The Hass avocado is one of the most prized varieties for its post-harvest stability and excellent flavor. Accurately understanding the stages of avocado growth allows for better management decisions (irrigation, nutrition, pruning, and health), optimizing costs, and ensuring high-quality fruit.
At At Fruty GreenWe accompany each phase with technical criteria and good agricultural practices.
General map of the stages
At a high level, the stages of avocado growth can be organized as follows:
- Nursery propagation (seed/rootstock, grafting and hardening).
- Transplantation and establishment in the field.
- Vegetative development and crown formation (juvenile phase).
- Floral induction and flowering.
- Fruit setting and development.
- Physiological maturity and harvest.
- Postharvest and quality assurance.
Timing varies depending on climate, altitude, management, and rootstock vigor. Generally, a Hass orchard begins commercial production between year 3 and 4; from flowering to fruit harvest, it can take 6–18 months, depending on the region.
1) Nursery Propagation: The Basis of Uniformity
Aim: obtain healthy, uniform and highly vigorous plants.
- Rootstock and graft: Commercially, Hass is propagated by grafting onto selected rootstocks (for soil tolerance, vigor, and health). Direct sowing from seed does not guarantee genetic uniformity.
- Substrate and drainage: Aerated, clean, and well-drained mixes reduce the risk of root pathogens.
- Health management: Disinfection of tools, preventive control of neck fungus, and ongoing monitoring.
- Hardening: Before being transferred to the field, the plants undergo a hardening stage to better tolerate radiation, wind, and humidity variations.
Indicators for transplant: 30–40 cm plant, well-developed root system and solid graft union.
2) Transplantation and Establishment in the Field
Aim: ensure a good “start” and minimal mortality.
- Hole preparation and soil amendments: Check drainage, texture, and pH; incorporate organic matter based on analysis.
- Initial watering: The first watering should settle the soil around the root without flooding it.
- Tutoring and protection: Stakes, protectors and windbreaks reduce mechanical stress and dehydration.
- Coverings/mulch: They maintain humidity, moderate soil temperature and reduce weeds.
At this early stage, the foundations for future productivity are laid; mistakes here are "paid for" later.
3) Vegetative Development and Crown Formation (Juvenile Phase)
Aim: build an efficient and manageable tree structure.
- Training pruning: Defines 3–4 structural branches, controls height (e.g., 4–5 m at maturity) and opens “light windows” to ventilate the canopy.
- Balanced nutrition: Plan NPK-Ca-Mg and micronutrients based on soil and tissue analysis; excess N delays flowering and promotes pests.
- Drip or micro-sprinkler irrigation: Ensures stable wet bulb and prevents prolonged saturation.
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Monitoring, action thresholds, and selective controls to preserve beneficial fauna.
This phase does not always produce commercial fruit, but it is decisive for future productive stability.
4) Floral Induction and Flowering
Aim: achieve abundant, synchronized and fertile flowering.
- Floral induction: It depends on climatic factors (temperature, radiation) and nutritional status. Well-balanced trees bloom more consistently.
- Hass type A and pollinators type B: Hass is a type A flower opening; alternating rows or type B trees (depending on local availability) improves cross-pollination.
- Pollinators: Bees and other insects are key; avoid applications that affect their activity during flowering.
- Water and boron/calcium: Stable humidity and adequate micronutrient levels promote pollen viability and fruit set.
5) Fruit Setting and Development
Aim: maximize the percentage of set fruit and its healthy growth.
- Stable irrigation: Sudden fluctuations in humidity cause fruit drop and physiological disorders.
- Fruit-oriented nutrition: Maintain calcium availability (firmness) and correct Zn, B and K deficiencies based on foliar analysis.
- Health: Watch out for thrips, mites, and foliage diseases; excessive shading and poor ventilation increase risks.
Fruit growth is gradual; the tree can carry more than it can hold, so some will naturally fall off.
6) Physiological maturity and harvest
Aim: harvest fruit at its optimum point for post-harvest quality.
- Harvest indicators: Size/caliber, stem appearance, and, above all, dry matter and oil content depend on the destination market. As a technical guide, many standards require minimum dry matter levels; verify the specific requirements of the exporting country.
- Careful manual harvest: Sharp scissors, short stems, gentle handling and clean bins reduce mechanical damage.
A premature harvest compromises flavor; a late harvest increases the risk of over-ripening and spoilage.
7) Post-harvest and Quality Assurance
Aim: preserve the condition of the fruit from the field to the customer.
- Pre-cooling and cold chain: Cool the fruit gradually and maintain controlled temperatures and relative humidity to prevent respiration and water loss.
- Classification and packaging: Selection by caliber and external/internal condition; use of impact-absorbing packaging.
- Traceability and certifications: Good agricultural practices and correct documentation support the confidence of the international market.
Do you prefer to learn visually? We invite you to watch this short video: “How long does it take for an avocado tree to produce a harvest?”
Indicative Schedule (May Vary by Zone)
- Nursery (propagation + grafting): 4–8 months.
- Transplantation and establishment: 3–6 critical months.
- Youth phase (training): until year 3.
- Start of production: year 3–4.
- From flowering to harvest: 6–18 months, depending on climate and management.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Using non-certified plants: greater variability and health risk.
- Excess nitrogen in juvenile: lots of foliage, little flowering.
- Irregular watering: fruit drop and radical problems.
- Late or non-existent pruning: tall, shaded and difficult to manage crowns.
- Harvest without measuring maturity: poor taste or reduced shelf life.
Mastering the Stages, Ensuring Quality
Mastering the stages of avocado growth (from propagation to post-harvest) is the most direct route to stable orchards, controlled costs, and premium fruit. At Fruty Green, we share reliable and practical information on site diagnosis, nutrition, IPM, pruning, and quality so that growers and enthusiasts understand how to achieve Hass avocado crops of the highest standards.
