Avocados are part of the laurel family and naturally thrive in the warm, humid environment of the rainforest. If you want your avocado tree to really flourish at home, getting the soil right is half the battle. Here’s how you can create the perfect foundation for a healthy, happy plant.
Germination
If you’re looking to grow a beautiful plant from a pit, you can get it to sprout in either water or soil. If you choose soil for the germination phase, a high-quality commercial seed-starting mix works best. If you’d rather use your own compost, just make sure to mix it with sand—a ratio of two parts compost to one part sand is the sweet spot.
Repotting
Once your plant has put on some size and has plenty of leaves, it’s time to repot it into a larger home. For the first four to five years, you should move it into a pot about 3-4 inches larger in diameter every single year. Once the tree is more established, you only need to repot every two to three years.
As for the soil, avocado trees absolutely love potting mixes designed for citrus or palm trees. If you’re sticking with DIY compost, keep that same 2:1 ratio of compost to sand to ensure good drainage.
Fertilizing
To keep your avocado tree in tip-top shape, it needs a balanced diet. You can set a great foundation during repotting by adding a slow-release fertilizer (like horn meal) to the mix. After that, feeding your plant with a liquid fertilizer every two to three weeks works wonders. Just remember to only fertilize during the active growing season, which typically runs from May through September. Always be sure to follow the dosage instructions on the fertilizer label.
Pro Tip: If you’re using homemade compost and want to avoid a surprise crop of weeds, you can “steam” your soil first. Just spread the soil on a baking sheet and pop it in the oven at 200°F (about 100°C) for 10 to 15 minutes. Let the soil cool down completely before you start planting!
