When to Plant an Avocado Tree

Plant in spring, after frost

Avocados are planted as grafted nursery trees, usually sold in 3-gallon pots. UC IPM recommends planting in spring once the danger of frost has passed. A tree planted then has the whole warm season to grow roots before its first winter, and it is not yet facing the hot, dry weather that stresses a newly planted tree.

Set the root ball at, or about an inch above, the level of the surrounding soil, never deeper. Water a new tree every other day for the first week, then once or twice a week for a couple of months.

Where avocados can grow outdoors

Frost, not the calendar, decides whether an avocado will survive. Extension services recommend them outdoors only in nearly frost-free climates: coastal southern California and the warmest parts of Florida’s southeast and southwest coasts. That is why the zone table on this page only shows planting dates for zone 9b, and why frost-rare areas follow the regional guidance below. California’s deserts are unsuitable for a different reason: hot spells above 100°F cut fruit set.

Choose the type to fit your winters. West Indian varieties suit only South Florida’s warmest spots. The hardier Mexican types and their hybrids are the safer choice where light frosts occur.

Pick the warmest spot

Plant where water drains freely. Wet soil leads to Phytophthora root rot, so where flooding is possible, plant on a mound of native soil. Choose the warmest, most wind-sheltered part of the yard, since wind causes fruit drop and leaf loss. On a frosty night, protect a young tree with a blanket over a frame set just above the canopy.