davidwolfeThere’s no denying how tasty organic avocados are, not to mention the incredible benefits. What if, instead of going to the store to buy this amazing superfruit, you could go outside and pick your own.
Avocados grow well in Mediterranean, subtropical, and tropical climates (zones 8-11). As long as they get enough water, they may withstand an extraordinary amount of sun. Due to their rapid development of big leaves and shade, a group of avocado trees can take a Mediterranean environment and turn it into a shaded subtropical jungle within 7 years. If you live in a colder climate, you can grow your avocado tree just as a houseplant or as an indoor/outdoor plant — it is unlikely it will fruit this way, but it is, nevertheless, still beautiful and fun to grow.
It is surprisingly easy to grow your own avocado tree and we’ll show you how.
7 Steps to Organic Avocados
Step 1
Photo Credit: Flickr
Buy an avocado and remove the seed from inside. Gently wash off any of the flesh sticking to the seed and then pat it dry. Be careful not to remove any of the brown skin from the seed. After you finished this, set aside the seed for a few days.
Step 2
Photo Credit: Flickr
All avocado pits have a top and bottom side. Look to see which side has the pointier end that is the top. The bottom will have a flatter shape. This step is vital because if you place the wrong side down, then your avocado tree will be in danger from the beginning.
Step 3
Find an empty plant pot. Fill the item with soil (you can get the ground from your compost, garden, forest, or garden supply shop). Gently push the seed into the soil until it is halfway covered.
Step 4
Place your pot in front of a window that gets plenty of indirect sunshine. You do not want the seed to take in too much direct sunlight as it may burn the fragile young sprout. Keep an eye on your plant to make sure it has a proper balance of indirect and direct sunlight.
Make sure you check the soil every two days to see if it needs more water, organic avocados sprout rapidly in thoroughly moist soil.
Step 5
Photo Credit: Flickr
This next step is where you must exercise much patience. The seed can take up to two months to sprout. A crack in the seed is the first sign that you are on the right path. A small taproot will begin to grow out of the bottom of the seed and down into the soil.
Step 6
If your avocado plant has started to grow a couple pair of leaves, then read on, if not, unfortunately, you might have to start over (or simply decide beforehand to raise several instead of just one avocado tree in case you lose a few). As your avocado tree develops more leaves and grows, you may want to transplant it into a bigger pot when it is a year of age.
Photo Credit: Flickr
Continue to water the plant regularly and if you wish, add some organic fertilizer to help with the growth. Avocados require nitrogen and/or at least some good quality composted soil to thrive. Feel free to trim your avocado tree for it to fit into your orchard, patio, or home.
Photo Credit: Flickr
If you live in a warmer climate, you can move your tree outside. Alternatively, move your tree indoors in winter and outdoors in summer for cooler climates.
Step 7
Photo Credit: Flickr
Congratulations! You now have your own avocado tree. You can graft your favorite varieties of avocados to your tree or just leave it to produce its own fruit. Remember: you can also grow your avocado tree as a houseplant or an indoor/outdoor plant. If everything goes your way, you are in the right climate, and you have enough avocado pollen in the air and on bees, in five to ten years, you will be enjoying your fresh-grown organic avocados, and you will be able to make yourself the best guacamole ever!
If your avocado seed originally came from a store, the avocados that grow from your new tree will be of a different type than the avocado you originally bought. For example, Hass avocado pits do not breed true to seed; if you plant them, you will get an avocado, but not a Hass avocado. This is due to the cloning and grafting of most avocado trees (Hass is a clone). In wild Nature, avocados would breed true to seed — this means the seed of a wild tree will eventually grow into a tree that will produce the same type of avocado variety as its parent.
If, after seven to ten years, your avocado tree has not started flowering in the winter, you may want to feed it richer composted soil (nitrogen); make sure it is getting enough water as well; or perhaps shock it with a strong pruning.
Check out the video below for another growing method: the toothpick method. This process is slightly more complicated than just planting the avocado seed in the soil.