Avocado

[Rindaloo]

Grown from pip.  Doing well.  Now, the quesion is, do I leave it outside, close to the house in a south westerly facing position, or take it indoors to protect from possble frost and instead it grows all stringy because its not getting the light it needs.....??

[screamlead]

Think i would leave out for a while longer yet - just keep an eye on weather. Mines about 4' 6" and doing well. Papaya doing well too from seed.

[Rindaloo]

Thanks for that.  Will put it back out but sheltered by villa.  I confess I didn't grow this one from pip a friend gave it to me), but have done it before, in UK.  Papaya!!  Haven't done that -yet!  

[corbindallas]

I planted mine out last year and unfortunatley the frost knocked it out and I lost the main stem, however it has re shooted this year with 3 spurs but not sure how it will handle the cold again outside?

[Rindaloo]

It is on a window ledge indoors for maximum light and cool temperature.  So far it's happy.  I don't mind it being indoors there and I hope it will not grow stringy.  I have whipped off side leaves, apart from a few at top and it is now making side branches as per a standard  

[screamlead]

Didnt know you were supposed to remove side leaves? mines about 5 foot tall now too.
But saw on a website that some peeps even hack the top off them to promote a bushier plant and also slash the trunk later on to force it to produce flowers and then manually pollonate them. Also they may not produce any fruit for upto 10 years.

[Rindaloo]

NO, you aren't, I don't think.  I did it because I fancied making it into a standard, LOL!!

[sunnyd]

I found this...

How do I care for my avocado tree?"
Keep your tree in a sunny window, the more sun it gets the bigger it will grow.
Remember to give it frequent light waterings but don't let the soil get muddy. If the leaves turn yellow it means that the plant is getting too much watering, let the tree's soil dry out for a couple of days, then return to light waterings.
When the stem grows six more inches pinch out the top two sets of leaves. This will encourage the plant to grow side shoots and more leaves, making it bushy. Each time the plant grows another six inches pinch out the two newest sets of leaves on top.
"Can my avocado tree ever go outside?"
Yes it can go outside in the summer. If your winters are cold ~ below 45 degrees (F) or 7 degrees (C) ~ you must bring your tree inside for the winter. Otherwise, if your winters are cool and mild, the tree may stay outdoors year round.