To grow an avocado tree from the seed looks fairly simple but it is not as simple as it looks, I can tell you after many tries that it does not work every time!
So let’s see this little step-by-step tutorial to grow your own avocado tree from the seed after your last Guacamole.
Step 1: Wash carefully the seed. Be careful not to remove the brown skin on the pit – that is the seed cover.
Step2: All avocado seed have a ‘bottom’ and a ‘top’. The slightly pointier end is the top, and the flat end is the bottom. You will need to place the bottom end in water, so it’s very important to figure out which end is the ‘top’ and which is the ‘bottom’ before you go to next step.
Step 3: Using three or four toothpick, suspend it broad end down over a water-filled glass to cover about an inch of the seed. The water needs to be changed every day, but some people says it is better to change the water every five days to a week or so. You should experiment.
Step 4: Put it in a warm place out of direct sunlight and replenish water as needed (see step 3). You should see roots and stem sprout in about two to eight weeks.
Step 5: When the stem is six to seven inches long, cut it back to about three inches to encourage new growth. When the roots are thick and the stem has leafed out again, plant it in a rich humus soil in a 10-1/2″ diameter pot, leaving the seed half exposed.
Step 6: Give it frequent, light watering with an occasional deep soak. Generally, the soil should be moist but not saturated. Yellowing leaves are a sign of over-watering; let the plant dry out for a few days. The more sunlight, the better.
Step 7: If leaves turn brown and fry at the tips, too much salt has accumulated in the soil. Let water run freely into the pot and drain for several minutes. When the stem is 12 inches high, cut it back to 6 inches to encourage the growth of new shoots.
Step 8: While it is true that you can grow a tree from an avocado seed, keep in mind that a tree grown from seed will be very different from its parent variety. Sometimes avocado plants will begin growing fruit after they’re 3 or 4 years old but it may take 7-15 years to begin producing fruit.
Hope this little step-by-step tutorial will help you to grow nice avocado trees…on my side I was successful only one time on a dozen of experiments…so do not give up if its not work on the first time! ;)
Tutorial and pictures inspired by Inhabitat !
