How do you grow an indoor avocado plant from the seed?

Answer 1

After eating an avocado, it is hard to resist planting its seed. To get the seed sprouting quickly, it needs immediate planting. Indoor gardeners have developed their own "traditional" planting method. This is done by poking three toothpicks into the side of the seed so that it can perch, halfway immersed in water, on the rim of a drinking glass. The seed could also be planted in potting soil, but this misses some of the fun of watching the roots and the shoots grow.

Avocado roots, like those of most other plants, need oxygen, so the seedlings would actually grow better in soil than in water. When growing a seedling in water, the water should be changed at least every couple of weeks, before it gets dirty and depleted of oxygen. One way to speed germination in soil is to remove the parchment like seed coat and slice a thin layer from both the top and the bottom of the seed before planting. In water or in soil, set the seed with its base (the wider portion) down.

Indoors, avocado plants are often gangly and sparse with leaves. One reason for the plant's gawky appearance indoors is light. Lack of sufficient light causes stems to stretch for it. Another reason is that avocados shed many buds along their stems, buds that might have grown into side branches. The result is a plant stretching out for light, sending out new growth mostly from the tips of the branches and shedding old leaves.

There are several things indoor gardeners can do to keep their plants more attractive. Most obvious is to give an avocado tree bright light. Also, the stretch for light is exaggerated when warmth stimulates growth, so the ideal spot for the plant is at the brightest window in the coolest room. Beyond that pruning back a stem or pinching out its growing tip stimulates branching by awaking dormant buds (not all are shed) further down the stem. There is nothing that can be done about the shedding of older leaves.

Every indoor avocado grower holds out hope for fruit from his or her plant. This is always a possibility, but realistically it is not likely to happen. The time from seed to fruiting under good growing conditions is about a decade. Indoors, this time period is lengthened and plants may never experience good enough conditions to ever flower, let alone ripen fruit.

Lack of fruit on an indoor tree is no great loss, because seedling trees rarely produce fruits as tasty as those on commercial trees, which are grafted to good-tasting cultivars. Indoors, avocados are best looked upon as a houseplant that is inexpensive, fun to grow and somewhat attractive.

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.

Avocado trees are very versatile in their adaptability to different soils, but they prefer a rich loose sandy loam. They will not survive in locations with poor drainage. . The desirable pH level is generally considered to be between 6 and 7. They will grow in shade and between buildings, but are only productive in full sun. The root system is extensive and will choke out nearby plants, so they should be given plenty of room--up to 20 feet. However two or three trees can be planted in a single large hole to save garden space and enhance pollination. Once established the avocado is a fairly tough tree. Once the tree is a year old, they should be fed four times yearly using a balanced fertilizer. Older trees benefit from feeding with nitrogenous fertilizer applied in late winter and early summer. Yellowed leaves (chlorosis) indicate iron deficiency. This can usually be corrected by a foliar spray of trace elements containing iron.

Answer 2

Put about three tooth picks into the seed about 1/3 of the way down from the blunt end. Place it into a glass filled with water, pointed end down. Place in a sunny window and in a few weeks you will see plant growth. In the spring, plant in a pot and take outdoors and keep in in the sun until ready for planting into the ground.

Answer 3

Spider plant, yet no longer from a seed. you are able to pluck a touch toddler one off somebody else's spider plant or purchase one on the shop. I advise putting the inspiration portion of the plant in a jar of water (it's going to easily form of elect the flow) till it grows out some roots, then stick it in some airborne dirt and airborne dirt and dust. see you later as you water it, it's going to be tremendous.

Answer 4

you dont , you just go to the ****** store and buy them. save yourself the trouble and clutter of these damb little pit seeds all over your windowsills, my wife is a great garden grower but these damb things for one take ten years to produce and secondly they taste like nothing compared to the ones you get at the produce market, we live 30 miles from chicago and thats not the region these green little turds are from. south america or the south west are best for this plant, just grow tomatos and peppers dont try to be exotic, its easyer to grow maryjane than alvocados, plus they give you more taste ha ha,

Answer 5

Follow the rest of the good advice and this also. Take off the brown husk before trying to grow and you will have better luck!!

Answer 6

I don't get the Avo cruddo eaters? YUCK! looks and likely taste like Parrot poo! i had a Parrot I know what it looks like ..so I could never eat Guacamole without the vision of the Parrot squeezing one out ..lol..Bona paturd..lol..Polly made a krapur..

Answer 7

http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/seed/2002114535011263.html
Mine always got tall and spindly, good luck