Re-pot or wait?

10 years ago

I got this Gwen a couple of weeks ago, and the soil in the pot is staying wet for too long. It's been over a week and a half since I watered it, and my soil moisture sensor is still reading highly moist. I have a Wurtz 3 feet next to it that I planted in a container a week earlier than this Gwen, and it is draining fine, and drinking up water in between watering every 5-6 days or so (I check the moisture level before watering).

The initial soil that Gwen was in from the nursery seemed much more finer particles than potting soil, and held more water (clumpy), so I'm wondering if that's the culprit for a bad drainage and I should re-pot (I haven't done it since I learned here that they do not like getting roots disturbed!). Or maybe my tree is simply not drinking from transplant.

I would've just waited (Wurtz took a couple of weeks and moving to slightly more light to start really drinking) except some of the leaves' color is lightening and getting blotchy now and I'm worried about it.

I would appreciate any advice!

(BTW leaves at the base of the tree are from pruning, not dropping)

Featured Answer

fireduck

10 years ago

hi sing....how long has that Gwen been in that pot? If recently transplanted...it may not be drinking yet because of transplant shock. Make sure that pot has plenty of drainage holes. If you have plans to keep that Gwen in a larger container...go ahead and transplant it now. I always add about 1/3 cactus mix to my potting mixes. This insures good drainage (very important). Either way....it sounds like you have learned that avo roots are very sensitive. That is correct. I have an older Gwen in the ground...and it is a nice semi-dwarf tree. Much better fruit than Wurtz. I am actually looking for one more. Where did you find that Gwen tree?

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Comments (8)

singingnaiad
Original Author
10 years ago
It's been almost three weeks since the transplant. We are renting, so I'm trying to wait a couple of years before moving my trees to 22-24'' containers. I will keep in mind when I move them to mix in some cactus mix!

I keep seeing Wurtz fruit is subpar. As someone who's only tasted Hass, I'm having hard time imagining flavor variations. Just how meh is it?

And I got my trees from two different local nurseries. Wurtz close to home (Bay Area), and it was the only dwarf variety they carried. We drove out to another nursery half an hour away, and they carried a lot more varieties of everything. They also had Holidays, but all young Holiday trees did not look too good (at least to this untrained eyes), so we came home with a Gwen.

If I successfully keep my trees healthy over the winter, I am thinking of adding one more tree. Would you say with vigorous pruning (including roots), non-Dwarf variety could grow and produce in a container or should I stick to varieties marketed as dwarf?
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fireduck
10 years ago
Buy a Holiday (XX3). They are simply the best tasting (and largest) dwarf fruit that is out there. You do need to provide it with a good support system...because it has a tendency to sprawl without it. Ed of Somis
Linda Pifer
10 years ago
Growing from seed seems very easy and I have two trees doing well; one is a Florida-grown variety and one a Haas. Any reason why I shouldn't grow from a seed pit?
fireduck
10 years ago
Linda....Seedlings can make nice trees....but are poor producers of quality fruit (if that is important to you). There are many sites online that discuss this.
Linda Pifer
10 years ago
Good to know- thanks!
singingnaiad
Original Author
10 years ago

Now the top leaves off the tree turned like this and tree is still not drinking. Nursery definitely used regular soil, not potting mix, and I wonder if that caused a drainage problem. Should I be more patient or wash it down to bare roots and repot?
fireduck
10 years ago
If you have standard potting mix (not moisture control) in that pot....just hang in there. The tree does not look that bad for this time of year. Do not over-feed or water-log it. Avoid panic...and keep it out of intense/hot sun.
singingnaiad thanked fireduck