| Seven months ago I planted one dwarf hybrid avocado. It is about 3 feets tall. About 2 months ago the leaves started to get brown (rusty) and fall off. Is there a method to keep it alive and healty? Thanks for your answer. |
| Avocado trees are fussy about having well-draining soil. They're also very susceptible to salt burn. The discoloring of the leaves indicates one, if not both, problems. The roots of the tree are concentrated in the top two-feet of the soil. If there's a high water table, or lots of rain, the soil can remain soggy long enough to cause the symptoms you describe. Avocado trees should be watered lightly and frequently. Fertilize lightly, if at all, and flood out salts that build up in the soil about every 4th watering. (Water heavily to leach out salts, making sure entire root zone is flooded.) Avocado trees drop leaves quite heavily all year, and those leaves make a great mulch over the roots, so leave them if possible. Make sure the soil provides adequate drainage for the roots, and that's its not stressed by constant winds. Give it a few more months to establish itself in the garden, and your tree should produce new leaves as the season progresses. |
