Avocado plant: How to Grow Avocado From Pit?

The avocado plants (Persea americana) produce a green fruit whose pulp is particularly appreciated. It’s thanks to its richness in antioxidants, good monounsaturated fats and proteins. Once you have eaten the fruit, you are left with the avocado pit which is not edible but you can germinate it to have a nice indoor plant.

Photo by © Mex Chriss / Alamy⁠

About the avocado tree

Planting and growing an avocado tree indoors is not very complicated from Avocado pits. For that, you have just to follow these practical tips and avoid some mistakes that will absolutely ruin your avocado pit.

The avocado plant (Persea americana) is a species of fruit tree in the Lauraceae family, native to Mexico and Central America. The avocado tree can reach between 8 and 20 meters high outdoors and live up to 70 years. Production begins at least 4 years after planting but sometimes can be much later.

In addition, the Avocado is a climacteric fruit (like bananas). That is to say that it grows on a tree where it can stay for several months, but it only ripens once picked.

The required material

Here are the materials required to properly germinate and grow avocado from pit and get a great avocado tree:

A glass of water
A few toothpicks
A pot
Potting soil
An Avocado pit

How to Grow an Avocado Seed?

Growing avocados is a fascinating educational project that can be enjoyed by the whole family and let everyone be curious about how are avocados grown.

To grow avocado from seed or pit here are some steps to follow to successfully germinate the pit:

Prepare the avocado pit

Choose one or more nice sized pits.
Clean it with clear water and remove the remaining flesh.
Soak it in lukewarm water for one hour then remove the brown film that surrounds it.
Let it dry for several hours in the sun or in a dry and ventilated place to eliminate any trace of humidity.

Germinate the avocado pit

Identify the top and bottom of the pit and place the widest part at the bottom.
At two-thirds of its height, stick 3 or 4 toothpicks in the bottom of the pit so that they serve as a support.
Place it on the glass without touching it before putting the avocado seed in water.
Fill the glass with water by immersing the lower part of the pit. (You can also put cotton soaked in water in the bottom of your glass.)? At least 2 cm of the pit must be submerged in water.
Place the glass in a warm place in the sun. Near a window for example.
After a few weeks, you should start to see the first roots sprout. These roots will have reached 1 or 2 cm. From there, remember to change the water every 2 days.

How to plant avocado?

Before answering how to plant an avocado seed you have first to know and understand the previous steps on how avocado grows.

Once the root and stem emerge, put the plant in a light, moist potting soil in the ground or in a pot. It is better to plant it in the spring when the good weather returns. If you plant it in a pot, don’t forget to pour clay balls into its bottom so that it is draining. Then, water regularly, but beware of excess. Afterwards, install your avocado tree in the sun or in partial shade, preferably sheltered from the winds. With a mister, moisten the leaves with non-calcareous water.

Some other tips

Repot the avocado tree after 2-3 years in potting soil. The first fruits appear after about 4 years, so be patient!
From spring to autumn, fertilize from time to time with a fertilizer for green plants. And if the weather allows it, you can take the avocado tree outside in the spring.
To ripen an avocado put it in a fruit basket next to apples and/or bananas.
Once your avocado tree has grown, don’t forget to prune it! It is essential to prune every year, preferably in the spring, in order to promote ramifications, the formation of wood and to give a homogeneous structure to the tree. In addition, pruning promotes fruiting and shoots!

Did You find this helpful? Share it with your friends!