Sprout a seed
You can plant avocados at any time of the year. If the seed is intact, the probability of germination is quite high.
Option 1
Use a knife, an awl or a thick needle to make three or four small holes 2-3 mm deep in the bone. Insert toothpicks or sharpened matches into them.
Pour filtered water into a small vessel or, for example, set aside for watering flowers.
Position the bone so that the blunt end is in the water. Toothpicks resting on the edges of the container will prevent it from drowning.
Maintain the water level and change every few days. But make sure that the puncture sites do not get wet.
Instead of water, you can use a hydrogel, which is sold in shops with indoor plants. Its level should also be below the punctures.
Place the container of avocado on a windowsill or other well-lit area.
The root will hatch in one and a half to two weeks, although its appearance may take a month. When it reaches 3–4 cm in length, remove the toothpicks and transplant it into the ground.
Option 2
Peel the bone from the outer shell, being careful not to damage it.
Place in a small narrow vessel so that it is about halfway in the water and does not tilt to one side.
When the root reaches 2–3 cm a couple of weeks after germination, transplant the seed into a pot.
Option 3
Just place the bone in a pot of soil so that it is ⅔ on the surface. If you dig deeper, it may just rot. The pot should be as described in point # 4, and the soil should be as described in point # 5.
Water every 2–3 days. This method is the simplest, but you will have to wait several months before the first shoots appear.
Planting an avocado seed
There is another way how to germinate an avocado seed. It is an easier way that does not require making holes with toothpicks – germinating the seed directly in the soil in a pot.
The ideal conditions for growing an avocado tree in a pot are:
- The soil should be moist and acidic (pH 6–6,5).
- The pot must have drainage.
- There is a lot of indirect sunlight.
- High humidity and temperature around 25 degrees.
The brown outer shell can be firmly adhered to the seed. It can be cut gently with a paring knife and lifted up with the tip. Small cuts will not affect the germination of the avocado seedling. You can also split the top of the seed to help the stem germinate.
Then you need to pour some soil into the pot and moisten it. You can use new rich humus soil or recycle old from your garden or other pot.
If using old soil, be sure to remove any weeds, grasses, old roots. They can reduce the chances of avocado seeds germinating. Add enough water to moisten the soil without flooding it.
Avocado plant sprouting out of pit planted in houseplant pot
Gently press the bottom of the seeds into the soil so that only half is visible. The base of the seed is usually the wider end, although this can be difficult to determine because some seeds are spherical. Correct orientation is important as the roots will appear from below.
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Place the pot in a warm place with plenty of sunlight. Avocados grow in humid and warm conditions at 18-30 ° C. Young plants are sensitive to direct sunlight and extreme temperatures.
For a denser plant, cut off the new leaves that sprout at the top of the stem. This will help control the height of the plant. Cut the stem in half when it has grown to at least 15 cm. This technique can stimulate new growth in breadth rather than in height. You cannot do this until your plant has a row of leaves below.
Pot for avocado
An avocado pot at home should be earthenware, 20 – 25 cm in diameter, filled with rich soil. A 50/50 blend of topsoil and coconut (coconut) this usually works best.
Smooth and compact the soil lightly, adding more soil as needed. Once the soil is prepared, dig a narrow hole deep enough to accommodate the roots and avocado seed.
Fill the pot with the correct soil
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Mix universal soil for indoor plants with coarse sand and peat in a 1: 1: 1 ratio. This will make the ground loose.
When choosing, keep in mind that the soil for avocado should be neutral (pH = 7), not sour.
Use gravel or expanded clay as drainage.
What is avocado sick with?
If the leaves of the avocado are abruptly flying around, it is cold or it got into a draft. Therefore, first of all, remove it from the window and stabilize the temperature regime. If the tips of the leaves dry up – the fate of watering and increase the humidity of the air. If the leaf plates fade, then your avocado does not have enough sunlight.
Plant a seed if germinated in water or hydrogel
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Place a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot at least a couple of centimeters. Fill up the earth and loosen it well. Make a small indentation on the surface.
Plant the bone so that it is about half in the ground, no more. Be careful not to damage the roots during planting.
Water your seedling. Make sure the soil is moist, but not marshy. Excess moisture can cause the bone to become moldy.
How to grow an avocado at home
In order for the seed to germinate, you need to choose a special container for its germination, choose a soil that the avocado will like, and you should also follow the rules for watering, maintaining temperature and humidity. Like any tropical plant, the avocado can seem moody. However, if you neglect these care requirements, the avocado will simply die.
Which pot to choose
Avocados need a large pot. After all, the plant itself is rather big, in nature, individual specimens stretch more than 20 meters in height. At home, of course, such a result cannot be expected. The maximum that a greenhouse avocado is capable of is to grow three meters high, but no more is needed.
When the pot is bulky, with high walls, the avocado will be comfortable in it in the first years of life. After three years, avocados are usually transplanted into another container. This is done in order to breathe new energy into the roots, because the soil in which the plant grew becomes poorer, depleting its reserves of nutrients. Also, growing avocados require a larger pot than it was originally, because the root system is developing. Usually, the plant is transplanted by wadding so as not to damage the root.
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What soil is needed for avocados
Avocado does not like clay and solid substances. The plant needs loose soil, into which air and moisture pass well. The soil should be of medium acidity. You can achieve the desired level by mixing the soil with wood ash.
Experienced breeders advise preparing the soil for the avocado by mixing turf, sand and humus. The proportions are 2: 1: 1.
You can also try a combination of peat, sand, and leafy soil. The proportions are 1: 1: 1.
If you use store-bought soil, you need to make sure that there is no moss in the soil mixture, that the acidity level is below average, and that the soil structure is loose.
Some artisans grow avocados in garden soil, laid on a drainage layer. Florists also advise mulching the top layer.
How to prepare the land for seedlings at home
How to plant an avocado for fruits
First, you need to equip an “apartment” for the future sprout. For this, drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot. You can take expanded clay, pebbles. Soil is placed on the drainage layer. A potting mix of sand and earth will love an avocado. A bone is lowered into the soil so that its wide lower part is in the ground for a couple of centimeters, and the pot is sealed with polyethylene. This creates a greenhouse effect necessary for seed germination.
Some gardeners use an open method for seed germination. In this case, water is poured into the container, and the avocado bone is slightly immersed in the water, securing it at four ends with toothpicks. Toothpicks are stuck directly into the bone. Of course, wooden toothpicks cannot go through the solid wall of the bone, so first you need to make holes with a tip, and only then insert toothpicks into the holes. In this case, most of the body of the bone should not be in water. In this state, the seed will germinate, and it can be placed in the ground, but only when the roots of the avocado are at least four centimeters.
If the method with water seems difficult, you can use a hydrogel, this is a good material that maintains a moist environment that the bones need for germination.
You can also just wrap the bone in a damp cloth and leave it for a while, not allowing the tissue “cocoon” to dry out. In such a damp “blanket”, and covering it with polyethylene, the bone will surely germinate. For a good result, the bone in the tissue is placed in a dark and warm place.
Usually the seed sprouts in a month. Roots appear first, then a timid sprout. You need to wait a few days and start planting in the ground.
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How to care for an avocado at home
Avocado is a tropical plant, which means that it requires increased attention and the creation of a tropical atmosphere. Is it possible to arrange such a climate at home somewhere in the middle lane? Maybe. Experienced gardeners advise planting an avocado in a room with windows to the west, there will be the lighting the plant needs.
Avocado does not like drafts, sharp winds, temperature changes. You need to try to create the ideal 20 degrees Celsius at home in the winter, and in the summer months avocados prefer a hot climate.
Avocados are often watered, but you need to pay attention to the condition of the soil. The plant does not like swampy soil, it will begin to ache and wither.
The humidity in the room should always be. To do this, next to the growing avocado, they place containers with expanded clay poured with water, bowls with liquid, and spray from a spray bottle.
If the rules for caring for an avocado are not followed, the plant may weaken, get sick.
The most common plant diseases:
Dry air and poor watering lead to this problem. It is necessary to humidify the air in the room, organize regular watering.
Failure to comply with the temperature regime, drafts will become the reason in this case. The plant should be placed in a room where there are no drafts, set the temperature regime to plus 25 degrees.
- Insufficiently bright color of the leaves.
Avocados are light deficient, so the foliage is weak and pale. It is better to put a young plant on the windowsill by the window.
- Damage by pests. For example, a spider mite is dangerous for avocados.
In the event of a pest attack, avocados are treated with pest control agents.
- Powdery mildew can also attack avocados.
White bloom on the plant is extremely dangerous, you can lose the avocado. To save the plant, you need to use a folk remedy – spray the avocado with a soda solution. It is prepared simply: three grams of soda are taken per liter of water. You can also use a solution of soap and copper sulfate. In this case, two grams of copper sulfate and twenty grams of soap are dissolved in a liter of water. The whole plant is treated with this composition. If you notice the disease in time and start timely treatment, the avocado can be saved.
By taking proper care of your avocado, you can grow a beautiful, healthy plant. Some gardeners even manage to plant an entire ornamental garden.
If weather conditions permit, an elongated avocado tree can be planted in the garden. Of course, we are talking about varieties that are not afraid of temperature changes. And of course, a tropical plant can be transplanted into garden plots only in the southern area.
At the same time, gardeners recommend first accustoming avocados to outdoor air. Let there be first “walks” on the balcony, hardening of the plant. Then you can do the transplant. However, it must be remembered that in the winter months the avocados will have to be wrapped so that the winter frosts do not destroy the tropical exotic. You will definitely need to resort to mulch, flooring.
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How to shape an avocado
At home, avocados usually serve as a green decorative element, so the plant should not be allowed to look sloppy. Experienced gardeners advise pinching the avocado on top to prevent the plant from stretching. However, you cannot pinch the plant if there are less than eight leaves on the tree.
Gardeners advise pinching:
- For the first time: when the plant has risen to 25 centimeters, a couple of top leaves are removed.
- The second time: when there are side shoots, pinch again.
In addition to pinching, avocados are pruned. This procedure is spring. It is during this period that the growth of the plant begins, and for the proper development of the avocado, the plant needs to be built. There are no special tips for the design of the crown, each gardener is guided by his own desires.
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Top dressing and fertilizers
Avocados prefer fertilizers that are used in the cultivation of citrus trees. Every month, with the exception of the dormant period – from early autumn to March – the plant is fed for growth and healthy development. In addition to a special fertilizer for citrus fruits, a complex composition is suitable.
Experienced gardeners advise:
- Use either organic or mineral supplements.
- Avocados should not be fertilized more often than twice a month in the summer.
- A good organic top dressing will be an infusion of onion nut.
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How avocado blooms and bears fruit
At home, avocados rarely bloom. However, experienced growers achieve flowering after six years of tending avocados. Avocados bloom in inflorescences consisting of small greenish-yellow flowers.
Avocado fruits are large, like a large egg, inside of which is the pulp. It tastes slightly sweet. In itself – a bone, quite large. The avocado fruit has a dense green skin. Unfortunately, a home grown avocado is unlikely to bear fruit. True, very experienced and patient gardeners and florists have achieved a positive result. The most patient avocado owners bear fruit in 7-8 years. For the best effect, the plant is grafted in the spring.
If all the requirements are met, you can get not too large green fruits.
It is worth noting that avocados are rich in micronutrients. It contains iron and magnesium, calcium and sodium, zinc and potassium, as well as phosphorus. Avocados contain a lot of vitamin D. Therefore, if you manage to grow a fruit-bearing tree at home, you can once and for all protect yourself from many diseases. After all, if you introduce avocados into the diet, you can protect the body from toxins and potassium deficiency, improve blood supply and remove harmful cholesterol from the body, protect the heart from unnecessary stress, and restore youth to hair and skin. Plus, avocados are an excellent remedy for fatigue.
If the ornamental plant does not want to give fruit, you should not despair. But the avocado will try to make the house less dusty and more clean atmosphere.
However, it must be remembered that avocados are not quite a harmless plant. If the fruit is healthy, the leaves can be dangerous for those prone to allergic reactions. Leaves are also dangerous for pets, so in no case should pets get close and, even more so, taste the juicy avocado leaves.
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Take good care of
Do not place the pot in the shade, otherwise the plant will not develop normally. Water the avocado every 3-4 days during the warm season and a little less often during the cold season. Do not let the soil dry out completely.
When shoots appear, spray them regularly. If the air in the room with the avocado is very dry, you can put a small container of water next to it to increase the humidity.
Monika Baechler
In the first months, the avocado will rapidly stretch upwards and can reach 50 cm. Then the growth rate will slow down. When there are more than eight leaves on the shoot, pinch it. Gently remove the very top with a knife or scissors. Do not forget to rinse the instrument afterwards.
As soon as you notice that the avocado begins to stretch, pinch it. So you get a tree with a neat crown.
If possible, keep your avocado outdoors in the summer. With the onset of autumn coolness, return the plant to a warm room. Do not leave outside if the temperature drops below +10 ° C.
Growing stages and their timing
There are several stages of growing seed avocados:
- Planting seed preparation.
- Preparation of the bone support.
- Seed germination.
- Plant formation.
- Providing proper care.
Planting times may vary. You can do this at your convenience. The only thing that planting depends on is the time of seed germination. Germination takes a long time. It can take anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months.
How to choose a seed for planting?
The only and very important condition for selection is that it must be ripe. To check its ripeness, you need to shake the fruit. If you feel that the bone is dangling in the fetal cavity, then you can safely use it. Another way to check the ripeness of the fruit is to apply pressure. If after light pressure there are dents on the fruit, then it is ripe. If you come across an unripe specimen, then you need to keep it for several days at room temperature and it will ripen.
How to germinate a bone?
There are two ways to germinate:
- You need to take 3-4 toothpicks and stick them to a depth of about 3 mm along the middle rim, at the same distance. Toothpicks will support the bone. They are placed on a container with water with the blunt end of the seed down. The bone should be submerged by a third in the water. During germination, you need to constantly monitor the liquid level and add it if necessary. Planting in a pot is carried out after the roots sprout and reach a length of 3 cm.
- Another option for germination is that the bone is placed on the bottom of the glass, where the required amount of water is poured. Water can be replaced with a hydrogel, since it has the ability to retain moisture for a long time.
In what water should you put the avocado pit, which end?
For germination, you need boiled water at room temperature. The bone is placed in the water with the tip up.
Avocado seed: how many days does it take to sprout?
The first roots will appear in 14–21 days.
Fertilize and transplant avocados
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In the warm season, fertilize with products for indoor plants once or twice a month.
Transplant the young avocado annually for the first five years. Then the interval between transplants can be increased to three years. Choose a pot with a slightly larger diameter each time.
When transplanting, try not to damage the root system. Simply transfer the earth ball into a new container and add the required amount of earth.
Avocado, what kind of fruit and what is it “eaten” with?
Avocado
So, a little about avocado. This evergreen plant belongs to the laurel family. The tree grows very rapidly, in nature it reaches 20 meters. The fruit itself resembles a pear in shape.
Ripe avocado has a soft, buttery flesh. The skin of an unripe fruit has a light green color; as it ripens, it changes color to dark green or almost black.
More than 400 varieties of avocado are known. The leaves, peel and bone of the fruit contain the fungicidal toxin persin, in humans it can cause an allergic reaction and upset the digestive system, with animals it is much worse – this toxin can be fatal.
This toxin causes edema, negatively affects cardiac activity and breathing. Avocado is rich in fatty oils, acids, antioxidants, magnesium, potassium, folic acid, thiamine, vitamins E and K. Avocados are loved by vegetarians and are used as a substitute for meat and eggs in many dishes.
In addition to its widespread use in cooking, it is also popular in medicine. Avocado lowers cholesterol levels, this fruit is very useful for people with type XNUMX diabetes. And finally, avocados are grown in a pot as an ornamental tree.
Help the avocado bear fruit
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With proper care, the tree can begin to bloom. Usually this does not happen earlier than after 5-6 years.
When flowers appear on the plant, try pollinating them. To do this, take a soft brush or cotton swab and run over the colors. Repeat the procedure several times and do not clean the instrument after each procedure. The chances of success will increase if you have multiple flowering trees.
Don’t be discouraged if the pollination experiment fails. Even in nature, avocados produce relatively few fruits. So just be patient and try again the next time you bloom.
Avocado: what a plant looks like
A tall plant with elongated green glossy leaves and large egg-shaped fruits – this is an avocado. The tree reaches twenty meters in height, but at home grown from a stone, barely overcome the three meters mark.
North America is considered the birthplace of avocado; it grows well in tropical countries.
There are several types of avocados. They differ in the color of the fruit. So, there is an avocado with rich green fruits, there is an avocado with yellow fruits, and some even grow purple “pears”.
Also, avocados are divided into Mexican and West Indian varieties. The former tolerate low temperatures well, and the latter can die even with a slight breath of cold wind, so they are usually grown in greenhouse conditions.
