Growing avocado

Growing Avocado Plants and Trees from Seeds: There is nothing more satisfying and fulfilling than growing your own Avocado plant. Growing the avocado plant is very easy. Follow these simple steps and in no time at all you can have the satisfaction of watching your own avocado plant growing at home.

• Cut open the avocado fruit and scoop out the seed from the center.
• Wash it under running water and gently remove any flesh that may be attached to it. Once the seed is washed well, dry it with a paper napkin.
• Carefully insert three toothpicks into the thickest part of the seed. Push the toothpicks in so that they are in at least ½” inch. With the help of the toothpicks, the avocado seed should be suspended in water. The upper half should receive fresh air, while the lower half should be submerged.
• Suspend the seed over a glass of water. The toothpicks will float on the surface and prevent the seed from sinking to the bottom. Make sure that the base is always submerged in water.
• Place this glass in light, on a windowsill preferably. Within 3 to 6 weeks, the seed will split open and a stem will sprout out of the upper end, while the roots will emerge from the base.
• Once the stem grows to about 6 inches, snip off the topmost leaves. In another 3 weeks, new leaves will begin to sprout and more roots will appear.
• Now is the time to plant your young avocado tree. Fill a large pot with rich soil and make a depression in the middle, for the seed. However, the seed should not be placed too deep. Once this is done, gently pat the soil around. The avocado tree’s leaves and stem should be upright. Make sure that the soil is watered generously.

Another Procedure for Sprouting Pits and Growing Avocado Plants: This organic procedure involves sprouting avocado seeds in a peat moss zip-lock bag. If you have tried sprouting avocado pits in the above-mentioned method, but have failed many times, then this method might prove to be satisfying. Here are some basic steps to follow when sprouting avocado pits organically:

• Most avocado pits will sprout, but the best chance is when the seed has been allowed to mature within the ripe avocado.
• Mix and knead peat moss with water. Dry peat moss typically produces a powdery dust that is difficult to clean and is bad for health, so this should be done outdoors. Knead the peat moss until it becomes moist. Peat moss can hold a lot of water.
• Place two handfuls of this moist peat moss inside a zip lock pouch. Place the avocado pit within the bag and pack the moist peat moss around it. Place the pouch in a warm and dark place and check it everyday. Ideally, it should start sprouting roots within a few weeks and these can be seen through the pouch. Once the roots appear, place the pit in a pot that has a drainage hole. Carefully scatter soil around the roots without damaging them, since they are extremely fragile. Now, fill the pot with rich soil so that only the upper one third of the pot is exposed. Eventually, the pit will split and a stem with leaves will appear. Once the avocado plant reaches a height of one foot, pinch off the upper leaves and bud to make the plant bushier.