Avo got a clue

QUESTION

Why isn’t our avocado fruiting? It’s a seven-year- old grafted ‘Dwarf Pinkerton’ growing in enriched sandy soil on the NSW North Coast. We fertilise it regularly, and whil it produces plenty of flowers, it has only ever set one fruit. Could it be overwatering, a poor graft, or did I accidentally prune the wrong part near the graft?

ANSWER 

There are a few factors at play here. Avocados have an unusual pollination process. While both male and female flowers usually occur on the same tree, they don’t always open at the same time, which can result in lots of flowers but no fruit. Your tree is still relatively young, and it may take a few more years to mature and overcome this juvenile phase. It’s also recommended to plant a second, compatible variety nearby to improve pollination. That said, you're doing many things right but from the photograph, it looks like a different issue is at play. It appears the grafted section (the scion) may have been accidentally pruned off, which has allowed the rootstock to take over. The image clearly shows vigorous rootstock growth where the scion was removed. Unfortunately, once the grafted section is removed, it won’t grow back. After seven years, you may choose to keep the existing tree and see if it eventually produces fruit but in the meantime, consider planting another ‘Dwarf Pinkerton’ alongside a compatible partner to improve your chances of fruiting. Options are available from daleysfruit.com.au, a mail order nursery based in Kyogle, NSW.