Avocado is a highly nutritious fruit that is good for weight loss, blood pressure levels, eye, and heart health. So, you are lucky, if you have an avocado tree in your home and garden.
But you must apply the right fertilizer to your avocado tree to get abundant, healthy, and tasty fruits. Hundreds of avocado fertilizer available in the market today. All are not good for your avocado.
Now the question; what is the best fertilizer for avocado trees?
The granular, liquid, or spike type of fertilizer that has a balanced ratio of NPK for fruiting and also contains some other essential plant nutrients. Most importantly, the best avocado fertilizer doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals.
For your convenience, Here I listed and reviewed the best fertilizer for avocado trees that will help you to pick the right fertilizer for your plants.
In A Hurry? Here is the overall best avocado fertilizer that you may pick right now-
Best Fertilizer for Avocado Trees-Comparisons
| Fertilizer | NPK | Form | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miracle-Gro Shake 'N Feed Plant Food | 8-2-10 | Granular | Synthetic | |
| Jobe’s Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer | 3-5-5 | Granular | Organic | |
| Dr. Earth 708P Fruit Tree Fertilizer | 5-5-2 | Granular | Organic | |
| Espoma CT4 Citrus-Tone Plant Food | 5-2-6 | Granular | Organic | |
| Jobe's Organics Fruit Fertilizer Spikes | 3-5-5 | Spike | Organic | |
| EcoScraps Avocado Plant Food | 5-2-3 | Granular | Organic | |
| Nelson Avocado Tree Plant Food | 12-10-10 | Granular | Synthetic |
Best Fertilizer for Avocado Trees-Reviews
1.Miracle-Gro Shake ‘N Feed Citrus, Avocado, Mango Plant Food
According to the granular analysis, this fertilizer has an 8-2-10 NPK ratio. That means it has 8% nitrogen,2% phosphate, and 10% potash for lush green leaves, strong roots, and healthy fruits.
A small portion of nitrogen and phosphate comes with a polymer coat that feeds your plant continuously up to 3 months with no risk of burn. Sounds impressive, right? But there’s more-
It also contains some other macro and micronutrients such as 6.9% calcium,5.5% magnesium,4.7% sulfur,0.05% copper,0.92% iron,0.34% manganese,0.11% zinc.
You know, micronutrient deficiency is one of the major problems of avocado trees but you don’t need to worry about it if you feed this fertilizer.
It is an inorganic fertilizer but has compost to feed the soil microbes and improve soil health. So, you can feed this fertilizer to your new, established, potted, and in-ground avocado plants without any hesitation.
To feed this fertilizer-
Sprinkle 1 ¾ tablespoon of granular fertilizer for 4 sq feet or 1 tablespoon for 16 inches pot diameter. Work on the surface soil and water to start feeding.
2.Jobe’s Organics 09226 Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer with Biozome
The NPK ratio of this fertilizer 3-5-5 to promote foliar growth, healthy roots, and fruits. Good news; this fruit fertilizer contains 1.2% water-soluble and 1.8% water-insoluble nitrogen. You will be happy to know, water-soluble fertilizer feeds the most hungry plant instantly and water-insoluble fertilizer feeds the plant continuously without the risk of burn.
Also, this fertilizer contains 8% calcium,0.5% magnesium, and 1.6% sulfur.All the essential nutrients of this fertilizer are derived from some organic ingredients such as feather meal, bone meal, poultry manure, and sulfate of potash. As you saw, it has no synthetic chemicals that’s why it is an OMRI listed organic fertilizer for organic gardeners.
As a non-plant food, it has a healthy blend of soil microbes including bacteria, mycorrhizal, and archaea that is called Biozome and it helps to improve the soil and make the plant healthy and resistant.
You can apply this fertilizer to your indoor and outdoor avocado trees. Sprinkle 1 ½ cups of the granular fertilizer per 16 inches pot or 3 cups per 1 inches trunk diameter. Mix the fertilizer into the surface soil and water the plant.
3.Dr. Earth 708P Organic Fruit Tree Fertilizer
It is an OMRI, OIM, CCOF, and NOP certified organic fertilizer for fruits that proves it has toxic chemicals for doing any harm to your plants.
As the primary nutrients, it has 5% nitrogen,5% phosphate, and 2% potash. The 5-5-2 ratio is enough for developing and fruiting. Good news; the total amount of nitrogen is water-insoluble nitrogen and you know, water-insoluble nitrogen releases slowly and feeds the plant continuously.
Also, this fertilizer has some other macro and micronutrients because it is formulated from some organic and natural ingredients such as alfalfa meal, fishbone meal, fish meal, potassium sulfate, kelp meal, and kelp flour. But the manufacturer didn’t mention the ratio of micronutrients.
The best part of this fertilizer is-
It contains a trubiotic formula that means it has a healthy blend of colony-forming bacteria and mycorrhizae fungi to promote soil health and make the plant resistant.
Bottom line; this is the best fertilizer for young and established avocado trees. To feed this fertilizer-
Sprinkle 2 cups ½ cubic foot or 5 gallon potting soil for new and young avocado trees and 1 cup per 1 inch of trunk diameter. Work on the surface soil gently and water to start feeding.
4.Espoma CT4 Citrus-Tone Plant Food
According to the NPK ratio of this citrus tone fertilizer, it has 5% nitrogen,2% phosphate, and 6% potash. Also, it contains both water-soluble(1.5%) and water-insoluble nitrogen(3%).
You know, water-soluble nitrogen releases quickly and feeds the most hungry plant instantly. In contrast, water-insoluble nitrogen releases slowly and feeds the plant continuously for a certain period of time.
Besides NPK, it also contains some other essential plant nutrients including 2% calcium,0.5% magnesium,1% sulfur.
It comes in granular form and all the nutrients of this fertilizer are derived from some organic compounds such as feather meal, bone meal, alfalfa meal, poultry manure, greensand, sulfate of potash, and sulfate of magnesia.
The most likable feature of this fertilizer is-
It contains a total of 624 colony forming units per gram that makes the soil fertile and plant resistant. Also, it has 1% humic acid to revive the plant from some environmental stress.
Sprinkle 2 lbs. of this fertilizer for up to 3 feet sized plant or 1 teaspoon per 4 inches diameter of the pot. Work on the top soil, apply water, and get a healthy plant with a lot of fruits.
5.Jobe’s Organics Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer Spikes
This fertilizer has 3% nitrogen,5% potassium, and 5% potash to feed the primary nutrients. The total amount of nitrogen has been coated for slow release. That’s why it can feed your avocado plants continuously.
Also, this fertilizer contains some other plant nutrients, and all the nutrients are derived from some organic ingredients such as feather meal, bone meal, and sulfate of potash.
Like all the Jobe’s Organics, it also has Biozome. Biozome is a natural blend of some non-plant food ingredients such as bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, and archaea. It improves soil conditions and makes the plant healthy and resistant.
You know, spike fertilizer can’t wash out easily with surface water. There is no exception to this Jobe’s spike fertilizer. It feeds your plant continuously without wasting the nutrients.
It is specially formulated fertilizer for potted fruits including avocado, apple, pear, cherry, plum, and citrus. But if you need spike fertilizer for in-ground avocado plants, here is another version of Jobe’s spike.
To apply this spike fertilizer, take 2 spikes for 12 inches plant diameter and push the spikes into the soil near the plant stem and water the plant thoroughly.
6.EcoScraps Citrus & Avocado Plant Food
According to the NPK ratio,it contains 5% nitrogen,2% phosphate and 3% potash.And it also has some other nutrients to provide the required ingredients for healthy avocado with lots of bigger fruits.
The nutrients of this fertilizer are formulated from organic compounds that make this fertilizer safe for kids and the environment.
It comes in a granular that can be fed to your avocado plants evenly. To feed this fertilizer-Sprinkle ¼ cups for in-ground plants and 1 cup for 12 inches pot. Mix the fertilizer into the surface soil and water the plant.
7.Nelson Citrus Fruit and Avocado Tree Plant Food
As the primary plant food, it has 12% nitrogen,10% phosphate, and 10% potash for fruit production, a healthy and resistant plant.
This fertilizer has some other nutrients that feed the avocado plant instantly. Also, some nutrients have been coated for slow releases that can feed the plant continuously.
This is the synthetic fertilizer that is formulated from some non-toxic synthetic chemicals but it also contains some organic compounds like blood meal and bone meal.
It comes in a granular form and can be fed in the ground and potted plants to produce more and bigger fruits.
Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of this granular fertilizer around the base of your plant. Mix into the surface soil, water the plant, and get the bigger fruits.
What Nutrients do Avocado Trees Need?
You know, plants need 16 essential nutrients to complete their life cycle completely. But all the nutrients are not required in the same amount for all plants. Let’s see what nutrients are mostly required for healthy avocado plants-
The avocado plant needs nitrogen for vegetative growth, phosphorus for healthy roots and buds, potassium for abundant fruits. Also, the plant needs some other nutrients in a small amount to complete the life cycle such as calcium, magnesium, sulfur, boron, zinc, iron, and manganese.
When to Fertilize Avocado Trees?
The avocado fertilizer schedule depends on the type of fertilizer. So, the best idea to know the time of feeding avocado trees is to read the label of your fertilizer. But here is the recommended schedule for you.
You can apply fertilizer to your avocado in January or February to enhance flowering, May, or June to better fruiting, and October or September to meet the overall nutrient demands.
How to Fertilize Avocado Trees?
The fertilizing procedure varies depending on the form of the fertilizer. Here is the basic outline of the application process that will help you to understand.
- Measure the fertilizer according to the plant size and label directions.
- Prepare a solution for water-soluble and liquid fertilizer. Ignore the step if you pick granular fertilizer.
- Sprinkle the pre-measured granular fertilizer around the base of the plants and water the plant. Never apply all the fertilizer granules in the same place. If you pick water-soluble or liquid fertilizer, pour the pre-mixed solution on the base of the plant.
Homemade Fertilizer for Avocado Trees
Items Required:
- Coffee Grounds
- Eggshells
- Banana Peels
- Fishbone
- Epsom Salt
- Chelated Iron
Procedure:
- Cut the banana peels and fishbone and break the eggshells into pieces.
- Dry them in full sun and grind them individually.
- Mix 1 cup coffee grounds,1 cup banana peels,½ cup eggshells,1 cup fishbone,1 tablespoon Epsom salt, and 1 tablespoon chelated iron.
- Apply 1 cup of the mixture to your avocado tree and water the plant.
Note: This fertilizer can feed your plant nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, zinc, and iron. But the difference between commercial fertilizer and homemade fertilizer is in the ratio. Commercial fertilizer comes with a perfect ratio but we never know the exact ratio of the homemade fertilizer.
Frequently Asked Questions
#Are coffee grounds good for avocado trees?
Coffee grounds are the natural sources of nitrogen for avocado plants. You know nitrogen is required for foliage development. So, you can apply it to your avocado to promote dark and green leaves. But too much nitrogen can stop fruiting.
So, if the plant leaves green and doesn’t appear any yellowing signs then you don’t need to feed coffee grounds.
#Is Epsom salt good for avocado trees?
Epsom salt feeds your plant magnesium and you will be happy to know, avocado plants need little amounts of magnesium to protect the plant from chlorosis.
#Are eggshells good for avocado trees?
Chemically, eggshells are made of calcium carbonate. That means eggshells can feed calcium to your avocado tree and calcium is an essential plant nutrient for cell wall development of plants.
Conclusion
Avocado is a healthy fruit that has good nutritional value. So, if you get the avocado plant bearing lots of healthy fruits, feed them the right fertilizer by following the directions.
I hope this article helped you to pick the best fertilizer for avocado trees. Now read the label of your fertilizer, and fertilize the plant to promote fruiting.
