1 year Old Avocado Tree

Question

I have a 1 year old avocado tree I sprouted the end of last fall. I have kept it out all summer and brought it in this fall to keep the frost off. I live in Tn. and it gets pretty cold here in winter. I want to know if I can still prune it while indoors, and if so, how much? It is only about 2 and a half feet tall with no branches. Can I cut it down some so it will bush out, and put it back out next spring? I don’t want to kill it.

Answer 1

If you just want it to branch out, simply snip off the top of the plant, maybe just a leaf or two down on the main branch (but make sure you cut through the branch). This will force lateral growth to begin, which will make side branches and result in a bushier plant without too much damage to the plant.