Hi, I have an avocado plant that I started from seed. It is nearly 3 feet tall and the leave are neart the top end. I didn't know until today that I was supposed to pinch them back at 6-8 inches tall in order to make the stem grow thicker. Can I, or should I cut the little skinny stem back now? Will it hurt it if I cut it back and there are no leaves left? Lonnie
Pinch it, but leave at least two leaves. This avocado will probably make a lovely tree for you eventually, but you should know that it may never throw fruit for you. If it came out of a Haas (black-skinned) avocado, it won't come true from seed. Most avocadoes down here are grown from cuttings off of mature productive trees, and even then it takes thirteen years for the tree to mature enough to throw fruit....
I can do that, but that won't be taking much off of it since the leaves that are on it are all at the top part of the plant. Do you think that will be enough to help it get thicker? Lonnie
It will at least stimulate branching at the pinch point. The nice thing with avocadoes is that if this one fails you can start another....
