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MY plant history:

  1. Tree planted 2 years ago.
  2. Once I cut the tip, so that plant branched.
  3. Some time later I cut those two branches again.
  4. New stems appeared, but after some time, something happened to the leaves (see pictures).
  5. I see some new leaves are going out now, but there is some issue with tips of those new ones too.

Plant is grown in a pot, only indoor. Pot is 28cm in diameter, and 30cm high. I would like to keep the plant relatively small, as it is grown indoor, so frequent trimming is a must. I live in Poland, in Europe, and now heating season is already started, but issue started before.

What to do to save the plant? Is it possible to grow it like a bonsai, with frequent pruning?

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Kuchara
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  • +1 I have this same situation in the Pacific NW of the USA. How often are you watering your plant? When was it last repotted? – KMerkens Nov 28 '18 at 14:36
  • I water it usually 2-3 times a week with around half cup of water. But there could have been situations I've forgotten, and let it dry out... I've repotted quite long time ago (>1 year)... Also not added any fertilizer for some time (>4 months). – Kuchara Nov 28 '18 at 16:19
  • Hello, Kuchara and welcome here! I have a tiny question: can you please check "heating season" - is it about indoor heating that starts to work? – Alina Nov 28 '18 at 19:54
  • @Alina, yes it is time when heating starts to work. This year we had hot summer, and started heating my flat relatively late (compared to last year). I have thermometer next to the heater, and it shows around 19-21 degrees each time i look into it. – Kuchara Nov 29 '18 at 11:30
  • Is that a crate of avocado pits? Awesome. My father keeps some avocado plants that he moves outside every summer. He never acclimates them so they burn every time - it looks similar to your photos. Has the plant been moved to a much sunnier spot? You said the problem began before the heat, but is there a vent near the plant? – That Idiot Nov 29 '18 at 12:52
  • Yeah... reusing crate after carboy which broke :-), but I'm not putting the plant outside. My balcony you see in background does not have roof, and it is at south side. When sunshine, there is hot like a hell... I am usually moving it farther from window then. ;-) I have some inlet vents above windows. Also I keep windows unsealed (that is: not completely closed). – Kuchara Nov 29 '18 at 16:11

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I would guess that your avocado tree needs a much larger pot and a lot more water... and maybe a warmer room.

Avocado trees planted in the ground grow 5-10 feet (1.5-3m) per year. In Hawaii, Avocados grow best where they get a lot of sun but also a lot of rain.

Fertilizer was never an issue with tree growth, but it's needed when the tree starts growing fruit.

Putting the avocado tree in the biggest pot you can manage, using a good potting mix, and watering it a lot should provide you with better results. Remember, it's a huge tropical tree.

dankinship
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  • Thanks for the answer. pines or olive trees are also huge trees, but it is possible to bonsai them. ;-) I'm just wondering if that's also possible with (this) avocado. Most probably, when repotting, I would need to reduce amount of roots, to still keep in a pot of reasonable size. But do you know if that will not destroy the plant? – Kuchara Nov 29 '18 at 16:27
  • In Japan, there are pine trees which grow on the cliffs facing the sea. The 20+ typhoons which hit Japan yearly keep those trees small in such locations. So I would say that they have adapted to living as a 'bonsai'. I know there are other trees which have been kept as bonsai too, but are any of those trees tropical/jungle trees? I don't know. I do know how to grow avocado trees having grown many varieties in Hawaii. All grew in full sun with lots of water and a huge root area. – dankinship Nov 30 '18 at 02:26
  • You might research mango tree growth in a greenhouse, like this: [link](https://blog.goo.ne.jp/with24/e/ccaadad0a9b46a7ea2b49bde51f7e105) Mango are also tropical trees and have similar requirements to an avocado. And these mango trees produce a small amount of fruit. The mango trees in greenhouses in Kagoshima Japan are only a meter tall, but the pot they are in is massive (the size of a washing machine). An avocado may be kept small and could potentially produce fruit given similar conditions, but I have never seen one grown that way. – dankinship Nov 30 '18 at 02:34