Managing a Leggy 5-Foot Potted Avocado Tree

A 5-foot avocado with a skinny, leafless stem and few leaves is etiolated from insufficient light. Repotting won’t fix this—it needs full sun to strengthen. Pruning back to a bare stem is risky; it may not resprout. Avocados ultimately want to be in-ground trees. Give maximum light, stake the stem, and plan to plant outdoors when climate allows.