How to Grow Avos & Mangos

It's got to be the most asked question I get and the number 1 struggle of Perth's fruit tree gardeners.

Why did my young mango or avo tree die? How should I grow this tree next time?

The 2m pot strategy is the easiest and most reliable method for establishing young avocado and mango trees. Especially given how sensitive both species are during their first 2 years in the ground.

When planted directly into Perth soil as small saplings, these sub-tropical trees face high failure rates due to many different reasons. Waterlogged roots in winter, temperature stress in both the hottest and coldest months, extreme soil pH anything over 7.5), and fungal diseases.

By growing young trees in containers until they reach nearly 2m tall and up to 50+cms wide, you give them time to build a strong root system and a tough woody trunk capable of surviving Perth.

Both avocado and mango trees prefer a slightly acidic soil pH around 6 or a little more.

Direct planting into native ground will cause immediate problems unless you have done decades of soil and shade amending, particularly in new plots that are just alkaline sandpit or heavy clay where high pH locks out vital nutrients like iron and zinc.

Growing young trees in pots allows you to use a premium potting mix that holds an ideal acidic pH naturally, ensuring healthy green growth without micronutrient deficiencies from day one. I recommend brands like Baileys, Black Marvel, Good Earth and Greenlife Soil Co. Even then I would add course perlite or clay (leca) balls, and coco peat. Around 10-15%.

Drainage is another massive factor, as young roots are easily choked by excess moisture. Avocado and mango trees have fine, fragile feeder roots that quickly suffocate and fall victim to root rot in compacted or slow-draining dirt. After transplanting in a slightly larger pot I like to push down only on the edges of the pot not so much directly on top of the root ball.

A high-porosity potting mix ensures excess water drains straight out the bottom, keeping oxygen around the roots so they can expand rapidly without rotting. Hence the course perlite or leca balls mentioned above.

The bigget and most common mistake is choosing an oversized pot. Just increse the pot size by 2-3 times bigger. So 4L should go to less than 10L and 12L aim for no more than 30L.

Never pot a grafted tree higher or lower than where the rootball starts. If you see roots cover these with premium potting mix or a patch or coco peat. And never bury the tree deeper than needed.

One difference between avocado and mango is the avocado's tap root must not be supressed in a shallow pot. 1st, don't buy big avocado trees in small pots and ideally select a deeper pot for avocado to encourge deeper rooting.

Keeping young trees in pots also gives you total weather mobility through seasonal extremes. Young green avocado trunks burn easily under harsh summer sun, and mango leaves scorch when heatwaves strike, but potted trees can easily be shifted into afternoon shade. During cold winter months, moving pots under eaves or sheltered patios protects sensitive roots from frost and cold rain that would otherwise stall growth or kill the plant.

When repoting either leave the support stick as is or better still pierce a taller one outside of the root ball.

Finally, keeping pots in a highly visible spot makes daily monitoring simple. Disease issues like anthracnose can be spotted on young leaves immediately and pruned off before spreading. Better still finding white powdery first signs will prompt you from quickly rubbing off the start of what could have been a big problem.

Precise watering is also much easier to manage when you see the trees every day, preventing the common mistakes of overwatering or letting the root ball dry out completely. Once the tree hits at least 1.8m tall, it will have the strength and root volume needed to flourish when finally planted out into the garden.

Tipping both your mango and avocado is easy. This minimal pruning at the top, encourages bushing out and triple growth. The more leaves you have the more expodential the tree's growth. removing as little as 5mm from top stem is enough to bud out multiple branches.

For advanced gardeners lightly scoring with a knife hardened bark can encourage side growth. Obviously don't overdo this and never do this below the graft.

Finally a tray under the pot is a great idea for November to April. For added benefits I use a very deep tray around 8cms deep but filled to the top with coco peat. This means pot stays moist for longer during summer, coco peat encourages roots to grow beautifully well without root rot as fresh coco peat breathes well. And it also means potting up is easier without twisted roots that might otherwise break off. As an added benefit coco peat is beautifully acidic and after 1-2 years refresh it with new sterile coco peat. The old one is perfect in the garden or topped up in pots.

Becuase grafted Avos and Mangos can't help but push out flowers and fruit from year one remove as soon as possible to direct energy into growing stronger, bigger trees not fruit. Flowers are packed with nutrients, just crumble these in the pot for energy recycling.

If you can restrain yourself, with tiny amounts often, fertilising with pure nitrogen is ok to encourge faster green growth. (urea for lawns - literally 3 micro balls a week). But safer is to follow instructions on a premium slow release organic fertiliser like gor safe. Amino grow liquid is the only fertiliser to use for trees in recovery. Healthy trees respond particularly well to this one too.

Adding occasionally iron, magnesium (annually) and especially micro amounts of sulphur will help as Perth's waters are usually too alkaline. Follow the packs instructions.