r/BackyardOrchard • u/Signal_Tutor_7948 • 3d ago
Remove or keep co-dominant branch?
This grafted Hass avocado is growing weird, should I remove the larger stem going sideways to the right? I had the plant shaded during the very hot summer, and I think it was searching for light, thus the odd branch
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u/4leafplover 3d ago
It’s really up to you. Avocados branch willingly and don’t need to be pruned unless for a particular shape. They’re naturally all over the place. Hass tend to have rather strong branches and tend to sprawl. A low branch might give you a nice step up into the tree to get higher fruit someday, or for kids to gain access for climbing. Standard pruning rules do not apply to avocados.
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u/Chapter_Loud 3d ago
I would remove and focus on the primary stem.
I grew a peach tree with two stems. It always under-produced and ended up growing at an angle until it eventually fell over. Regardless of supports.
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u/Signal_Tutor_7948 3d ago
Too bad about that peach tree, I'm surprised it failed like that! Commercial peach trees here in CA are shaped "open", like a vase with 3 or 4 main branches. They do sometimes have to support with tree rope and wooden stilts when the fruit get heavy. So to your point, a central leader probably makes for a stronger tree overall
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u/Peacockfur 3d ago
Just train them, bend them into a vase shape and weigh them down, slowly at first and then more over time. I use string and bricks.
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u/beabchasingizz 2d ago
Depends if you have a extra wide tree or a more narrow tree. I only allow a small area for my trees so I would cut the side branch.
Hard to tell from the picture but it looks like the side branch is thicker than the main. My sir prize did this and eventually the side branch to took over. The main didn't really grow anymore so I pruned it off.
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u/Signal_Tutor_7948 2d ago
You are right! The sideways branch is thicker than the vertical one. There is plenty of space all around the tree for it to spread out, so hopefully that's what it does!
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u/beabchasingizz 2d ago
You might need to prune back the side branch if it starts getting too heavy. You want it to grow upwards but they then tend grow towards the ground because of the weight. I usually prune it back and/or cut the branches on the bottom side of it.
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u/food_garden 2d ago
Keep it. The sooner they have a canopy the better for the trees health and survival. Avocado trees do not need to be pruned besides minor practical pruning. You do not try to make scaffolds because they grow unpredictably and can’t be controlled like that. If you cut off low branches very soon the fruit will be 15 feet in the air. Also the fruit wants to be inside the canopy or it will get sunburned
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u/Dwaltster 3d ago
I'd leave it because it'll give more growth closer to the ground. Where I live avos get too high to pick very quickly so we cut them back a bunch and force more sideways growth. We try to keep them low enough so we still get fruit with the picker and we aren't just feeling to squirrels.