There’s nothing quite like the taste of a freshly-grown avocado. But if you’re thinking about growing your own avocados, you might be wondering how easy they are to grow.
Avocados are generally relatively simple to grow. Some varieties, such as Hass avocados, can be grown all year round. Others are only available seasonally.
Can You Grow Avocados In A Greenhouse?
While avocados can be grown both indoors and outdoors, greenhouses provide the perfect environment for avocado trees to thrive. The controlled temperature and humidity levels help promote healthy growth and lead to the harvest of a delicious and bountiful crop.
Here are a few things to consider before you get started:
- The type of avocado you want to grow. Some varieties can be grown all year round. Others are only available seasonally.
- The space. Avocado trees can grow to be quite large, so you’ll need to make sure you have enough space in your greenhouse for them to grow.
- The equipment. You’ll need some basic gardening equipment, such as a watering can, hoe, and rake. You may also want to invest in a greenhouse heater to keep your plants warm during the colder months.
Basic Requirements to Grow Avocados in a Greenhouse
An avocado tree needs to be kept in a warm greenhouse to thrive. This plant can also be grown in large containers. The humidity and heat levels in the greenhouse must be kept high to allow the tree to grow.
Below are some of the basic requirements to grow avocados in a greenhouse:
Water
Avocados need a lot of water, especially when they are flowering and fruiting. However, they also need good drainage to avoid root rot.
When installing a watering system, it would be wise to incorporate a drip irrigation system to water at the base and avoid fungus growth.
It would also be good to install a water filtration system to remove any impurities that could potentially harm the plants.
Soil
Avocados prefer rich, loamy soil that is high in organic matter.
Avocado plants also need to be fertilized every six weeks to ensure they get the nutrients necessary to grow and produce fruit.
Soil quality is crucial when growing avocados because it directly impacts the health of the plants and can make or break the harvest.
Climate
Avocados prefer a warm climate. In general, they will do best in a greenhouse kept between 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit.
A proper climate allows avocado plants to flower and produces fruit all year long. However, if the temperature gets too hot, the leaves drop off, and the flowers will wilt.
Lighting
Avocados need plenty of sunlight to produce a good crop of fruit.
Avocados need at least 6 hours of full-spectrum light per day to produce fruit.
If you live in an area with a short growing season, you may need to supplement the natural light with artificial lighting.
Greenhouses are a great way to get the extra light that avocados need.
Ventilation
Avocado plants require good ventilation or airflow to prevent the growth of fungus and strengthen the stems of saplings.
The greenhouse should have vents that can be opened or fans to allow for air circulation.
Constant circulation strengthens the plant’s base and helps any leggy plants from becoming top-heavy. Proper airflow is essential to prevent disease and encourage healthy growth.
How to Grow Avocado Trees in a Greenhouse
To grow avocado trees in a greenhouse, you’ll then need to cut the tip of the plant’s shoots, and graft a scion onto it. Make sure that the plant is well-cared for, and cross-pollinate it to produce fruit.
Now that you know the requirements for growing avocados in a greenhouse, here is a step-by-step guide on how to get started:
Start with a healthy seedling
Purchase a healthy avocado seedling from a nursery or online retailer. Be sure to choose a variety known to do well in greenhouses, such as Hass avocados.
Hass avocados do great in greenhouses because they are a variety that can flower and fruit all year round. Other types, such as Bacon and Fuerte, only fruit seasonally.
Plant the seedling in rich soil with a lot of full-spectrum light
Avocados prefer soil high in organic matter. If you are using a potting mix, be sure to add some organic matter, such as compost or manure, to help the plants thrive.
Adding organic matter adds nutrients to the soil and helps with drainage and aeration. Ensuring proper drainage and aeration will help to prevent root rot.
Light is also essential for avocado plants. If you do not have a lot of natural light, you may need to supplement with artificial full-spectrum lighting.
Water regularly
Avocados need to be watered regularly, especially during the hot summer months.
Be sure to check the moisture in the soil to make sure it is not too wet or too dry. Soil that is too wet will lead to root rot, while soil that is too dry will stunt the plant’s growth.
Purchasing a moisture meter is an excellent idea if you are unsure how to check the moisture in the soil.
Fertilize regularly
Avocados will benefit from regular fertilization.
Use a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 20-20-20. These numbers represent the percentage of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash in the fertilizer.
The higher the number on the package, the higher the strength of the fertilizer, so a good rule of thumb is to buy a more potent fertilizer and dilute it with more water as needed.
Apply the fertilizer every six weeks or as directed on the package.
Prune the plants
Avocado trees should be pruned to encourage new growth.
Remove any dead or damaged branches and leaves. Pruning allows the plant to stop wasting energy on spent leaves and put that energy towards producing more flowers and fruit.
Pruning avocado plants will also help increase air circulation and prevent the growth of fungus.
Harvest your crop
Once your avocado tree is mature enough to produce fruit, you can expect to harvest anywhere from once a season to multiple times a year, depending on your specific variety.
To determine if an avocado is ripe, gently squeeze the fruit. If it gives slightly, then it is ready to be picked. If it is hard, then it needs more time to ripen.
Avocados continue to ripen once picked, and it is a good idea to look up the signs of a mature avocado fruit from your specific variety or ask someone at your local garden center.
How Long Does It Take Avocados to Grow in a Greenhouse?
Generally, it takes about 3-5 years for an avocado tree to mature enough to produce fruit. Once the tree begins to produce fruit, it will continue to bear fruit for many years. An avocado tree will stop bearing fruit at about 15 years old.
The length of time it takes for an avocado tree to bear fruit will depend on the variety of avocados, the growing conditions, and how well the tree is cared for.
For example, a Hass avocado tree grown in ideal conditions can begin bearing fruit in as little as 2 years. Whereas a less vigorous variety, such as Bacon, grown in less than ideal conditions, may take 5 years or more to produce fruit.
When the avocados are ready to harvest, you will know because the fruits will begin to turn from green to yellow or black (depending on the variety) or will soften to the touch.
Avocados can be harvested by hand or with the help of a pole pruner. A pole pruner is precisely what it sounds like, a long pole with a sharp cutting instrument on the end that reaches high branches.
Be sure to handle the fruits carefully as they are delicate and can be easily bruised. A bruised avocado will not taste as good as one harvested and handled correctly.
After harvesting, the avocados continue to ripen and can be eaten immediately or stored in the fridge for later use. You can tell an avocado is ready to eat when it is soft to the touch or the “button” on the bottom pushes easily into the fruit.
Do Avocados Grow Better Indoors or Outdoors?
Avocados can be grown both indoors and outdoors, but since avocados need plenty of sunlight to ripen, it’s best to grow them outdoors if you live in a mildly warm climate.
However, they also require protection from wind and frost, so growing them in a greenhouse offers protection from the elements while still allowing them to get the sunlight they need.
In general, you need to create an environment that will allow your specific avocado varsity to thrive. If you’re not sure what conditions your avocado needs, it’s best to consult with a local nursery or gardening center.
Conclusion
Greenhouse gardening can be a fun and productive way to garden, but there are some important things to keep in mind when growing avocados indoors.
The basic requirements for growing avocados in a greenhouse are enough water, fertile soil, a proper climate, plenty of light, and proper ventilation.
Follow these simple steps to get the best results:
- Start by selecting a healthy avocado tree from your local nursery or online retailer.
- Choose a location in your greenhouse with proper soil and lighting.
- Water regularly.
- Fertilize with an all-purpose fertilizer according to package directions.
- Prune the plant by trimming dead leaves and spent flowers.
- Harvest fruit when it reaches maturity.
Avocados grown in greenhouses taste great when given the necessary attention. Make sure you have the time and patience to give your avocado tree the love it needs before getting started.
Now you know all of the basic requirements to care for avocado plants and the steps to take to be successful at cultivating a delicious avocado crop at home.
With a little bit of care and attention, you should be able to enjoy delicious homegrown avocados all year long for years to come!
