How can I grow an avocado tree from it's stone?

Question

I've heard that this is possible? How do I do it?

Answer 1

The way that I was told (and have seen done) is to stick 3 cocktail sticks into the stone so that it can be balanced over water but without touching it. Eventually a root will find it's way to the water and a shoot will emerge. Then it can be planted in normal compost.

The pointed end is, I believe, the shoot end and should be upwards.

Here is a site which says that the seed should be half immersed in water: http://www.crfg.org/tidbits/AvocadoFromSeed.html

And another: http://www.thegardenhelper.com/avocado.html

Good luck with your avocado!

(Lemon trees will come true from seed but oranges usually will not, just in case you were thinking of starting a grove :)

Chili peppers can be grown from seed. I have two very nice little plants in my kitchen which have been fairly prolific.

Answer 2

Take three toothpicks and insert them 1cm into the stone about at the midway point of the stone. Fill a glass of water and rest the larger end of the stone (like an egg) in the water. Refresh the water daily. When the stone germinates a root, remove the toothpicks and put the stone in moist potting soil.

Answer 3

I just plant them direct into potting soil pointed side up and keep it moist until it germinates. Usually you get only one vegetative shoot up (which wants to be a tree) and it will grow quite tall before the leaves unfurl. You can pinch the terminal bud after you get leaves to encourage it to branch if you desire. It makes a nice and pretty houseplant with high light but you have to watch out not to let it get too dry. I have fried them up more than once forgetting to water it! We had one in a greenhouse that ended up with a 3" trunk but it never flowered or produced fruit indoors.