Tuesday, July 19, 2011

To Grow An Avocado Plant

Did you always want to grow an avocado from the pit? Wish you had your own avocado tree? Me too!

So the only challenge is -- its pretty easy to grow an avocado "plant" - but very hard to get it into a tree, let alone a tree that actually produces avocados. Some people do - but it is the exception rather than the rule.

So today - let's just get started - and in the next blog we'll explore getting it to a tree.

This is pretty simple and fun - a great project to do with your children or grandkids!

After you eat your avocado (yum!) - take the pit and carefully stick 3 or 4 toothpicks into the giant seed. Then set it over a glass of water (see photo). Make sure the pointy side is up and the rounder side is submerged in water. That's it! Keep the glass filled with water - and with some luck you'll see roots start to grow (big, ugly, white roots). Eventually, the pit will split - and a green shoot will start growing out of the top.

If you are lucky enough to get an avocado that is really, really ripe - many times the pit is already sprouting and split. I've had the best luck with those rooting out.

Come back for the next blog (or two) and the Diva will tell you how to pot it - and then try and get it into a tree form.

Have you already done this?! Did you have any luck?! If you did - send us photos to diva@avocadodiva.com.

4 comments:

  1. Can you use any type of avocado variety? Does one work better than another?

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  2. Dear Anonymous - yes - you can use any pit. Actually a heritage of early distinction (a Mexicola for example) will probably sprout and root easier than a later hybrid pit.

    Whatever pit you use - that is what kind of plant (or tree) you will get. But most modern trees are grafted to a Mexican root. Its a long story... ;-)

    THE DIVA

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  3. I am totally trying this... :)

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  4. Here's a fun YouTube video to watch that explains it more:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zrIuyliJQ0

    ReplyDelete