1 GPH and 0.5 GPH drippers can also work fine in my sandy loam soil. What really matters is how long you run them. For that new tree I planted on the 2 GPH dripper, I’ll run the system for about 6 hours per week in the summer (split into two or three irrigations). That has worked well on similar sized trees in past years.
Thanks for this reminder!!I’m planning on planting a new tree and I have forgotten some things along the way and might treat my young tree too much like it’s older sisters.