The avocado, also known as Persea americana or avocado, is a tree native to Mesoamerica that is grown in areas of Mediterranean or tropical climate in many parts of the world.
Its fruits are very popular for their peculiar flavor and texture and their great nutritional qualities. If you want to enjoy these fruits of your own harvest and have space, keep reading to learn how to sprout avocado or avocado in your own home.
How to germinate an avocado or avocado bone
If you wonder how to plant an avocado tree to grow it at home and enjoy its fresh fruits take note of the whole process.
Growing your own avocado plant may not be so easy at first, so the first advice we will give you is that when you get to work, do not put all your hopes on a single bone and prepare several of them to increase your chances that at least one of your avocado bones grows.
The second thing you should keep in mind is the climate where you live. The avocado is a tropical tree and needs adequate heat and humidity conditions. If your climate is cold or very dry, perhaps you should rethink your choice of crop.
That said, we can start with step by step to germinate an avocado or avocado bone:
Choose an avocado bone and clean it completely of residues and residues, although being careful not to damage it. Pay attention and just remove the remains of the fruit, and not the skin of the bone itself.
Now, locate the lower and upper parts of the bone. The lower part, where the roots will grow, is the widest, while the most pointed is the upper one.
Grab three wooden chopsticks and claw them into the bone in a Y shape, so that they allow you to hold the avocado bone in a glass of water and not completely submerged.
Place it as we just said, so that the upper half of the bone is above the water. It is preferable to use a transparent or translucent glass to observe the state of bone and water.
Change the water when it is dirty, which will be approximately once a week. In a period of between two and four weeks, you should see seeds appear and the first shoots in your avocado. The upper end will dry and crack, while the lower will grow roots.
Once the stem measures about 20 centimeters, cut it in half to stimulate the growth of the plant. When you reach the same height again, you will be ready for the transplant.
How to plant an avocado bone?
Transplanting your sprouted avocado at this point is not complicated. To plant a bone of avocado and germinated follow these steps:
- Remove the chopsticks very carefully or cut them flush with the surface.
- Prepare a pot with at least 20 cm deep and fill it with multipurpose substrate.
- Plant your small avocado tree, making sure that the roots are well buried but leaving the stem and the upper end of the bone above the ground level.
How long does it take to grow an avocado tree
The seed or the avocado bone takes about 10 days to germinate and it will take several weeks to be ready to be transplanted. From there, it takes about 3 years for the tree to give its first flowers, and will not bear fruit before 5 years of age.
Of course, these are indicative amounts of time, which may vary depending on each specific case and the variety in question of your avocado tree.
How to care for an avocado or avocado tree
The avocado tree is a tree that must be watched closely, especially in its first years of life. Therefore, we recommend you follow these tips on how to care for an avocado tree :
Avocado watering
When watering the avocado plant it is necessary to keep its soil moist due to its superficial roots, but never waterlogged. This tree is very sensitive to the latter and an excess of irrigation would be even more harmful than a shortage of it.
Payment Management Avocado plant fertilizer
Regarding the subscriber, you can do it for the first time a month after having planted your tree, and once a month later during the first year of life to the tree, although applying small amounts of fertilizer. From there, they can be spaced more and more applications, until quarterly.
With the avocado, it is important to keep the area around the tree free of adventitious weeds or “weeds”. Pay special attention to this point after fertilizing.
Location and light
If you plant your avocado in an area that receives a lot of direct sunlight, it might be a good idea to paint the trunk of white with specific paint for gardening, at least during the first years. If, on the other hand, you have located it in some semi-shade area, safe from the strongest midday sun, this will not be necessary.
Finally, if you live in a windy area, guiding or entutorar the tree with a stake or some other firm structure can help you in your first years of life.
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