The next time you eat an avocado or use one in a recipe, set the seed aside. Planting an avocado is simple and fun: it is a perfect plant for all ages - for the garden, for the home or as a school project.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Sprouting it in Water
Prepare the Seed
Step 1. Remove the core
Cut the avocado carefully, trying not to cut into the seed inside. To do this you have to insert the blade of the knife for about 1, 5 cm and then make a rotating movement around the fruit. At this point, turn the two halves opposite each other and remove the core.
Don't waste the fruit and use the pulp to make great sauces like guacamole
Step 2. Gently clean the avocado seed, removing any residue from the fruit
Use warm water and your hands and avoid soap. Be careful not to remove the light brown seed cover, otherwise you could spoil the seed and reduce the chances of it sprouting.
Step 3. Insert toothpicks into the seed
Grab the pit with the tip up and insert 4 toothpicks (roughly halfway along the length of the seed) evenly spaced. It goes in depth for a maximum of 5 mm. This way you will be able to keep the seed suspended over the edge of a container.
The pit should fit in about 2-3 cm of water, so keep that in mind when inserting the toothpicks
Step 4. Fill a jar or glass with water
Use a small, slim container (preferably glass) and put enough water to reach the edge. The jar opening should be large enough to accommodate the seed without it getting stuck. However, be careful that it's not too big or the toothpicks won't be able to rest on the edge.
Step 5. Put the seed in the container
The toothpicks must rest on the edge so that the seed remains half immersed in the water. Make sure the pointed end of the seed is facing up and the more rounded end down; otherwise the avocado will not grow.
Step 6. Wait for the seed to sprout
Place the container with the pit in a quiet and warm place, near a window, or where it can receive a lot of light. Doing so will allow the roots and the sprout to be born.
Step 7. Change the water every 1-2 days
This way you are sure that contaminants (such as mold, bacteria, fermentation products) do not interfere with germination. Make sure the seed base is always wet and submerged in water.
Step 8. Wait patiently for the roots and sprout to emerge
It will take about 2-3 weeks; the outer skin of the core will begin to become dry and wrinkled and may even peel off. Immediately afterwards the seed will open at both the upper and lower ends. After 3-4 weeks you will see roots appear in the submerged part.
Step 9. Continue changing the water as you always have
Try not to damage or disturb the roots. Wait for the seed to develop a good root system. Soon from the upper tip a sprout will be born, wrapped around itself, which will open and begin to grow and form leaves.
Plant the Tree
Step 1. Choose your seat
Avocado plants are a bit of a quirk when it comes to ideal climate and growing conditions. Most of the time they should be buried in a pot, changing its size as the plant grows. Consider burying your plant directly outdoors only if the temperature never drops below 10 ° C all year round.
Step 2. Prepare the soil
Avocados adapt to almost any soil pH level, but it is important that salinity is reduced and drainage is optimal. During the first year of the plant's life, a massive use of fertilizers is not necessary.
After the first year, you should use a 10-10-10 fertilizer product every 6 months to help the tree grow stronger. Alternatively, use regular potting soil and add gravel or stones to the bottom of the pot to ensure good water drainage
Step 3. Prepare the vase
Use a terracotta one about 20-25cm in size on each side and fill it with enriched soil up to 2cm from the edge. You can use an equal parts mixture of soil and coir. Smooth and compact the soil and add more as needed. At this point you can drill a small hole deep enough to accommodate the seed with the roots.
Step 4. Prepare the seed
When the roots are dense enough and the sprout has any chance of growing more leaves, your seedling is ready to be planted. Remove the seed from the container with the water and gently pull out the toothpicks.
Step 5. Plant the avocado seed
Bury it halfway carefully (the bottom with the roots), so you can be sure the base of the trunk won't rot under the ground. Lightly compact the soil around the seed.
Step 6. Keep the plant well hydrated
Wet it every day or just enough to keep the soil moist. But be careful not to let it get muddy. If the leaves turn dark at the tips, the plant needs more water, if they turn yellow it means you are overdoing it and need to let the soil dry for a day or two.
Step 7. Keep the avocado tree healthy
Keep caring for your plant regularly and in a few years you will have a beautiful tree that needs little maintenance. Your family and friends will be pleasantly surprised to know that from an avocado seed saved during the preparation of guacamole, you were able to cultivate and grow a tree of your own.
Part 2 of 2: Planting the Tree in the Ground
Some growers find that sprouting the seed in water leads to the production of a tree with long branches but does not bear fruit. For these people it is best to put the seed directly into the soil without wetting it first.
Step 1. Get good quality fruit
Separate the seed from the pulp; the ideal is to cut it in two lengthwise.
Step 2. Turn the seed to remove it
Pry with a knife, then turn it; it will come out easily.
Step 3. Find the "pointed" end
It is the top of the seed.
Step 4. Choose a spot to plant it
Read the tips in the previous part to determine which points are most suitable. Clean the area and prepare it for burying the seed.
If possible, plant two trees (since it is a plant that enjoys company)
Step 5. Place the bottom of the seed in the soil
Use your hands to create a mound of earth around the seed. Avoid compacting the ground with your foot; you risk damaging the seed.
Step 6. Follow the instructions from the previous part regarding growth
Fertilize the soil once you see the plant growing out of the ground. Avoid doing this sooner or the roots won't form properly. In 3-4 years, expect to find fruit.
Step 7. Collect the fruits when they are large and pulpy
Avocados do not ripen on the plant. Remove them from the tree and place them in a paper bag for them to ripen. Once softened, they are ready to consume.
Advice
- Although an ancient school of thought holds that a productive avocado tree cannot grow successfully from seed (except in one case in a thousand), or that, even if the plant manages to be born, it will take 7 years to have the first fruits, or even that the fruit will not be edible, there are some cases that demonstrate the opposite (a particularly effective variety for sowing is the one coming from Sabinas-Hidalgo, Tamaulipas in Mexico). The skin of this variety is smooth and very thin and can be eaten together with the pulp because it also has a high nutritional value.
- It is uncertain whether two trees are needed for cross pollination. In some varieties, the tree produces male and female flowers and self-pollinates. You can also try grafting your tree from another that bears fruit (however this is a separate procedure).
- During winter or in cold climates, it is better to transfer the avocado seedling to an intermediate pot filled with soil rather than placing it directly in open field. Keep the plant near a sunny window and keep the soil moist without overdoing it with water.
Warnings
- An avocado tree grown from a seed grows very tall, unlike a transplanted tree. The branches of this tree are fragile and can't hold weight, so don't hang anything on them, or you'll end up breaking them.
- Excessive pruning (too vigorously or too often) can limit or stop leaf growth. After the first pruning, cut only the last leaves of the stem and branches. Pruning will allow for lush growth, with thicker stems and branches and stronger leaves.
- Thin or tapered branches and trunks are a sign of weakness in the foundations of the plant. Insufficient pruning can create long, weak branches and trunks. Pruning allows the trunk to thicken and grow firmer.
- Cold weather (below 10 ° C) can shock your avocado. Keep the plant protected from cold air flows and drafts from doors or windows. If your tree is in the pot, keep it sheltered until the temperature has risen. For young seedlings in pots and in open fields, completely cover the leaves with a blanket or heavy plastic during cold weather, at least until the heat returns. Well established avocado trees can often withstand mild frosts and temperatures close to 0 ° C. However, it is always best to cover them if you have any doubts.
- Poor lighting and / or incorrect watering can result in weak branches and trunks, which can cause the plant to collapse under its own weight.
- It can be difficult for an avocado tree born from seed to become fruitful. Although supermarket avocados are not genetically modified, specific conditions are required for fruiting. Don't expect any fruit from these.
- If you allow the seed base to dry out completely, the plant will most likely not germinate properly, or even germinate at all.
- Until the potted tree is well established, do not transplant it directly into the ground. A strong root system and very loose soil are the key elements for an optimal external transplant.
- If you don't change or add enough water, you may be allowing contaminants to form in the water and on the roots. Mold, root rot, fungus and fermented water can quickly poison the whole plant. Always keep the water fresh and at the right level.
