Avocados - Cultivation
Avocados grow on evergreen trees that thrive in semi-warm climates with moderate humidity. They need full sun and fertile, sandy loam soil that is well-draining. Avocado trees also have a shallow root system and need good aeration in the soil. Avocado trees require weekly watering when young and once mature, only need watering every 2-3 weeks. They are extremely sensitive to soggy soil, so care should be taken to ensure the soil is moist, but not overly wet. Mulching with bark, dry leaves, grass, or cocoa bean husk will help protect the soil in dry seasons, but it is not needed in rainy seasons. Avocado trees are planted in the late spring and can be grown from seed or grafted onto another tree. There are many different varieties of Avocados, and some varieties can take over ten years to bear fruit, while newer, more advanced varieties will bear fruit in four to five years. Avocados are ready to harvest in the fall and last through early winter.