What should avocado hydration look like?
Photo – Flickr / Mauricio Mercadante
How to hydrate an avocado? It is a fruit tree that cannot feel thirsty for long, especially in summer with high temperatures. Therefore, in regions where there is drought or where there is little rainfall in the warmer months of the year, it is essential to water from time to time so that the roots can fulfill one of their most essential functions: to take up water and send it to the soil. rest. plants.
But as you well know, there are several ways to hydrate an avocado: using a hose, a drip irrigation system… What is the best method for avocados? All right this will depend largely on where it is grownbecause it will not be used to water a potted tree than another one planted in an orchard or garden.
How much water does an avocado need?
Photo – Flickr/Giveawayboy
The avocado tree whose scientific name is American Perseais a natural plant from the tropical region of America; that is, it occurs from Mexico to Central America. Rain is very ponderous in these places, so much so that it can fall every few days. So our hero It is a plant that requires a lot of water, at least 1,000 millimeters of annual rainfall spread throughout the year.
For this reason, in regions where rains are less recurrent, such as the Mediterranean, irrigation becomes a task that every gardener or hobbyist must perform in order for the plant to survive; Otherwise it will arid quickly.
Which irrigation system should I operate?
Like almost everything in life, it depends. And from what? Well, when it comes to avocados, whether they are planted in the ground or not. Forks that if it is in a garden or orchard, we can decide to install a drip irrigation systemwhich will allow us to operate water much better. However, if we intend to keep it in a pot, it may be more practical to operate a watering can, especially if the tree is still juvenile.
Can a hose be used? Well, if he was on earth for at least two years, yes.. For the first months, the soil just above it is very delicate and not very compact, so if we water it with a hose, there is a risk of leaving the most superficial roots exposed. But yes: if possible, it is better to regulate the water flow by connecting an irrigation gun that allows this.
No matter what you operate, remember this so that the avocado can operate the water better: :
- If it is in a pot, it is essential that the base of the trunk is about 2-3 centimeters below the edge of the pot.
- If it’s on the ground, it wouldn’t hurt to make a trellis around the trunk and about a foot from it.
This way, the fruit tree will have more time to absorb the valuable fluid and hydrate.
How many times do you need to water an avocado?
Image – Wikimedia Commons/Vitaium
Because it needs a lot of water and there is no such climate, we will need to check the soil moisture before watering. This is the case, for example, in the Mediterranean region, since there is usually no rain in summer, it will be necessary to water the tree several times a week, as in any other place where drought is a problem. On the contrary, if it rains regularly throughout the year, we will have to water little because the soil will remain humid longer.
In addition, you need to know that a potted plant will need to be watered more often than a plant in the groundespecially if it is plastic, because it is a material that absorbs a lot of heat, and this causes the roots to overheat. In the same way that humans sweat, or lose water, which increases the feeling of thirst, the root system does something similar: the higher the temperature, the greater the need for hydration.
If we add the miniature drying time of the soil, we can imagine how essential irrigation is in summer. This is why, in the middle of summer you need to water 3-5 times a week. But we’ll consider the risks for the rest of the year.
How much water does an avocado need?
Water that all living things need tidy rainwater (that is, it should not be accompanied by mud and toxic substances). It is the purest, the one that our body values the most. For this reason, if we want to know which is the best water for avocado irrigation, we must know that it is undoubtedly rainwater. But, What to do if it doesn’t rain much in our area?
When such a situation arises, we will have to look for alternatives. Fortunately, avocados are not too picky. It can be easily watered with water with a pH of 4 to 7. This means that it will cope well with acidic, slightly acidic and even alkaline. But be careful: you shouldn’t operate one that has a high concentration of lime, because otherwise the lime would clog the pores of the roots and leaves, preventing them from breathing.
Related article:
What is the pH of the water?
Watering an avocado isn’t complicated, but we hope these tips will lend a hand you make your fruit tree healthier.