Why Avocado Tree Fertilization Matters

It's important to provide California avocado trees with the nutrients they need in order to ensure optimal fruit production and tree health. Trees that are supplied with the optimal mix of nutrients are stronger. In general, healthy avocado trees have higher quality fruit yields and are better equipped to handle severe weather events like high winds and cold temperatures.

Also, consider this — in nature, the ecosystem provides nutrients via sun, water and decomposition of organic materials. In a grove, fertilization via organic decomposition is prevented, to some extent, by grove management. Fruit is removed from the grove — this is a net loss of minerals. Irrigation (and rain) also leach minerals from the avocado grove soil. Pruning, while beneficial to the avocado tree, removes mineral-rich portions of the tree. Even if you allow the detritus from pruning to remain beneath the avocado trees, it takes years for prunings, shed leaves, fruit and flowers to decompose and return those nutrients to the soil. Finally, weeds also rob avocado trees of much-needed minerals. Fertilization allows avocado growers to replenish grove soils and provide nutrients necessary to harvesting quality avocado crops on an annual basis.