Master Gardener: Tips for how to plant an avocado tree

Q: Do you have any tips on how and when to plant an avocado tree?  Each year I get a free one from the city and every year it dies.
A: When you bring your tree home, make sure you don’t let it dry out. Select a site that has good drainage, not windy, and is not prone to frost in the winter. Do not lift or carry the tree by its trunk because the root ball can be easily broken or damaged.
Dig a hole about twice as wide and the same depth as the container. The top of the tree’s roo