Drip irrigation

~45 days, size of a thumb.

Our two fruit are growing nicely, and the tree looks quite happy overall. I added some more white-wash (half interior latex paint, half water) to some of the branches that were looking a little sun burned. 

Our drip irrigation system has been running for about 2 weeks. I run it manually every other day for 30-40 minutes, on the same schedule as our raised garden bed because the drip lines are connected. Today, however, I installed 3-outlet hose timer from Orbit and ran a second 1/2" supply line to the avocado tree so that it can be on a schedule separate from the garden. During summer months, we will water the tree every day for 60 minutes, and every other day 25 minutes for the garden. That schedule will be cut back in the fall and winter to give the tree less water in the cooler months without affecting the water needs of the garden.

The system has three 1 GPH drip emitters arrayed in a circle around the tree, with two more spurring out from that circle. Of the lines that connect each emitter in the circle, half are 1/4" "soaker hose" lines that drip water along their entire length. The others are regular 1/4" irrigation lines. I added the soaker lines today because I was concerned that the tree wasn't getting quite enough water.