Help! My avocado tree is dying and I don't know why! :(

5 years ago

So I grew my avocado tree from a pit, and its done fine for the last couple years in a pot. A couple months ago I replanted it in a larger pot and it did great for a while; last month the leaves started to turn brown and fall off. When the leaves were all gone, the tip of the tree started to turn brown and dry out.

I took it out of the pot and found the soil was wet at the bottom and there was some white mold growing (I assume it was mold anyway). I threw out all of the soil, cleaned the pot, and rinsed all the soil off of the roots. I drilled more drainage holes in the bottom and repotted it with cactus soil for better drainage. I mixed some pumice stones in with the soil to help prevent root rot as well.

Once I had it back in the pot, I cut off the part that turned brown and left it for a few days. I thought that would have fixed the issue, but the tip of the tree is still slowly turning brown.

Does anyone know what I can do to save it? Or is it beyond help at this point. I've had it for a long time and it's like my baby :(

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Comments (4)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
did you dampen the cactus mix before planting in it??? ... so that all the roots are touching moist but not wet media????

your best bet is probably to start a new one .... and leave this one alone.. and see what happens to it ... it either lives or dies ...

but continuing to stress it.. with more an more remedies .. might not be best ... its extremely stressed ... and its not hungry.. so fert isnt going to do anything with it ...

anyway.. time for some guacy .... and a new pit ...

its your tree ... not a baby ... be happy you got a few years out it.. and move on.. emotionally ... it really is a full sun outdoor plant ... and no matter what you do.. it isnt going to be a long term indoor plant ... some peeps might get away with it ... but many dont ...

ken
JoJo (Nevada 9A)
5 years ago
I've heard of avocados being grown as houseplants, but only if they are placed by a large, south-facing window. And even then they may be sickly and will never produce fruit.

Looking at the pics, I think your plant is too far away from the sun. It may work for some houseplants that are understory plants in nature (e.g. they grow at the bottom of a jungle in total shade), but avocados need at least a few hours of direct sunlight a day.

It's a fun project but a short one. Unless you have a proper sunroom or a conservatory, you can't expect your tree to mature and be healthy. Sorry, I wish I had better news...
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robert567
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Beyond the question of how a tree will grow inside long term, nothing wrong with your project, you need it to be right next to the window. The problem probably was that you put it a larger pot that stayed too wet too long, the soil may stay wetter longer out of the direct sun. You want it to have the roots fill up much of the pot.

To save your baby... depending on how large the roots are I would repot in smaller pot or a clay pot and place with the other plants near the window. When or if it grows leaves again, I have no idea how the tree will respond inside, don't water too much if it has no leaves.

As for the white pot and where you have the stand, an upright Sansevieria /Snake plant would be perfect fit.
JoJo (Nevada 9A)
5 years ago
I second Robert's recommendation -- a sansevieria can take quite a bit of indoor shade and will look great in that pot. If you are looking for a taller plant, an areca palm is a great choice (10-12' tall).