I live in Florida and planted my avocado tree outside. I grew the tree from a pit over ten years ago. I planted the tree in my yard and about three years ago it produced to my surprise a bountiful supply of avocados (approx. 75 -100).

The next year I got very few avocados (maybe 30 - 40). Someone told me the problem was I didn't fertilize that year, thus the crop was small. I fertilized every three months after that with avocado fertilizer I bought at home depot. It looked as though there were many buds forming in January thru April, however, the tree has produced even fewer avocados than last year. I think I only have about 25 growing if that.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do to increase the output of avocados. With so few, the squirrels and racoons get to them before I can. There used to be more than enough for us to share, but not any more.

Hi RudyV,

Avocado need consistent watering. Too much and the roots rot; too little or erratic watering results in little or no crop.

Mature trees have deep tap roots and may not need watering; however, don't let the top 15 inches of soil dry up between watering during long dry spell.

Your mature tree should be fertilized quarterly with a balance fertilizer in the 6-6-6 to 10-10-6 range.

Avocados also generally have a great year then the next season is just good, not bad but not great. My dad has a grove and the trick is to have at least half the trees in the great year cycle at one time. He is organic and uses chicken manure as his main fertilizer. I've used it on my one tree and it really loved it. They also love water, as Papito stated above, but they don't like wet feet.

I did have one year where my avo produced a ton of buds but most did not turn into fruit because of thrips. If you see little black buggers on the leaves then you may have them. I found ladybugs as the best way to get rid of them and the next season my avo produced a ton of fruit. We recently moved and I had to leave my tree behind. I miss my avocado but already have a spot picked for a new one at the new house.

Avocado also produce both male and female flowers on the same plant. The trouble is that they are not necessarily produced at the same time. Sounds like the first year, the flower overlap may have been better than the following years. Some people recommend having two trees to help combat this problem, obviously not a favoured option for you. I'm not certain of the whole story but this may be worth further research????

I think what Longy is leading at is that avocado produce not only both male & female flowers in the same tree and but flowers are further classed as type A or B.

The flowers of type A varieties are receptive to pollen in the morning, but don't release their pollen until the afternoon of the following day.

The flowers of type B flower varieties are receptive in the afternoon, but the pollen insn't released until the following morning.

That's where Longy said, you would need another avocado tree for full fruit production. If space is limited, plant 2 or more different varieties of avocado in the same hole slanted out to prevent overcrowding.

The varieties available in Florida are: Booth 7, Brogdin, Choquette, Gainsville, Lula, Mexicola, Monroe, Pollock, Simmonds, Tonnage, Waldin, etc..