Climate conditions Avocado trees grow best in tropical and subtropical climates — in Australia, that's zones 1 to 3. Still, it's also possible to grow the appropriate varieties in zones 4 to 6 so long as there's no frost.
Queensland continues to dominate Australia's avocado production followed by Western Australia, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria, with a small amount of production in Tasmania and one known orchard in the Northern Territory. Orchard areas are expanding in almost every growing region.
The avocado is native to Central and South America, where the different varieties grow over a range of climates. This means that in Australia we can grow them anywhere, as long as it doesn't have heavy frosts.
Avocados grow best in tropical and subtropical climates, but they will also grow in warm and cool areas too, provided there is protection from frost. Once established, mature trees will tolerate minor short periods of frost (as low as -4°C).
Avocado trees are evergreen trees from tropical or sub-tropical climates that grow best in locations with strong sunlight. Trees can grow up to 60' tall and 35' wide, and they do require regular maintenance if you want to get the best crop yield from them.
Full sun is a must for avocado. Try to choose a location that is protected from strong winds. Established trees are very hardy, but a tree that remains waterlogged for as little as 48 hours can die, even if it is quite mature.
Choose a site with full sun and excellent drainage, protected from winds and frost. Allow plenty of room for the tree's mature size. Containers restrict plant size, but avocados can grow 40 feet tall or more in the ground.
Avocado trees must have well-aerated soil. They cannot tolerate heavy or waterlogged soil, so it's important to monitor the trees and soil as part of your irrigation process. Avocado trees that don't get enough water can experience: summer stress resulting in early flowering and poor fruit set.
Mexican and Mexican-hybrid avocados appear to be the most heat-tolerant varieties, including Mexicola, Reed, and Lamb Hass. The more common Hass and Fuerte are some of the least heat-tolerant. During an occasional heatwave, avocado trees can be protected with shade cloth.
Avocados in Australia
Avocados are a perennial fruit and Australian premium produce is available all year round because of the widespread and climatically diverse growing regions. The highest volume of fruit is available between March and November.
Grafted avocado trees may start to bear fruit in the second year, but you generally won't harvest commercial quantities until the third year.
People also often say “do I need to have two trees to get fruit, and the answer is no, but if you have two trees you will increase your chances of getting more fruit. The reason for this is that avocado trees actually have male and female flowers on the same plant.
One of the most important components of the best soil for avocado trees is that it must be well-draining. Few things will kill your trees faster than when the roots hold onto moisture and start to rot. As such, soils mostly composed of sand, loam, limestone, and granite bits are usually the best soil for avocado trees.
The ideal soil for most varieties is loose, loamy, or sandy with a slightly acidic to neutral pH, between 5 and 7 (1). However, farmers should generally avoid establishing an avocado orchard in fields with poor drainage and high salinity.
Purchasing a grafted Wurtz avocado tree from a nursery is the easiest way for the home gardener to have a fruit-bearing tree. A tree grown directly from a seed will not start producing fruit until it is 8 to 20 years old. The Little Cado bears young.
Mexicola avocados are a very popular cold-hardy avocado variety, a particularly hardy, vigorous species from the northern Mexican highlands. Plant one of these beauties and you'll have a bounty of 30 pounds of delicious avocados annually in just a few years.
The Hass Avocado is drought-tolerant when established and will grow in sun or partial shade in any well-drained soil. It has no serious pests or diseases and produces large quantities of fruit over a long season.
The Super Hass Avocado fruit is larger than the regular Hass and has a longer shelf life. Known for its classic buttery-nut flavor, this variety is loved throughout the world. The fruit, when ripened, is purple in color with small bumps on the skin.
Most mature avocado trees require regular fertilization with nitrogen. Typically, most other nutrients are available in sufficient amounts in the soil. Nitrogen should be applied in fall or winter. Dwarf plants or trees in containers with restricted root space may require less fertilizer.
Avocado trees prefer deep, well-drained soil and tolerate soil from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline — anywhere from pH 6 to 7 is ideal. A few weeks before planting, improve the soil by digging through a combination of blood and bone and well-aged cow manure.
Apple trees and avocado trees
Their root systems are strong, and can be somewhat aggressive, but they tend not to venture too far from the tree. As long as they are planted at least two metres from a sewer pipe, they should not cause any damage.
Sun and shade
Hass avocado trees thrive in bright, direct, unfiltered sunlight. They need at least six hours of sunlight per day, but they can tolerate slight shade.
Avocado trees are more sensitive to chloride than many other plants. The roots absorb chloride and it accumulates within the tree over time. When the chloride level gets too high, it causes the leaves of your avocado tree to turn brown and eventually die.
According to veterinarians, dogs are more resistant to persin than other animals, but that doesn't mean avocados are 100% safe for your dog to consume. Persin is present in avocado fruit, pits, leaves, and the actual plant, so all of these parts are potentially poisonous to your dog.
Can an avocado tree get too much sun? Yes, an avocado tree can get too much sun, especially if it is not adequately irrigated. Too much direct sunlight can cause the leaves to burn and turn yellow or brown. This can lead to stunted growth and reduced fruit production.