The answer is yes. My aunt asked me about this yesterday. Her yard space is well-spoken for, but her husband would really like to have an avocado tree. “They get big,” she said. They do indeed. Most varieties will exceed 30 feet, if unimpeded. But they don’t have to.
Here are my best two ideas for growing an avocado tree in your yard if you only have a small space — that is, if you don’t have a space that is 30 feet wide and tall.
One, plant a Hass avocado tree and keep it pruned to about 15 feet wide and tall, like this one in my yard:
This Hass tree is carrying about 150 avocados this year. Hass is the variety that you buy in grocery stores, of course. It has excellent flavor, as you know, and the fruit will hang on the tree waiting for you to pick it from about February until July (even longer sometimes). Simply prune the tree once or twice a year to keep it at a 15-foot canopy. I’ve been doing so, and I know of other Hass trees that are kept this size while still being productive as well. (My post, “The Hass avocado tree: a profile.”)
Another idea is you could go with a variety called Reed, which naturally grows smaller than Hass. You can keep a Reed avocado tree pruned down to 10 feet and still get plenty of fruit. Here is my Reed tree today, at about 12 feet tall and wide, carrying around 75 avocados.
But do Reeds taste good? They certainly do — plus the fruit is bigger, and they also don’t brown when you cut them open and leave half in the fridge. In case you haven’t seen Reed avocados, here are a few (not yet full size) hiding under the canopy of my tree. (My post, “The Reed avocado tree: a profile.”)
Another productive and naturally smaller tree similar to Reed is the Lamb, also called Lamb/Hass. If I couldn’t find a Reed, I’d go with Lamb. In fact, I have a Lamb growing 7.5 feet away from my Reed. (My post, “The Lamb/Hass avocado tree: a profile.”) Reed on left, Lamb on right; both eight years old.
A couple other productive, tasty, but naturally smaller avocado varieties worth growing as single trees in a small yard space are Gwen and GEM. Unfortunately, trees of these varieties are not easy to find at retail nurseries. For guidance, see my post, “Where to buy an avocado tree.”)
(Also, for more information on all of these avocado varieties, see my post, “Avocado variety profiles.”)
But can you keep avocado trees pruned small in the long term? You certainly can. The best example I’ve ever seen of an avocado tree kept small for decades is a Fuerte in the yard of some friends who live in National City, just south of San Diego. They inherited the tree when they bought the house. A Japanese family had lived there for a long time prior, and this Fuerte tree is close to an avocado bonsai. It’s got to be at least 30 years old judging by the trunk diameter, and yet it’s been carefully pruned over the years to remain at only 10 feet tall and 20 feet wide: shaped like a saucer.
Note well that Fuerte is a vigorously growing avocado variety. In other words, if you can keep a Fuerte down to size, you can keep any variety down to size.
And most importantly, it produces lots of fruit. I counted over 100 on the day I took this photo.
Ancillary benefits of keeping an avocado tree pruned down is that you can pick most if not all of the fruit by hand (no poles or ladders), and also, small trees require less water than big trees. For more on pruning, see my post “Pruning avocado trees.” But also check out my post “Pruning avocado trees to keep them small.”
How about planting one of the dwarf avocado varieties? The two widely available avocado varieties that are called dwarf are Holiday and Wurtz (which is also sometimes called Wertz, Littlecado, Minicado, or Dwarf Hybrid). The advantage of these varieties is that they are naturally slower growing than most others. Therefore, you won’t have to prune as much to keep one of these trees small. But that is the their main advantage.
There are disadvantages. The Holiday is less productive than Hass or Reed. This has been my experience with two Holiday trees that I’ve grown in two different locations, as well as my observations of the Holiday trees in the yards of friends and others. So yes, you’ll have a small avocado tree, but you’ll also have a small amount of avocado fruit — smaller than you could have with certain other varieties. (See details in my post, “The Holiday avocado tree: a profile.”)
As for Wurtz, however, I can only give secondhand information. Wurtz trees in other yards do seem to produce better than Holiday, but I’ve never grown a Wurtz avocado tree myself. The fruit of Wurtz is good, but I don’t find it quite as tasty as Hass or Reed or the other varieties mentioned above.
Taste is subjective though. The owner of the Wurtz avocado tree below told me that he very much likes the fruit: Wurtz avocados on Wurtz avocado tree.
Anyhow, in my view, the only reason to choose Holiday or Wurtz instead of Hass or Reed or Lamb or other avocado varieties would be if you wanted a naturally small avocado tree that didn’t require much pruning — and you couldn’t find a Gwen or GEM tree to buy.
In the end, if you want an avocado tree in your yard and you have even a 10-foot by 10-foot patch of dirt available, it’s possible. It’s more than possible, it’s proven and it’s prescribed.
Proper spacing is absolutely crucial when it comes to growing healthy and productive avocado trees. With the right amount of space, your avocado trees will thrive and provide an abundance of delicious fruit for years to come. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about spacing avocado trees for optimal growth and production.
Why Proper Spacing Matters
Spacing avocado trees correctly serves several important purposes:
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It prevents overcrowding and competition. When trees are planted too close together, their roots compete for water, nutrients, and space. This leads to stunted growth and reduced yields.
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It allows proper air circulation. Good airflow between trees helps prevent fungal diseases like anthracnose, cercospora spot, and avocado scab Proper spacing creates an open canopy that enables air to circulate freely.
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It provides maximum sunlight exposure. Avocados need a lot of direct sunlight to flower and produce high-quality fruits. Crowded trees block sunlight from reaching all parts of the canopy.
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It makes maintenance easier. With adequate spacing between trees, you can easily prune, harvest, and care for each one without restriction.
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It optimizes pollination. although many avocado varieties can be allowed a satisfactory crop with their own pollen, it has been proven that pretentious deciduous pollinizer plantings added production, suggesting that cross pollination not only increases yield, but also aids in fruit set and quality. This can’t happen if trees are too far apart.
Simply put, proper spacing allows your avocado trees to grow to their full potential and keeps them as healthy and productive as possible
How Much Space Between Avocado Trees?
The exact spacing needed for avocado trees depends on the variety you’re growing and whether you’re planting in a home garden or commercial grove. Here are some general spacing guidelines:
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Dwarf varieties At least 10-15 feet apart. Examples include Holiday Wurtz, and Carmen.
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Semi-dwarf varieties: 15-20 feet apart. Examples are Bacon, Zutano, and Mexicola Grande.
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Standard varieties: 20-30 feet apart or more. This includes popular types like Hass, Reed, and Fuerte.
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Commercial groves: 12-15 feet between trees in the same row, and 15-18 feet between rows. High-density commercial orchards may plant trees as close as 10 x 10 feet, then thin every other tree when mature.
Keep in mind that spacing needs increase in windy areas. Windswept trees often require an extra 5-10 feet between trunks. When in doubt, allow more rather than less space for maximum health.
How to Space Avocado Trees Properly
Follow these tips for spacing your avocado trees correctly:
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Determine the variety you’ll be growing and look up its expected mature width.
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Measure and mark out the planting sites ahead of time. Use stakes or landscape paint to plot the spots.
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Dig holes and amend the soil with compost before planting.
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Place young trees in the holes and backfill with native soil. Water them in well.
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Consider the location of buildings, fences, other trees and allow extra space between them and your avocados.
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For small gardens, choose dwarf varieties that require less space. Or plant just one standard tree.
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In larger yards, mapped out planting sites on paper first for proper spacing.
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Plant pollinizer varieties scattered among the other trees, no more than 100 feet away from each other.
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Prune trees as needed to maintain optimal spacing and prevent overcrowding.
Proper planning prevents problems later on. Take the time to space your trees appropriately right from the start for best results.
Special Spacing Situations
Spacing avocados takes some additional planning when certain obstacles are present:
Near buildings: Allow at least 10 feet between a house or shed and an avocado tree. The roots won’t damage foundations, but falling branches can.
Along fences: Allow 5-10 feet between trees and fences depending on variety. Prune to maintain access between the two.
Near sidewalks: Plant at least 4 feet away from sidewalks and curbs. Limit root competition under pavement.
Around pools: Provide 15 feet or more between pool edges and avocado trees. Prevent shedding leaves, fruits and debris into the water.
Within lawns: Space trees 20 feet or more apart if planting within an existing lawn area. The grass competes for water and nutrients.
Among other trees: Allow at least 30 feet between avocado trees and larger shade trees, or plant elsewhere. Existing tree roots and canopies limit avocado growth.
With some adjustment and creative planting, you can work avocado trees into almost any landscape. Just be sure to give them the space they need to grow.
Special Spacing Techniques
In addition to traditional solitary planting, there are some special techniques that can maximize space for growing avocados:
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Plant two trees together in one large hole. Choose varieties with different harvest times. Train and prune into two halves of one canopy.
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Plant three trees together in a triangular pattern 3 feet apart. Again, select early, mid and late season varieties.
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Alternate different varieties down a row 5-10 feet apart to optimize pollination. Mix A and B flower types.
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Interplant new trees between existing trees that are spaced too close. Fill in gaps as older trees are removed.
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Topwork existing trees by grafting new varieties onto established rootstocks to improve crop production in mature orchards planted too densely.
With thoughtful design, even small backyards can produce multiple avocado trees. Just get creative with your planting techniques.
Keep Trees Properly Spaced Over Time
Proper spacing must be maintained over the years as trees grow. Here are some tips:
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Prune branches and canopy spread annually to contain each tree within its allotted space.
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Thin out extra trees if they start crowding one another as their canopies fill out.
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Replant gaps where trees have died with new varieties suited to available space.
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Topwork varieties onto old trees to control size. For example, change overcrowded Hass to compact Holiday.
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Remove weaker trees in pairs planted together to prevent one from dominating.
Don’t wait until trees are choking each other. Maintain proper spacing continually through intentional pruning, thinning and replanting.
The Benefits of Good Tree Spacing
Correctly spaced avocado trees offer many advantages:
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Maximum fruit production from unrestricted growth.
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Lower disease and pest pressure in an open canopy.
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Convenient access for pruning, harvesting and maintenance.
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Aesthetic appeal with balanced, shapely tree forms.
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Easy integration into landscapes without crowding or blockage.
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Good crossing of pollinizer varieties for improved fruit set.
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Allows each tree to grow to its natural mature shape and size.
Properly spaced avocado trees not only yield more fruit, but also stay healthy and beautiful for decades to come. Make tree spacing a priority and reap the benefits for years.
When planting avocado trees, start with the spacing right and you’ll be off to a great start. Allow each variety enough room to flourish based on its expected mature size. Space trees equally from buildings, fences, sidewalks, other trees and pools. Use special planting techniques like interplanting pollinizers or planting pairs together to maximize small spaces. Above all, maintain proper spacing over time through vigilant pruning, thinning and replanting. Your efforts will be rewarded with a highly productive avocado orchard that keeps on giving.
Welcome . . .
Im Greg. My goal is to help you grow food at home, with a focus on vegetables and fruits — especially avocados — in Southern California. I write a new “Yard Post” every Friday.
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Avocado Tree Care 101: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners
FAQ
What is the best spacing for avocado trees?
How far apart should I plant avocados?
Where is the best place to plant an avocado tree?
How do you grow an avocado plant?
The first stage of avocado plant growth is seed germination. This is when the avocado seed sprouts and begins to grow into a seedling. To start this process, you need to remove the pit from a ripe avocado fruit and wash it thoroughly. Then, place the seed in a pot filled with moist soil, burying it about an inch deep.
How to care for an avocado plant?
It is essential to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Too much water can cause root rot, which can be fatal to your plant. In this stage, it’s crucial to provide your avocado plant with proper nutrition. You can add organic fertilizer to the soil once a month to ensure healthy growth.
How deep should a pot be for an avocado plant?
You’ll want a pot that is at least 10-12 inches deep and wide enough to accommodate the roots of your plant. Look for pots made of porous materials like clay or ceramic, as these allow for proper drainage and airflow. Avocado plants require well-draining soil that is rich in nutrients.
Can you grow an avocado tree indoors?
Yes, you can grow an avocado tree indoors as long as you provide adequate light and warmth. However, keep in mind that indoor plants may not grow as large as outdoor trees due to limited space and light. Can I eat avocado seeds? While avocado seeds are edible, they are not typically eaten due to their bitter taste and tough texture.