In many households today, the avocado is one of the staple foods. Whether as guacamole, as a topping or as part of a colorful salad: the tropical fruit tastes heavenly and is also very healthy. The quite large, egg-shaped seed core of the avocado does not have to be thrown away either, because you can grow a pretty plant from it with the help of these instructions.

Grow a plant from the seed

Contrary to popular belief, the avocado is actually not a vegetable, but a berry. The pear-shaped, mostly green fruits grow on a tree that can grow up to 40 meters high in nature. However, commercial avocados mostly come from plantations where the trees are pruned to a height of 15 meters for practical reasons.

The avocado comes from the tropics

The avocado is a tropical plant, i. H. it needs a lot of sun and warmth. For these reasons, in our latitudes, it can only be kept indoors or in a greenhouse, but not outdoors. However, it is possible to place the avocado in a sheltered, sunny spot in the garden, at least in summer. The tropical avocado can easily be grown from the seed of a commercially available fruit. There are two ways to do this.

The water glass method

Many hobby growers use the water glass method to grow a plant from the seed. To do this, the stone is removed from the fruit and the brown skin is removed. Now three toothpicks are carefully pricked into the seed, this should be done on the upper, more pointed side of the seed. A water glass is now filled with fresh water and the core and toothpicks are placed in it so that only the flattened part of the core is in the water. The toothpicks rest on the edge of the glass. Now the glass, including the core, is placed in a warm and dark location. The root shoots appear within about four weeks.

The disadvantages of the water glass method

However, the water glass method has some disadvantages. For example, the seed core can be damaged by the toothpick in such a way that it can no longer germinate. You can get around this problem by simply using a small shot glass that doesn't require a holder instead of a water glass. In addition, the moisture can lead to mold infestation, so that the core simply rots.

The flowerpot method

This, in turn, can be avoided by putting the core in a plant pot with soil instead of in a glass of water. Loose, sandy soil is best. The flattened part of the seed core is in the ground, while the top looks out. The soil must be kept constantly moist, and a film over the plant pot should protect the sensitive seedling from cold and draughts.

bring patience

If you have chosen the water method, you can pot your seedling once a root ball has formed. Until then, however, you have to be patient: the avocado germinates very slowly. The first delicate tips can be seen after four weeks at the earliest. However, it can also take several months before success is achieved. Just before the seedling breaks through, the nucleus splits in two. So don't be alarmed if one day the seed kernel is said to have "broken".

Pot an avocado

To pot your seedling, mix loose sand and commercially available potting soil or palm soil in a 1:1 ratio. Fill a small planter with this mixture and carefully place the seedling in it. Gently press down the soil all around and water the seedling with stale, room-warm water. Make sure the top of the core is sticking out of the ground. Now your avocado needs a bright and warm location, but should not be exposed to the blazing sun yet.

The right care of the avocado tree

The continued growth of your seedling depends on the right care, but is not particularly complicated. Basically you only have to consider three things.

Your young avocado needs:

  • a bright location without direct sunlight
  • a warm place without drafts
  • water regularly but not excessively (the soil should be moist but not wet)

You can let the soil dry out in between, your avocado tolerates a lack of water quite well. The rule of thumb here is: it is better to water too little than too much.

Does the avocado need to be fertilized?

Basically, young plants do not need to be fertilized. However, the monthly application of a little citrus fertilizer does not hurt either, on the contrary.

Prune an avocado

Avocado plants always grow upwards and usually only develop side shoots after a few years. Since the trees can grow very tall, they should be pruned in good time. As soon as the fourth leaf shoot appears, you can snap it off (e.g. with rose scissors). As a result, your avocado will develop more side shoots and therefore become bushier.

tips and tricks

Give your avocado some fresh air: as soon as there are no longer any night frosts to be expected in spring, the plant can be placed in a sheltered spot in the garden. However, it should be brought in again before the first cold autumn days are expected.

Category:

Trees