How to Plant Avocados

Plant your own avocados.

Avocado seeds can be planted to make lovely house plants. If you live in a warm climate, they can also be planted outdoors to provide you with avocados every year. After enjoying the firm, green fruit, save the seed to grow your own avocado plant.

Things You'll Need

• Avocado seed
• Wide mouth jar
• Charcoal pieces
• Potting soil

Instructions

1. Hold the seed with its pointed end up. Carefully push four toothpicks horizontally into the sides of the seed, about 1/2-inch from the top.

2. Place several pieces of charcoal in the bottom of a wide-mouth jar. Rest the toothpicks on the rim of the jar, letting the avocado seed hang into the jar.

3. Add water to the jar until it comes about halfway up the seed.

4. Allow it to sit for several weeks, until a sprout with leaves grows.

5. Plant the seedling in a pot filled with potting soil, and keep it in a sunny area that is between 60 and 70 degrees. Be sure to keep watered so that the soil is damp, but not soaking wet.

6. Mist the leaves with a spray bottle of water occasionally if the indoor environment is dry.

7. Move the plant to the garden in the spring, if desired. Place the plant outside for a few hours per day, increasing the time gradually. This will allow the plant to get used to the outside weather conditions. Plant it in the sun if you want it to produce avocados.

Tips & Warnings

• Give your tree about 20 feet of room when planting outside for best results. For maximum growth, fertilize your avocado tree every three months.

References

• The Garden Helper: Avocados

Resources

• Avocado: Botany, Production, and Uses