Learn How to Grow Your Own Home Avocado Tree

Besides protection from diabetes, reducing cancer risk and treating osteoarthritis, avocado is also tasty and a gladly consumed food. Guacamole for an appetizer or as an ingredient in the salads, avocado is always the star of parties.

However, avocado is not on the cheap side and so many people decide to grow their own tree. Although it’s the South American fruit tree, avocado is not that hard to grow but it will take patience. When cultivated from seeds, it will take eight to twelve years for the first fruits to grow.

The following steps will not only show you how to cultivate it properly but also how to quicken the germination process.

#1: Obtain The Pit

Remove the pit from the fruit gently and without damaging it. Soak it in water for several minutes and then clean the remains of the avocado from it. It is very important that you handle the pit carefully and don’t scrub too much since that will remove the brown skin. Don’t peel the brown skin off because the seed will rot during the speeding up of the germination process.

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#2: Determine Top And Bottom Of The Seed

It is important to distinguish the sides on the seed since the sprout will grow from the top and roots will come out of the bottom side. The shapes of the pits can be perfect spheres or oblong, so take a careful look at it. Where you observe the slight pointer side, that is the top while flat one is the bottom.

This is all necessary since for the bottom side to grow roots since for that it must be submerged in water. Moreover, the top side must stay dry at all times.

#3: Four Toothpicks

Prepare four wooden toothpicks and place three in the avocado pit’s sides at a slight downward angle. The toothpicks have to be at an even distance around the seed. Stick the fourth toothpick at the bottom of the pit since this one will keep the top from submerging in water. The downward angle of three toothpicks is important so that the seed bottom would be more easily lowered in the glass of water.

#4: Half Submerge The Seed In Water

Pour purified water into the glass and put avocado seed over the top using toothpicks to submerge it properly. As we stressed before, the bottom must be in the water, while the top must stay dry. After you made sure that it’s all well fit and adjusted, place the glass on the spot exposed to sunlight. The ideal place is windowsill, but you can put it anywhere else where it will enjoy the prolonged sunshine.

Change the water regularly every five to seven days to prevent the growth of bacteria, mould and fungi.

#5: Wait For The Sprout

This is where you need to be patient since it takes 2 – 4 weeks for the seed to sprout. If you notice a crack on the top, it’s a sure sign that soon it will start sprouting. After the top dries out and forms a crack, the brown skin will peel off.

After some time the crack will spread around the avocado seed and to the bottom. The bottom crack is where the taproots will start emerging. During the further growth, the taproots will elongate and branch out. Make sure that the taproot is always in the water since otherwise, it will dry out and the plant will die.

#6: Time To Pot The Seed

Cut the stem in half when it reaches 6 inches or 15 cm in height. This will help the plant grow faster. When it grows 6 inches again, place it in the humus soil in the 8 – 10 inches (20 – 25 cm) diameter pot. Don’t bury the whole seed in the soil, but leave the top exposed. Place the pot in the sunlit spot again. Remember that avocado really adores the sun, so give it plenty.

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#7: Water The Plant

This is the phase when you get to observe your plant grow and getting ready for planting in the ground or pot. Water it often and soak it completely from time to time. Make sure that the soil is always moist, but never drenched.

Pay attention to the colour of leaves and if they turn yellow, that is the sign of over-watering. In that case, just allow the plant to dry out for a few days and then continue with the usual care.

#8: Pull Out Top Leaves

Pull out the top two leaves when the plant reaches 12 inches (30 cm) in height. This will help the side shoots to grow and more leaves to sprout creating thus a bushy plant. Repeat this step every time the plant grows next 6 inches. Don’t be timid to pull out two newly grown leaves from the top. It won’t hurt the plant but develop properly.

#9: Exterminate The Pests

If you notice bugs on your avocado, don’t be scared. This is normal and aphids are very common pests. Use the long hose reels outside to wash the plant, or do it in the sink. Whichever way you find convenient to remove the clusters of these insects from the trunk and beneath the leaves.

To keep them away, make a mixture of water, few drops of dishwashing liquid detergent and 1 tsp of neem oil. Another organic remedy includes 1 litre of hot, but not boiling water, 1/8 tsp of gelatine powder, 1/8 tsp of ground ginger and mix it all well together. Check the avocado every five days, and if needed, repeat this step.

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#10: Protect The Plant

The avocado tree is the plant that likes warmth, so if you leave in the climates where outside temperature falls under 45°F or 7°C, you have to take it inside. Make sure that to put it in the sunlight and away from the sources of cold air like doors and windows. Then when the summer comes, place it outside again to enjoy the weather and continue its healthy growth.

In The End

As we mentioned before, one of the most important factors in growing the avocado tree is to have patience. It will take a few years for the first fruits to grow. Just like any tree, avocado also needs time to mature and be ready to bear fruits. Instead of being disappointed by this detail, enjoy the fact that you cultivated your own avocado plant from scratch. Not many are that brave or persistent.

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