How to germinate an avocado

The avocado, also known as Persea americana or avocado, is a tree native to Mesoamerica that is grown in areas with a Mediterranean or tropical climate in many parts of the world.

Its fruits are very popular for their peculiar taste and texture and their great nutritional qualities. If you want to enjoy these fruits of your own harvest and you have space, keep reading to learn how to germinate avocado or avocado in your own home.

How to germinate an avocado or avocado pit

If you wonder how to plant an avocado tree to grow

it at home and enjoy its fresh fruits, take note of the entire process.

Growing your own avocado plant may not be so easy at first, so the first advice we will give you is that when you get down to work, don’t pin all your hopes on a single pit and prepare several of them to increase your chances. that at least one of your avocado bones grows.

The second thing to take into account is the climate where you live. The avocado is a tropical tree, and it needs adequate heat and humidity conditions. If your climate is cold or very dry, perhaps you should rethink your choice of cultivation.

That said, we can start with the step by step to germinate an avocado or avocado pit :

  1. Choose an avocado pit and clean it completely of debris and residue, although being careful not to damage it. Pay attention and limit yourself to removing the remains of the fruit, and not the skin itself.
  2. Now, locate the lower and upper parts of the bone. The lower part, where the roots will grow, is the widest, while the most pointed is the upper part.
  3. Take three wooden toothpicks and stick them into the bone in the shape of a Y, so that they allow you to hold the avocado pit in a glass of water and without completely submerging.
  4. Position it as we just said, so that the top half of the bone is above the water. It is preferable to use a transparent or translucent glass to be able to observe the state of the bone and the water.
  5. Change the water when it’s dirty, which will be about once a week. In a period of between two and four weeks, you should see seeds and the first sprouts appear on your avocado. The upper end will dry out and crack, while the lower end will grow roots.
  6. Once the stem is about 8 inches tall, cut it in half to stimulate plant growth. When it reaches the same height again, it is ready for transplantation.
How to germinate an avocado - How to germinate an avocado or avocado pit

How to plant an avocado pit

Transplanting your sprouted avocado at this point is not complicated. To plant a sprouted avocado pit, follow these steps:

  1. Remove the chopsticks very carefully or cut them flush with the surface.
  2. Prepare a pot with at least about 20 cm deep and fill it with multipurpose substrate.
  3. Plant your little avocado tree, making sure the roots are well buried but leaving the stem and the top end of the pit above ground level.

How long does it take for an avocado tree to grow?

The avocado seed or pit takes about 10 days to germinate and it will take several weeks to be ready to be transplanted. From there, it takes about 3 years for the tree to give its first flowers, and it will not bear fruit before 5 years of age.

Of course, these are indicative amounts of time, which may vary depending on each specific case and the variety in question of your avocado tree.

How to care for an avocado or avocado tree

The avocado is a tree that must be watched closely, especially in its first years of life. Therefore, we recommend that you follow these tips on how to care for an avocado tree

 :

Watering the avocado

When watering the avocado plant you have to keep its soil moist due to its superficial roots, but never waterlogged. This tree is very sensitive to the latter and an excess of irrigation would be even more damaging than a lack of it.

Compost from the avocado plant

Regarding the fertilizer, you can do it for the first time a month after having planted your tree, and once a month later during the first year of the tree’s life, although applying small amounts of fertilizer. From there, the applications can be spaced more and more, until they are made quarterly. 

With avocado, it is important to keep the area around the tree free of adventitious herbs or “weeds”. Pay special attention to this point after fertilizing.

Location and light

If you plant your avocado in an area that gets a lot of direct sun, it might be a good idea to paint the trunk white with specific garden paint, at least for the first few years. If, on the other hand, you have located it in a semi-shady area, safe from the strongest sun at noon, this will not be necessary.

Finally, if you live in a windy area, guiding or staking the tree with a stake or some other firm structure can help it in its first years of life.

How to germinate an avocado - How to care for an avocado or avocado tree
How to germinate an avocado

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