Moving Avocado Trees

[johnb51]

What do you think the success rate is for digging up and re-planting three-year-old avocado trees of the West Indian race?  Any special instructions to improve chances of success?

[sc4001992]

Easy, just dig around it to where you get 90% of the roots since it is a small tree.

I just dug up a small 8yr old avocado tree last year from a guy's yard ($60) that wasn't looking to healthy, wimpy, leaves looked like they were not healthy and small. Took 10 minutes to dig up, didn't have many roots at all. I stuck it in a larger pot (free from my nursery buddy) and now it has recovered and doing well. Planning to graft it up with Seedless Krueger and make it worth money ($200).

Dug up on 5-8-24:

[Coconut Cream]

I have moved a few that were a little older and I was consistently surprised at how superficially the roots had grown. I usually prune back the canopy to a more manageable size before digging up and moving. This time of year I would at least consider a little temporary shade protection around the tree until it shows signs of growth. The easiest thing is to just move a few potted plants around it.

[johnb51]

Easy, just dig around it to where you get 90% of the roots since it is a small tree.

I just dug up a small 8yr old avocado tree last year from a guy's yard ($60) that wasn't looking to healthy, wimpy, leaves looked like they were not healthy and small. Took 10 minutes to dig up, didn't have many roots at all. I stuck it in a larger pot (free from my nursery buddy) and now it has recovered and doing well. Planning to graft it up with Seedless Krueger and make it worth money ($200).

Great!  Thanks for your help.  (You, too, Eric.)

[Avofan]

I moved some 6 ft tall trees it was kinda hard because you need 25-45gal pots to keep the rootball mostly intact and then it’s very heavy

[JR561]

Just moved a Maria Black that was in the ground for a few years.

I cut almost everything off but a couple leaves.

Root pruned it enough to fit it in a 15 gallon.

Just planted it in my parents yard this week and it was putting out some serious growth.

[johnb51]

I moved some 6 ft tall trees it was kinda hard because you need 25-45gal pots to keep the rootball mostly intact and then it’s very heavy

I know trying to keep a rootball is important.  That's where I might have some difficulty.  I'll instruct my son to bring the largest pots he has available.  I'm not so concerned about the mango trees.  It seems next to impossible to kill a mango tree as long as you're minimally conscientious.

[K-Rimes]

Removing the same percent of canopy as roots has been a pretty solid plan for all my transplants. Man, I severely cut some trees back in my move, both roots and canopies. The vast majority of them made it. So sorry you have to take your plants out

[johnb51]

Removing the same percent of canopy as roots has been a pretty solid plan for all my transplants. Man, I severely cut some trees back in my move, both roots and canopies. The vast majority of them made it. So sorry you have to take your plants out

Thanks, Kevin.

[Julie]

I’ve heard about removing the canopy when the roots are disturbed/damaged. We do this with mango trees that are downed in hurricanes. My keitt mango tree never recovered but avocados are stronger trees

[johnb51]

I’ve heard about removing the canopy when the roots are disturbed/damaged. We do this with mango trees that are downed in hurricanes. My keitt mango tree never recovered but avocados are stronger trees

I've always thought of mangos as being stronger, more resilient trees, but I guess they have to be healthy and have all their needs met.