How to Grow an Avocado Seed

In this article I will describe how to start an avocado plant from seed.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Avocado seed from a regular avocado from the grocery store
• 3 or 4 toothpics
• a cup or similar container to grow the seed in
• water

1. 

   Begin by taking avocado seed out of the fruit. Clean it off a bit to make it easier to handle. They are quite slippery if not cleaned off.

2. Now insert the four toothpicks into the pit opposite each other. Make sure the picks are about 2/3 of the way up the pit, with the pit facing tip side up.

3. 

   Place the seed suspended on the toothpicks on top of the glass, and fill with water so the bottom of the seed is submerged in the water. The seed should sprout in two to six weeks, and should be put into dirt a few weeks after sprouting, or else it will begin to rot.

4. Plant in moist, well draining soil so that the tip of the seed just pokes above the surface, with temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees.

5. The plant should be fertilized with a diluted fertilizer every two to three weeks, and thrives in full sun.

6. 

   Once the plant reaches 10 to 12 inches, pinch it back to about 6 inches to produce a fuller plant. Once the plant becomes to big for its pot, it should be transplanted to a larger pot, but transplanting should be done in the spring.

7. Make sure to gradually put it outside so it has time to get used to the change in climate.

[jillmaria]

on 9/1/2009 Excellent! We use alot of avocados in our cooking - will be nice to eventually have our own!!

[FrazzledNanny]

on 5/19/2009 Thank you for the instructions on growing an Avocado seed. I've been wanting to add Avocados to more of our recipes. 5*

[carmensjones]

on 4/11/2009 How to grow an avocado seed is very informative. 5

[PABechko]

on 10/20/2008 Loved it. Grew a tree when I lived in FL and it survived until the saltwater lagoon flooded during a storm and the overwhelming salt in the water killed it despite my best efforts! Fun to grow.

[jackfrost87]

on 9/5/2008 Eventually if the climate is right, yes it could bear fruit, but it will take a while.