Cut back the avocado regularly for bushy growth

Cut back the avocado regularly for bushy growth

Why is pruning so important?

In fact, you wouldn't have to cut back your avocado. However, the spatial space in apartments is very limited - especially in height - and avocado plants also tend to shoot up and hardly branch out, especially at a young age. It is therefore advisable to cap the tip of the avocado so that more side shoots form and the plant becomes bushier - instead of just growing into a pencil-thin stem with a few leaves on it. When you actually cut your plant is entirely up to your taste and wishes. Basically, it can be pruned at any height, just as you want your plant to be.

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Cut back the avocado properly

To cut back your avocado, all you need is nail scissors or, if you have, rose scissors. With it you simply snap off the top of the plant with the top leaves. Then spray the leftover leaves of your avocado with room temperature water. It is best to combine pruning the plant with repotting in a larger pot, which usually happens towards the end of winter. Very young plants do not have to be cut yet; this is only necessary when they are around three months old or older. The timing you choose also depends on how tall you want your avocado to be.

What you need:

  • an avocado plant with several shoots (from about three to six months of age)
  • sharp scissors (at best, rose or nail scissors)

Tips & Tricks

You don't need to throw away the cut tip of your avocado - you can use this cutting to grow a new tree.