Tropical Standard

Heavy feeder

Built for wide, shallow feeder roots that will not tolerate wet feet.

Why Avocado needs its own blend

Avocado roots run wide and shallow, well past the drip line, and they rot fast if the ground stays soggy. On the wet side that makes drainage the whole game. This blend runs heavy on black cinder to keep the soil open, backs it with compost and biochar for steady organic matter and moisture buffering, and holds a mild pH around 6.0 to 6.5 where avocado takes up nutrients best.

What the blend does for the plant

  • Drains hard

    Black cinder and biochar keep the root zone open so water moves through instead of sitting.

  • Feeds slow

    Compost and the HVO base blend release organic matter gradually across the season.

  • Buffers moisture

    Biochar holds water in the dry spells, then lets go, so roots stay even.

  • Builds biology

    Mycorrhizae and compost microbes colonize the root zone to widen nutrient reach.

What's in the blend

Volcanic topsoil Body and cation exchange We stock
Cured compost Organic matter and biology We stock
Black cinder Drainage and aeration We stock
Biochar Water and nutrient holding We stock
HVO base blend Broad organic soil feed We stock
Dolomite lime Holds pH near 6.5, calcium and magnesium Hilo sourced
Kelp meal Potassium, trace minerals, rooting Hilo sourced
Rock dust / silicon Broad micronutrients Hilo sourced
Mycorrhizae Root symbiont, widens nutrient reach We stock

Planting tips: drainage-sensitive tropical trees

  1. Plant high: On the wet side, set the tree on a mound or the highest spot you have. These trees will not tolerate standing water at the roots.
  2. Dig wide, not deep: Loosen a broad area, two to three times the root ball across. The feeder roots run shallow and wide, so give them room sideways.
  3. Keep the crown proud: Set the root crown slightly above grade and never bury the graft union or trunk base. Backfill, water in, and let it settle.
  4. Mulch to the drip line, off the trunk: Ring mulch out to the canopy edge to feed the wide root zone, kept a hand's width off the trunk to avoid collar rot.
  5. Water deep, then let it dry: Once established, soak deeply and let the top few inches dry before the next watering. Even moisture beats constant wet.

Get this blend

  • Request the full blend

    We mix it to order from our topsoil, cinder, compost, and the amendments above, tuned to your site and plant age.

    Request the Avacado Blend 

  • Already have your soil? Get the pack

    The Tropical Tree Nutrient Pack is the amendments and biology only, in a foil pouch. Add it to your own base. Serves Avocado, Citrus, Cacao, Rambutan, Papaya.

    Shop the nutrient pack 

Growing something not on the list?

We blend to order from what we stock and what we bring in bulk from Hilo. Tell us the plant and the site, and we will spec a mix.

Request a Custom Mix