Starting
seedsThe avocado
tree (Persea americana), when grown by a hobby gardener is normally grown from
seeds removed from ripened fruit. There are two acceptable methods of doing this, either by sprouting the
seed in water or by actually planting the
seed in soil.
Many people start avocado
trees as novelty house
plants by piercing the
seed with its pointed end up, partially through with toothpicks on three or four sides to hold it on the top of a jar or vase partly with water and few pieces of charcoal (to keep the water sweet) just covering the base. In 2 to 6 weeks, when roots and leaves are well formed the
plant is set in potting soil. Unless they're moved into soil within a few weeks or months after germination, they'll begin to deteriorate.
They are also easily sprouted in a well-drained 4- or 5-inch pot of porous, fertile soil. The top of the
seed should just barely peek above the surface of the soil. If the soil is kept fairly moist and the temperature is between 60 and 70 degrees, the
seed will begin to sprout and a pretty, leafy
plant will develop.
When the seedling reaches 12 inches, it should be pinched back to about 6-8 inches to produce a rounder, fuller plant. Avocados grown inside thrive in sun or in a good, lighted location. Once they've filled their pots up with healthy roots, they should be potted in larger ones. Repotting should be done in the spring. Well-rooted plants should be given a dilute liquid fertilizer every week or two. Watering should be done so that the soil never becomes really dry but isn't ever soggy and waterlogged. They should be fertilized with a balanced houseplant food every two or three weeks in the summer and about every six weeks during the winter. It's also a good idea to mist the leaves of your Avocado if the air in your home is very dry. Indoor trees need low night temperatures to induce bloom. Transplanting should be done in early spring. Potted plants should be moved outdoors gradually, so they can acclimatize themselves, and adjust to the new elements.
