Once you know how easy it is to go
about planting avocado seed, you'll start growing your own
indoor avocado plant that will bring you years of enjoyment, and
some nice fruit, too! Just follow these simple steps, and soon,
you'll see your avocado seed begin to sprout and turn into a
beautiful plant.
Preparing the Seed
First, cut open the avocado and
remove the seed, being careful not to damage or cut the seed
(it's usually called a pit, because it's pretty big). Rinse the
pit under cold water to remove any fruit or residue that might
be left on it, and then dry with a soft cloth or paper towel.
You're just about ready to start planting avocado seed, now!
About midway through the
roundest part of the pit (from top to bottom, with the pointy
end on top), push three toothpicks around the middle of the
avocado pit. Push them in enough so they are secure, and will
hold the pit in place.
Fill a glass or jar with water,
and suspend the pit on the edge of the jar, leaving about half
the pit submerged in the water. The large end of the pit should
be the end in the water.
What to do Next
Next in planting avocado seed
is letting the pit do its thing! Place the jar in a sunny
location where it won't spill or get knocked over, and just make
sure to keep the water level filled up so the pit is always in
water.
In about three weeks, you
should see roots forming in the water, and the top of the pit
beginning to split, where a green sprout will emerge. After the
sprout gets about six-inches tall or so, and there are more than
one set of leaves, pinch off the very top set of leaves. This
will help the avocado branch out and become more like a tree.
After another few weeks, you should have more roots and more
leaves on the new tree.
Planting Time
You can plant your avocado
outside if you live in a warm area where it won't freeze in the
winter. However, if you live in a colder area, your avocado
won't survive the winter, so you need to transplant it into a
pot as a houseplant. When you plant it in a pot, use a good
quality potting soil, and don't bury the top of the pit, leave
about half of it sticking out of the ground, just make sure the
roots are totally covered up. Water frequently, but don't keep
the soil too moist, because your pit can rot if the soil is too
wet.
Place the pot in a sunny
location, it really needs sun to grow. Keep the soil moist but
not too wet. Look for yellow leaves, if your avocado leaves turn
yellow, it's getting too much water, if they wilt or turn brown,
it's not getting enough. Every time the plant grows another half
a foot or so, pinch out the very top leaves to keep it branching
out and healthy.
In the wild, your tree could
grow 20 to 40 feet tall, but in the house, if you prune it, you
can keep it much smaller and more manageable. Sometimes, even
planting avocado seed can result in trees that bear fruit
indoors, but planting two or more trees increases your chances,
since they can pollinate each other.
