How To: Grow an Avocado Tree

With the recent onslaught of hot weather, we’ve been scarfing the guacamole and thought it a shame to just chuck the avocado pits. We grabbed a couple of our trusty Spega yogurt glasses and did our best to recall the glory days of elementary school science class. Jump below for a refresher on how to turn your seed in to a little tree….

Unfortunately, according to the website, it’s pretty rare for a tree grown from a seed to bear edible fruit, but we happen to think avocado trees are mighty pretty. Either way, sure makes for a fun summer project.

Straight from the official avocadowebsite:

1.洗种子。使用三个toothpicks, suspend it broad end down over a water-filled glass to cover about an inch of the seed.

2. Put it in a warm place out of direct sunlight and replenish water as needed. You should see roots and stem sprout in about two to six weeks.

3. When the stem is six to seven inches long, cut it back to about three inches.

4. 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.

5. Give it frequent, light waterings 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.

6. The more sunlight, the better.

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.

8. When the stem is 12 inches high, cut it back to 6 inches to encourage the growth of new shoots.

9. Don’t expect your house plant to bear fruit. Although this does occur occasionally, it usually requires grafting. A plant grown from seed will take anywhere from five to 13 years to flower and bear fruit. Fruit on trees grown from seeds are seldom good to eat.