How to Grow an Avocado From a Pit
Avocado trees grown outdoors produce wonderful fruit. But they don't do well in climates that drop under 40' - 45'F in the winter. You can grow your own avocado as a house plant, though. All you need is an avocado pit. It will not grow into a good fruit-producing tree, but it will have attractive dark green, glossy foliage. And it's fun to grow for young and old alike. Here's how it's done. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Avocado pit
- Glass of water
- 3 - 4 toothpicks
- 10" or larger pot
- Potting soil
Instructions
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To grow your own avocado plant from a pit, wash the big round pit from a store-bought avocado under running water. No soap is necessary.
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Then suspend the pit with the slightly wider bottom about an inch into a container of water. Support it with 3 -4 toothpicks pressed into the sides about 1/2 inch deep. Sit the ends of the toothpicks on the edge of a glass or other container of water so that 1" of the bottom of the pit stays wet. Make sure the water doesn't evaporate away. It should take about four to eight weeks before roots break out at the bottom and grow into the glass of water. In the meantime, the pit is likely to crack and a green shoot will grow out. Pinch it back to about 3 - 4" once it reaches 6 - 8" tall.
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Once the glass has is filled loosely with roots the avocado is ready to plant in large pot (at least 10" diameter) to grow on. Plant it in a good potting soil and water it well. Give it as much light as possible. If the leaves turn yellow, you are probably giving it too much water. You can keep it pinched back for a thicker and fuller shrub-like appearance.
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You are not likely to get fruit from your avocado tree since it takes six to thirteen years to reach maturity, needs to be properly pollinated and, will be stunted by growing in the confined conditions of a pot. If it does bloom and get pollinated it is likely to offer inferior fruit. But the potted avocado does make a lovely houseplant, does well outdoors in the warmer months, and is fun to grow!
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Comments
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Terria Fleming
Oct 23, 2008
Nice article. I love avocados, but like you said in your article, they wouldn't grow anywhere but indoors as a houseplant in my too-cold-for-them climate.
