Avocados, with their wonderfully buttery flesh and mild, slightly nutty aroma, are not only a real delicacy, but also very he althy. The large seed - after all, the avocado is not a vegetable, but a fruit - does not have to end up in the trash, but can be grown into a pretty house plant.
How can I grow an avocado plant myself?
To grow an avocado plant, you need an avocado seed, a glass of water or a small plant pot, room temperature water, cling film and growing soil. To germinate, place the seed in water or soil and place the pot in a bright, warm location.
Grouping the seed
Growing an avocado seed so that it can grow into a pretty plant is actually not that complicated. You just need a lot of patience, because it can take several months for a seed to germinate and the first tender shoots to appear. There are two tried and tested methods for germinating an avocado pit. The water glass method may be used very often, but is not recommended for practical and breeding reasons. Instead, the avocado pit can be placed in fresh potting soil and will also grow reliably there - in contrast to the water method, which often leads to mold infestation. The only important thing is to always keep the soil moist (not wet!) and to place the pot in a warm and bright location.
This is what you need to germinate:
- a water glass / a small plant pot (depending on the method selected)
- stale, room temperature water
- a spray bottle
- (toothpick)
- (fresh potting soil for the soil method)
- possibly foil to cover (standard household cling film is sufficient)
Planting the avocado plant
After a few weeks to months, a small tree has grown from the core and is now shooting up very quickly. Avocados have a habit of growing mainly upwards for several years and hardly producing any side shoots. Bushier growth can usually only be achieved through annual pruning or grafting. But before that happens, pot your little plant in a pot that is not too small. The core should also be potted and about two-thirds of the way out of the soil - your young plant will continue to get its nutrients from the seed until it is four to six months old. You can only remove the seeds when you repot them for the first time the following winter. After potting, spray the avocado with room temperature water.
Utensils for planting the tree
- a larger plant pot
- fresh soil (potting soil mixed with peat or sand or palm soil is ideal)
- a spray bottle with room temperature water
Care for the avocado properly
Your home-grown avocado will grow splendidly as long as you care for it properly. As a tropical plant, the avocado is used to a lot of sun and warmth as well as high humidity. Therefore, it is better not to water the plant, but rather to spray it. Older plants can spend the summer in a protected and sunny spot in the garden or on the balcony, but should not be exposed to frost. Fertilize about every two to three weeks with a good liquid fertilizer (€6.00 on Amazon), e.g. B. for citrus plants.
Will my avocado also bloom and bear fruit?
It is possible that your avocado will develop flowers between the ages of six and ten. The small, green-white flowers can be very numerous, but will most likely not produce fruit in our latitudes. There are several reasons for this: Avocados grown in this country usually do not grow large enough to set fruit, and the Central European summer is simply too short and not warm enough for such development. The most important reason, however, is the complicated pollination of the flowers, because the avocado is a hermaphrodite that needs other trees for fertilization.
Tips & Tricks
To achieve bushier growth and increase the chance of eventual fruit, you can graft your avocado. Then you basically have two trees that grow together on one trunk - and perhaps produce the appropriate opposite-sex flowers.
