In the past decade or so, Avocado has made a big come back. Known for being full of nutritious fats and fiber, it now goes on sandwiches, salads, smoothies and some even make Avocado fries.
So next time you are enjoying an Avocado, don’t discard your seed. Instead, turn it into a beautiful plant by following these simple steps and soon you will enjoy an avocado plant at home which will grow into a tree one day.
Preparing your Seed
The optimal way to grow your avocado plant is to take the seed from a ripe avocado, or even better an over ripe one.
After removing the seed from an Avocado, gently wash it in lukewarm water and peel off any loose seed skin with your fingers.
Fill a jar or a glass with tepid water and place your seed in it. Make sure to keep the glass in a warm place and let the seed soak for 48 hours.
After 48 hours, remove the seed from the water.
Germinating your Avocado Seed
Germinating your seed means allowing it to root.
Lightly wet a paper towel with a water spray. Place your seed in the middle and fold the moist paper towel around your seed.
Place the folded seed in a ziplock bag and seal. Keep the bag in a dark place at room temperature, such as inside a cupboard. Check your seed every 3-5 days, and make sure the paper towel is always moist.
Over the next 3-4 weeks, the seed will split open and a taproot will begin to emerge from the base of the seed. Continue to remove any loose skin from the seed.
Now you have a germinated seed!
If your seed doesn’t split and root after 4 weeks, it is time to try another seed.
Growing your Germinated seed
To continue growing your germinated seed, you will need a vessel with a tight neck. Alternatively, you can stick a few toothpicks into the seed to support it on a jar rim.
Why not check out our Avocado growing vase, it is specifically made for growing your avocado from seed without damaging your seed.
Fill the vase with tepid water and set the seed on top ensuring that the seed is not touching the water. Place the avocado vase in a warm place with bright indirect sunlight.
Monitor the very exciting time of the seed’s growth!
You will see new roots emerging over a few weeks and the seed sprouting its first leaf-bud and shoot.
As long as the water is clear in your vase, your Avocado plant is healthy.
Planting your Avocado in Soil
The ideal time to transfer your avocado plant to the soil is when the stem has reached a height of 15-20 cm.
Avocado plants need to have very good drainage due to their delicate roots that are prone to root rot. Use a potting mix that contains peat, perlite, and sand.
Choose a 13-16cm pot with drainage holes and fill it with a layer of pebbles or broken clay pieces before adding the soil.
Add some soil to the pot and lower the seed roots into the pot while gently adding more soil around them.
Keep adding soil to the pot until you reach the bottom part of the seed. Make sure that the majority of the seed sits above the soil in the end.
Water the soil until water drains out of the pot. For the first two weeks, keep the soil slightly moist but not wet.
Keeping your plant alive
Light
Keep your Avocado tree in a warm place where it can get plenty of indirect sunlight.
Water
Avocado plants grow healthier in soil with good drainage, use a potting mix rich in perlite or a sandy type of stoil. Water it when the top 5cm of the soil is dry.
Repotting
Every year repot your avocado plant to a slightly bigger pot to give its roots more room to grow.
Fertilizing
Avocado trees love Nitrogen and Zinc rich fertilizers. Fertilise 3 times throughout the year avoiding the winter season.
Common questions
My seed won’t split or root?
It can take four to six weeks for an avocado seed to sprout.
If there is no sign of root growth, discard the seed and start over with a new one.
I have repotted my avocado plant and it is not doing well?
This can be related to watering or the light condition. Make sure that you do not overwater your plant, water when the top 5-7 cm of the soil is dry.
As for the light, Keep your young avocado tree in bright indirect light. When it is fully grown, move it to a place where it can get full sun.
When will my avocado plant fruit?
Grown from seed, it can take anywhere between 5 to 13 years before the tree is mature enough to fruit.
For an avocado plant to fruit, 2-3 Avocado trees are required to cross pollinate.
What is the usual growth rate of an Avocado plant?
It takes around two to six weeks for the seed to sprout. After that, the plant takes 5-13 years for it to mature.