How to Start Avocado Plants

An avocado pit has a pointed end and a flat end.

First cultivated in South America, avocados debuted in the United States in the 1800s. The nutrient-rich avocado is mostly grown in California and Florida, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The seeds of the avocado are large pits that grow in the center of the fruit. With a viable pit, an avocado plant can be started in your home. The pit does not require soil or direct sunlight to germinate. Choose a fruit that yields when it is squeezed. That fruit is ripe and probably has a mature, viable pit.

Things You'll Need

• Paper towel
• Toothpicks

Instructions

1. Wash the avocado seed in clean water to remove any remaining flesh. Pat the seed dry with a paper towel.

2. Fill a glass with water. Insert four toothpicks into the avocado seed, halfway up the side, with the flat end pointing down. Insert one toothpick into each side of the seed.

3. Lower the seed into a glass of water so the toothpicks rest on the brim of the glass to support the seed. The bottom 1/4 to 1/2 of the seed should be submerged in water. Add or remove water as necessary to achieve this level.

4. Set the glass in a sunny window, but keep it out of direct sunlight. Add water when the level falls below the necessary level. Wait two to three weeks. Roots will emerge from the bottom of the seed, and a small shoot will appear from the pointed end.

Tips & Warnings

• Once an avocado seed has germainted, it can be transplanted into a container to continue growing.

References

• University of Lincoln-Nebraska: Start Avocado Seeds