Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Post Number 2 - How to Grow an Avocado Plant



















If you have been successful and got your pit to root and sprout - "Yeah for you!" (If you don't know what the Diva is talking about, see the blog post #1 for info).

Your avocado pit (after about 2 - 6 weeks) should look like these photos - with some white roots coming out of the bottom and a strong green sprout coming out of the top.

If it didn't work - throw it out and try again. Some people say you need to peel off the bottom brown skin OR change the water more.

Another common hint is to keep it in a bright, sunny room - but not in direct sunlight.

Once you get it to this stage - (or perhaps another week or two - with lots of roots) its time to plant it into a pot. Gather the following:

  1. 6" pot with drainage hole(s) on bottom
  2. a piece of broken pottery or a sea shell
  3. 1/2 cup of stones or pebbles or marbles
  4. 3 or 4 cups of potting soil
  5. 1 or 2 cups of sand or perlite (or other recycled material that makes soil drain well - e.g. cut up egg cartons, cut up "peanuts" from a shipping package, etc.).
  6. a plate or shallow pan to go under the 6" pot
Basically - remember that avocado plants are "exotic" and from tropical or subtropical places originally. They like moist air and moist soil - but they do NOT like to sit in water. So you need to MAKE a soil that drains well.

Take the pot and put a "chard" of broken pot OR a sea shell over the drainage hole - so that water can get out (e.g. - the pot hole is not plugged by a rock or marble). Next, put in the stones (pebbles, marbles) so the bottom is covered and water can drain easily out of the pot.

In another bowl or bucket - mix the soil and sand (or perlite, recycled materials, etc.) so that you have a very light soil.

Put the soil mixture in the pot on top of the rocks - fill about half way.

"Snuggle" your pit and roots into the soil (gently!) and fill it up the rest of the way (so the roots are covered) and the pit's "head" sticks out about 1/2 inch - as well as all of the green shoot. (The top of the pit should stick out of the soil).

Over the sink (or outdoors) - water the soil & your baby plant well and let it drain. Put the plate or dish under the pot so water can continue to drain. Water your plant a lot at first - but make sure it drains well. Keep in a bright, warm place - but not in direct sunlight. Always water from the top - don't let water sit in the plate.

When your plant reaches about 12" - you can gently pinch it back - and it will grow a couple of "side branches" which will be stronger. If you want it "bushy" - keep pinching the top back. If you want a taller plant or tree -- pinch off side branches (only keep 3 to 5 on it).

Once your plant fills up it's pot with healthy roots - you should repot into larger and larger pots. It's best if you can do this in the spring (when its hormones are strong and it will have a fighting chance to keep growing). In summer, use a liquid fertilizer every 2 or 3 weeks. Cut back in the winter to every 6 weeks. Always keep its soil moist but never let it "sit" in water (avocados hate that!). Keep it's leaves moist with a spray bottle (to simulate a tropical climate). They do like bathrooms and shower areas for this reason!

I'll put up another post soon about growing it into a tree, what kind of trees, pollination, etc. There's is a LOT to know about all that stuff... so keep coming back or sign up for the blog so you don't miss any!

The Avocado Diva (www.avocadodiva.com)


29 comments:

  1. Cool! Can't wait to try. What did you name your plant? Do you talk to it? ;-)

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  2. Roger. He shall be called Roger. (The Diva always liked that name for some reason...).

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  3. mine always end up tall and spindly. when I pinch back it dies. I never knew what or how much to pinch back. do you have a pic to share of this?

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  4. We are doing a video on this this week. Hopefully that will help us all as we attempt to grow our own "Rogers". ;-)

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  5. Video (slide show really) is ALMOST done!

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  6. Here is the link for the YouTube video if you would like to watch. THANKS!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zrIuyliJQ0

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  7. Back in the squirrelly sixties, MAD magazine had a running gag of a planted avocado in a pot with "ARTHUR" written on it. It appeared through out the magazine over several issues.

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  8. Why do some of the avocado plants leaves turn blrown and die when tha plant appears to be healthy before this happens?

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  9. There are a million reasons. Avocado trees are pretty picky! Usually it's because you are watering it too much. I've found with some of my plants -- they like to live in my bathroom where it gets steamy from the shower - they are originally jungle plants and like the misty room and a good rain storm every once in a while. Good luck!!

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  10. I brought some back from Fla..( the biggest avacados I have ever seen!!) and have had great luck in getting it to grow but it seems to have slowed down... Is there anything that I need to be giving it to help it grow?

    Becky
    changd4lyf@yahoo.com

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  11. Dear Anon - I apologize; however, I am the *California* Avocado Diva. I don't know anything about Florida avocados, except that they are suppose to be quite LARGE. Good luck with it!!

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  12. This is great! I have three avocado plants right now they are all planted, cut back, and growing. Looking forward to reading about the pollination steps :)

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  13. Awesome site. I love avos a little too much. The ones in Hawaii are simply amazing and creamy. I think they must be of the Florida variety as they are humongous! Takes a week to eat one. Of course they have the perfect climate. Jealous!

    Gonna try and grow a Cali here in the desert following your advice (I live in Vegas). Will let you know it does. I shall name it "Audrey II".

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  14. My best friend loves avacados! How soon do I start trying this if her birthday is in January? Also, would you know if they would grow in a Spokane WA climate? Hot summers and snowy cold winters. Thank you!

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  15. I love avocados I feel bad that I being home to die I will start one from seed. I try your suggestions :)

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  16. Should avocado plants have a friend, meaning I have successfully made one should i make another so that when they are big they fertilize or do they self fertilize?

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  17. Crystal - they do need another plant to properly pollinate. They can self pollinate as well, as avocado trees are one gender in the AM and the opposite gender in the PM - given the correct temperatures, etc. It's kind of complicated. So two plants are better than one. Good luck!

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  18. Shame on you Diva. You didn't mention, or maybe don't know, that you cannot grow "Hass" type avocados like this. They just won't root.

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    1. Hi Kip -- I actually do address that in another blog post AND in my YouTube video. However, it's not just Hass. It can be any of the highly hybred species. And depending on the pollinator tree, a Hass *can* root -- but it will most likely not grow fruit. Good info to know!

      The easiest to grow are Mexicola, TopaTopa, Walter Hole or Stewarts. All of these are used a root stock; however, you may not be happy with the fruit (if it produces fruit) - as they are tiny avocados with large pits. (I personally like them!) but it will not look like a Hass.

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  19. Here's a link to a YouTube video that shows you how to do it:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zrIuyliJQ0

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  20. will a plant grow in canada where it is winter 6 months of the year ?

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  21. Hello Canadians -- no, avocados will NOT grow where it snows. They are really tropical plants (think banana trees). Even in So Cal we lose trees to frost (27 - 32 degrees) each year.

    They are pretty picky trees!! You CAN grow the plant and keep it inside -- but it will not grow to a fruiting tree.

    So sorry!

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  22. I live in Utah, where things are pretty dry. I have a great cool mist humidifier, and I am wondering if you have any information on whether a humidifier would help? I know many plants do well (ferns) with them, but I don't have any idea what the humidity level should be for an avocado.

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  23. Avocados do like mist. The challenge in Utah would be the cold winters. If you keep it as a house plant -- it will be fine. Good luck!

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  24. Dear Avocado Dive,
    I have a avocado plant growing in my home that I planted from the pit. I noticed just today that there are tiny, whiteish bugs crawling in the soil. What are these things? and how do I get rid of them without killing my thriving, sweet, little plant?

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  25. Could you be more specific about "pinch it back"? I watched the video but it doesn't cover that part. I've managed to grow it to about 12 inches and I don't want to snap the stem. Any clarification and/or pictures would be gratefully appreciated! Thank you!

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    1. Oh dear, sorry for the long delay in answering! I didn't see this. Um, you pinch back the very top of the plant. OR you can use scissors and cut it back to a smaller height. Cut right above a leaf.

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  26. Awesome! ¿Can i do the same with anthurium plants? It looks like an hyrdoponic plantation.

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  27. Dear Flora Queen -- I have no idea! I'm not the anthurium diva... ;-)

    Why not give it a try?! Should be fun.

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