Avocado plant

Avocado plant seed: Avocado is a fruit, native to Central America and Mexico. It grows to an average height of 65 ft or 20 m and has alternately arranged leaves, which are evergreen. The avocado fruit is a pear shaped berry that grows around 7 to 20 cm long and weighs around 100-1000 g. The avocado fruit bears a large central seed that is approximately 3 to 5 cm in diameter, out of which a new avocado plant can be grown.

Although an avocado plant can be grown from the seed, nevertheless, due to long growth periods and the problems associated with self-pollination, commercial avocado plant growers use seedling plants or grafted trees and rootstocks. Rootstocks are grown out of seeds or from cloned rootstocks. Cloned rootstocks are good for problematic soil conditions like poor soil aeration and soil infested with Phytophthora root rot.

Growing an avocado plant: Avocado is usually not grown from a seed in commercial orchards. However, avocado can be easily grown as a houseplant from the seed. Growing an avocado plant in your home can be a lot of fun, but you need to be careful because growing a plant needs a lot of patience and a proper environment. To grow an avocado plant from the seed, first remove the pit from the center and wash it under cool, running water. Do not use soap or hot water. Wipe away the remaining fruit from the seed gently with your fingers. Then blot the seed dry on a paper towel.

Push three toothpicks into the thickest part of the pit carefully, about ½” deep. Suspend the seed over a glass filled with water. Always keep an eye on the level of the water covering the base of the pit. It should be immersed in about an-inch deep water. In case the water is below the required level, carefully refill the glass without splashing any water.

The glass should be then placed on a bright windowsill. The pit will split open in about three to six weeks and a stem will sprout from the top. The roots will grow from the base. After the stem grows to a height of five to six inches, pinch out the top set of leaves and wait for another two to three weeks until new leaves and roots appear. Now take the young sapling, stem and roots, out of the glass and place it in a large flowerpot, filled with enriched soil. The flowerpot should be kept in a place that receives ample sunlight.

Conditions required for nurturing an avocado plant into a tree: The avocado plant needs a climate devoid of frost and wind, to grow into a sturdy tree. In case there is frost, the fruit drops from the tree. Avocado plants need well-aerated soil, more than 1 m deep, to grow well. The water should not be saline or the yield reduces.

Sprouting an avocado plant from the pit: The inside of the avocado holds an added bonus, the pit of the fruit, out of which a new avocado plant can be grown. To sprout the pit or seed, it is taken out whole from the fruit and washed and dried. Finally, with the help of toothpicks is kept half afloat in a glass of water until the stem and roots sprout. All this is easy, however should be aware that the broad end is considered the base and it should always be immersed in water. The pointed end is considered the top and should always stay afloat. You can log on to the Internet and check out the pictures depicting the sprouting of an avocado plant from a seed.