as with any shock cold event.. depending on the level of shock ... you MIGHT lose all the leaves ... so dont freak out.. if that happens ... most trees can releaf ... if it was just superficial leaf damage ... the future is all in the buds ... just keep it properly watered and give it a month or two.. to see what happens ...

i dont know about avocado in pots.. indoors .... so i will leave that to someone else ... but it would be another shock going from sunshine .. to rather limited light with a window between it and sunshine ...

i would also wonder about what kind of bugs you might bring in the house.. while you were gone ...

it might be best left outside while you are gone... and leave it to the fates ...

ken

Too late for OP but I bring mine indoors and it does well putting out some new growth even, And it does not need a lot of sun.

36 and next to the house? No way that was from the cold. It looks like its under the overhang. Soil looks dry from pictures. And that looks like the Kellog "compost" ie rotten wood mix. So three issues:

1. You are a Green Bay fan. That is a no no. ;)

2. Soil I think is causing rot and/root suffocation in the lower half of the pot.

3. Top half is most likely dry.

IMO, I would restart with a 1/2 wine barrel and use good Avo soil with 0 compost in the soil.

Its been 2-3 weeks. Any updates on the pictures?

Viper75, I can add some pictures later. Yes, I am GB fan and from Chicago. Haha.

The tree is doing well. Some of the leaves are turning brown, but there is some new growth as well. There are no concerning signs of death. Yes, it is on my 3rd story balcony under the overhang in the shady corner. I fear the root rot. I water it 1x a week with 1, 12cup coffee jug (I don't have a watering can, haha).

It is potting soil mixed with sand. About 75% soil and 25% sand. Maybe a little more sand but I didn't really measure. I repotted in the summer when I got it. It has been doing well since. It has mulch on the top, about 1in, and the mulch is NOT mixed in. There is NO compost or manure mixed in.

I'd be interest to know what is considered a "good avocado soil" :-) IME with containerized trees - and I've grown a lot of all types - it matters very little what kind of specific soil it is as long as it is free draining and with enough texture (ie, bark fines) to avoid compaction or collapse. I would caution against adding sand to container potting soil. Unless a very coarse builders' sand - similar to cherrystone granite grit - the texture is too fine and slows good drainage rather than improves it.

I would also suggest that the tree is showing cold damage and perhaps some dryness as well. They will not be as cold tolerant in a container as they would in the ground and could easily suffer some damage at 36F. And I always recommend watering enough at any given time so the water runs freely from the drain holes. You want the potting media fully saturated then allowed to dry moderately before watering again. No schedule!! Just as needed, determined by testing.

Favre was an awesome QB. I have to admit.

OK. So probably not a soil issue. It does look stressed though. Does the water flood out the bottom when you water? Are any new leaves browning or the old only? 12 cups of water a week seems little low. As long as the soil is moist, you are good. But it should not be bone dry before adding water if you dig 6-8" down.

I made that mistake. I have 60-70% sand and crushed granite and the more I water the better the tree does. But it dries fast.

My hunch is it is actually drying out too much. You probably have a bit of radiant heat on the balcony and it stays pretty warm during the day. But you also need to make sure the drain hole is open. Put some pot feet or wedges to elevate the pot so it drains freely.

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9),

Avocado is a different animal than any other tree. They require more oxygen in the soil around their roots that any other tree or they develop rot. A great reference is Laguna Hills Nursery youtube classes on specifically Avo trees. They cover it all. A "sandy loam" is the recommendation. In pots, perlite, vermiculite and/or pumas rock. No compost, high draining and high mineral soil composition. The sand can be coarse sand/DG. If it is the slag or powder, it could be putty like. But a nice blend similar to cactus blend from a box store works well.

Old leaves are browning. There are some new leaves that are fine. With the 12 cups of water (not great at conversion), water drains out the bottom. I used playground sand as the mix. Here are some updated photos.

I know it's difficult to get a full idea without actually seeing it. But here are a couple more photos. There are a lot of brown leaves but I'm not sure if that has to do with the weather. Tonight 1/6, it's supposed to drop to 42 degrees.

There are also very deep green new leaves but also a couple small leaves that could be new that are browning.

do i understand correctly.. after the cold event... you repotted it???

if so.. its double stressed .. and it will take quite a few weeks/ months .... to settle down .... and until then .... you will probably continue to see leaf damage.. from the cold event ...

did you repot with dry media .. and then add all that water???

ken

Sorry, no. I repotted it in the summer. It was doing great in the summer. Full of life. It is just getting colder here and could drop to 36 degrees. It dropped to 36 degrees last week, but that seems to be the lowest it has gone. The real question is, should I bring it inside and keep it in front of the heavy sunlight window?