Avocado leaves turning brown! (forum)

phantomofthenight starts with ...
Over the weekend I noticed my dwarf Hashimoto avocado's leaves are turning brown and are starting to drop...

I'm not sure if it is because of frost damage, fungus or too much fertiliser?

I have since dug it up and replaced the surrounding soil with a good quality compost and a inch of mulch as I was worried about salinity.

The plant is 2 years old and hasn't grown much despite being regularly fertilised with horse manure, chicken manure and citrus fertiliser.

The tree has morning sun and afternoon shade.

Is there anything I can do to help the recent transplanting and brown leaf problem?

1.5m away from the damaged Hashimoto is my dwarf Hass avocado tree (also pictured).

The tree has some insect damage but is in much better condition than the other tree.

Anything advice on insect prevention would be much appreciated too!
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2

Time: 1st August 2014 9:36am

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Original Post was last edited: 1st August 2014 9:35am
About the Author phantomofthenight
Auckland
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A,C says...
I would get the timber mulch well away from all your fruit trees and any vegetable crops.Timber mulch will cause nitrogen draw down (nitrogen
lockup)which will deprive your plants of nitrogen.The Pine timber in the mulch contains chemicals to fight off competitor plants.I would only use straw,hay,lucerne ,sugar cane mulch or lawn clippings mixed with dried leaves.

Time: 1st August 2014 6:51pm

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Original Post was last edited: 1st August 2014 6:52pm
About the Author AC1
Cowandilla,South Australia
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sternus1 says...
Nitrogen lockup can be easily overcome with soluble NPK, or liquid based feeds such as powerfeed. It's that simple.

Lucerne/ fine mulches are crap for fruit trees, because they form water repelling mats over time. Good for vegetable beds, bad for fruit trees. The benefits of hardwood chip mulches totally outweigh the cons.

Time: 1st August 2014 7:19pm

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About the Author sternus1
Australia
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Markmelb says...
Couple questions - whats the rootstock used on Hashimoto? what your drainage like ? Whats the soils ph? Raised beds work the best if clay is underneath so is there clay in your garden and how deep? What temps were you getting at night lately and how low and how long - Post your answers and lets see? Avos love gypsum too - sweetens the soil and acts like a fertiliser

Time: 1st August 2014 8:33pm

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Original Post was last edited: 1st August 2014 8:32pm

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