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Avacado Tree 1 Year Old
Ask the Expert: What is wrong with my avocado tree?
The little thing is a year old. It did not get much sun at all this winter but now it has full southern exposure and plenty of light. I keep it inside and ensure it’s nice and warm.
When new leaves sprout from the top the older larger leaves turn brown and fall off the bottom.
I have tried giving it plenty of water and I’ve tried to dry it out.
I’ve tried a little water each day but still can’t stop what’s happening to it. Dianne
Plant Expert Reply:
It looks like you have a water stress issue. Instead of a little water each day, water it thoroughly and when the soil starts to dry out water it thoroughly again. At some point you will need to water it with a very diluted solution of water soluble fertilizer. I would remove the brown leaf. Do watch for leaf spot. If the leaves start to get rust colored spots, you will have to treat it for leaf spot disease. Try to give it as much light as possible. For the summer you might want to put it outside. Good Luck and Keep Me posted.
Joanne,
It looks as if it has root rot. Make sure the excess water can drain away from the plant. You might try aerating the soil to let it dry slightly. You might try spray it with a fungicide.
Hi was wrong with my avocado tree is about 1 year to, any feedback will be trully apreciated.
@JamieJamisonAdams why would you use a fungicide for root rot? Seems like an unnecessary step and putting that stuff on your plant while not needed is not good for it.
@Adrian could it be burnt spots feom water sitting on the leaves? In the picture i notice there is water droplets on the leaves. If direct sunlight shines onto the water, it can burn the leaf, casng brown spots. I also see some white dots, check the bottom of leaves for bugs, they can be very small. Spider mites can cause stippling, which can kill leaves as well.
Root rot can be caused by a fungus. If a positive diagnosis of fungal root rot is present, the best case practice is to use the appropriate fungicide. I agree with you that if you can avoid the use of chemicals do so. For more information on Avocado root rot issues, you might want to visit http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r8100111.html.
Hi, I was wondering if you could help me with my avocado tree. I’m not sure why the older leaves are browning. The new leaves seem to be growing in nicely. Should I trim the brown leaves off? I only water it when the soil is dry. Thank for your help.
I would try trimming the brown leaves off. If you are still getting new growth and the rest of your plant is healthy, I think it should be fine. Let me know if you need any more help!
I am attaching 2 pictures of my avocado tree will you please try to identifies the problem and the solution the problem is that the leaves have many tiny yellow spots in the front and kind of white in the back I could not send the pictures
Jose
Thank you
Jose,
It sounds like your avocado tree may have a pest problem. There are a couple of different avocado mites that can cause yellow spots when they feed on the leaves. To check for them, hold a piece of white paper under the damaged leaves and shake the stem. The mites should show up as small specks on the paper. If these mites are present, the best way to control them is by spraying your leaves with a blast from the water hose. You can also use an insecticidal soap.
Hi, my avocado tree (1 year old) was doing fine, not a whole lot of growth in the winter, but now we’re seeing more growth. However, we can’t seem to get the watering schedule right. We used to water it every day but I realize that’s not a great idea. Then we tried going to once a week and the 2nd topmost leaf dried out at the edge, and now after trying to correct this the newest leaf got stunted and fell off! Plus the dried spot at the edge of the top leaf is growing , and now the new leaves that are coming in are reddish in color. Not sure what to do… when we tried to let it dry we must’ve hurt the plant? What do you recommend?
Alex,
Your avocado has probably become stressed from all the changes in the watering schedule. The best thing for you to do is set a schedule for your tree and stick to it. If you feel like waiting a week between waterings is too much, water every 3-4 days instead. This will give you a happy medium. Salt build-up in the soil can also cause the tips of leaves to turn brown. If this is the case, you’ll need to flush the soil with water.
I can see you have been answering pretty much the same question for years so I will toss mine in just for fun. I planted a seed a couple of years ago and the tree has done well in its large pot. I water it regularly and the soil is well drained. It was doing fantastic this spring (in Florida) until recently when the ubiquitous leave browning began. It did this in the fall, dropped all its leaves but they came back mid-winter and it appeared to be thriving. Now I’m back dealing with the serious browning of the leaves when I had hoped the tree would be growing with the longer days and warmer weather. I’ve checked for spider mites but couldn’t see anything. Fungus??? I’ve attached a couple pics if you
wouldn’t mind opining.
Thanks in advance,
Mike T.
PS OK I give up! How do I upload the pics? I don’t see an option here anywhere.
Mike,
You can send photos to jamie.woods@flowershopnetwork.com