How an avocado tree grows and looks in the wild. How to Grow Avocados - The Best Possible Ways Caring for Avocados at Home

How to grow delicious and healthy fruit originally from Mexico and Central America, which the Aztecs still feasted on? The Indians discovered it when the Europeans did not yet know about the existence of the New World. It turns out that you can grow a large, beautiful exotic tree without making huge efforts on their part. Pitted avocado? Yes it is possible!

Growing features

Growing an avocado from a seed at home is an exciting activity for people who enjoy doing home floriculture with pleasure. In order for this plant to decorate your home, it is not at all necessary to have an agronomist diploma.

What you need to know in advance:

• this fruit grows and develops well in the presence of a sufficient amount of sunlight, that is, it is necessary to prepare a place for it on the sunny side of your apartment;
• he is very afraid of drafts, so in winter time it is not recommended to open windows near tender avocado sprouts;
• this plant naturally grows in a humid climate, so at home it needs to provide conditions as close as possible to its climate. We'll have to humidify the air in the room, since dry air threatens to drop leaves;
• moderate watering is very important, the ground should be slightly damp;
• the air temperature in the room should not be lower than 16 degrees.

For fast and correct process the growth of avocado is very important to follow all of the above rules and the result will not be long in coming.

To grow an avocado from a seed, you need to take the following steps:

Purchase the fruit itself in the store, it must be ripe and undamaged. Ripeness is checked by pressing the fruit slightly with a light pressure. If you could not find a ripe fruit, then wrap the unripe fruit in a newspaper and put in a dark place or put a couple of apples in a bag with avocado, and after two days you can feast on the most delicate oily pulp.

Remove the bone. This requires a sharp knife. Carefully make a cut along the entire fruit and extract a rather large pit.
It is recommended to wipe the bone in order to clean it from white bloom, if desired, you can remove the shell.

Avocado as a houseplant (seed germination methods)

Closed method of germination

The emergence of a seed sprout

To do this, you need a pot of soil and an ordinary glass jar. Since the avocado seed has polarity, it is necessary to stick the seed half into the ground, to a depth of 2 - 3 cm, always with a blunt end. It is from this that the roots emerge.

Next, you need to make moderate watering of the planted bone. To create the greenhouse effect necessary for accelerated germination, cover the seed on top glass jar... After about 7 - 10 days, you can already see the appearance of the first sprout and the bank will no longer be needed.

Open way of germination

The most time consuming, but it clearly demonstrates all stages of germination. With this method of germination, the membrane is not removed from the seed. It must be rinsed under running water and dried.

Further, along the circumference of the bone approximately in the middle, it is necessary to make 3 or 4 holes, toothpicks are inserted there. This will not harm the future plant in any way, since the germs of the sprout are in the depths. A vessel with water must first be prepared, where it is necessary to immerse the entire structure, always with the blunt end down.

The toothpicks will hold the bone and serve as a support for which it will hang. The water level in the vessel should be about the middle of the bone.

Important! It is necessary to regularly monitor the water level in order to avoid drying out of the root buds. And after 10 - 14 days, you can see the already slightly grown root. When a sufficient number of roots grow, the bone can be planted in a pot of soil.

There is a lightweight version open way- seed germination in damp cotton wool. This will require more attention and care, it is necessary to ensure that the cotton wool is always in a moist state.

An indicator of the degree of readiness for planting is the disintegration of the bone into 2 halves. Place it in a pot and expect to sprout in the next 7 to 10 days.

The possibility of fruiting avocados at home

V natural conditions this evergreen fruit plant grows up to 20 meters in height. When growing at home, it maximum height fixed at 3 meters.

The ability to wait for fruiting in 3 - 6 years after planting increases significantly if several avocado sprouts coexist in one pot.

Skeptics claim that only 5% of plants bear fruit at home, while optimists claim that the likelihood of flowering and fruiting with proper care is extremely high.

In any case, a fruiting avocado is a matter of well-deserved pride of the owner.

Pollination

Self-pollination... Avocados are capable of self-pollination, but the likelihood of waiting for the fruit, if you only hope for this, is reduced to almost zero.
Cross self-pollination... To do this, you need to plant several seeds in one pot. But, do not forget that this fruit plant does not always bear fruit even in natural growing conditions.
Artificial pollination... It is made with a soft brush during the flowering period, when the pollen is ripe. Pollination is carried out up to 3 times a month in the morning.

How to care for an avocado

To avoid an excess of moisture in the pot, in winter it is necessary to wait until the soil is completely dry and only then watering should be done. You can determine the level of dryness of the soil by deepening your finger 2 - 3 cm into the ground.

V summer time the plant should be watered no more than 1 - 2 times a week. For irrigation, settled water at room temperature is used.

In winter, the plant needs to artificially increase fluorescent lamps daylight hours up to 12 hours, and during the flowering period avocados need 15 hours of sunshine.

Priming

To successfully grow avocados, you need a special soil. At the bottom of the pot where the plant is planned to be planted, it is necessary to pour drainage. Next, a light breathable soil is poured. It should be loose.

You can buy ready-made soil in the store, but it is not difficult to prepare it yourself.

For this you will need:

• sand;
• humus;
• ordinary land from the garden;
• peat;
• for looseness - moss;
• small expanded clay.

Mix all components thoroughly and the soil for planting is ready. Pour the prepared soil into the pot, leaving 1 - 2 cm of free space from the top edge.

Top dressing

When your home plant will celebrate the first birthday, you can already start feeding him with mineral fertilizers. Top dressing, as a rule, is carried out 4 times a year - in the spring - summer period, every 1.5 - 2 months.

If the tree is already at a respectable age, then an additional portion is needed. nitrogen fertilizers, which are introduced into the soil 2 times a year - in late winter and early summer.

Pruning

Usually in the summer, the avocado begins to grow rapidly upward. To avoid this and slow down the growth process, the top should be cut or pinched by 10 - 15 cm. Pruning should be done in the spring, before the start of the period of rapid growth. After this manipulation, the formation of lateral shoots is observed. In winter, the growth of the plant stops, it begins to hibernate. This is completely normal.

Pigtail shaping

In order to form a pigtail from avocado plants, you must plant at least three bones... As the plant grows, you can braid a loose pigtail, leaving gaps between the weaves. As the trunks thicken, these gaps will disappear.

The pigtail can be fixed with wire. Since the young stems of the plant are very flexible, it will not be difficult to braid a pigtail from them. Over time, an original and beautiful tree is obtained.

Possible diseases and pests

Scabbard and spider mite

Like any plant, the avocado has pests, it can get sick from the scale insects and spider mites. The reason for their occurrence is dry indoor air. These pests multiply with space speed... If measures are not taken in time, even the death of the plant is possible.

The scale insect is a small insect that cannot be seen. But if a whole colony of scale insects appeared on the leaves, then it is difficult not to notice. They literally suck the juice out of the leaves. After them, only dry leaves remain.

A solution with ordinary tar soap helps in the fight against scale insects and spider mites. To do this, thoroughly rinse all the leaves. soapy water... Specialty solutions for these pests can be purchased at your gardening store.

Powdery mildew

No less dangerous disease. Multi-colored spots appear on the leaves, and the trunk is covered with a coating in the form of a powder. In order to cure a plant, it is necessary to treat it with special preparations - fungicides. If this is not done in time, the plant will gradually die.

Late blight

Dangerous for avocados and this is a fungal disease. Unfortunately, it cannot be cured. You can only stop the destructive process if you trim the damaged part of the plant in time. The source of infection is the ground, roots and trunk are affected.

Lack of light

It can be detected if the rich - green color of the leaves begins to fade rapidly. This usually happens in the autumn - winter period... You can cure it artificial lighting, increasing daylight hours to 12 hours a day.

But, if the avocado has been in a shaded room for a long time, then it is necessary to gradually increase the time spent in bright light.

If you patiently and regularly follow all the necessary requirements and recommendations for growing avocados from the seed at home, then after a while your plant will delight you with its flowering. And perhaps, soon, you will wait for your first harvest of this delicious fruit.

V recent times of great interest among florists is the cultivation of fruit plants at home. Lovers can boast of fruiting fig trees, large collections citrus plants... Even kiwi vines bear fruit in the room, but there is particular interest in growing exotic plants from seeds. This article is all about how to grow an avocado from a seed.

The fruits have another name - "alligator pear".

Avocado is a tall evergreen tree of the Laurel family. For the lumpy dark green skin of the fruit and their elongated pear-shaped shape, the avocado is called the "alligator pear". Avocado is a valuable plant, the beneficial fruits of which contain a unique set of vitamins and microelements, durable wood of mature trees is widely used in construction and furniture production.

The avocado fruit can not only have a pear-shaped shape, depending on the variety, ripe fruits can be elliptical or rounded. Young avocados have a green peel, which, when ripe, changes its color to black, as well as a light green flesh. In the center of the fruit there is a round seed of rather large size. The skin of the seed is smooth, shiny, chestnut-colored, the seed itself is very similar to the fruit of a chestnut.

Growing an avocado tree at home is not too troublesome, when ripe fruits are consumed, seeds remain from which an interesting fruit plant can easily grow.

Bone avocado: how to grow a tree

Seed avocados are grown at home in several ways, among which two stand out for their originality and simplicity. To obtain an avocado tree, you must select a viable and healthy seed.

Choosing a healthy seed

Inside the fruit is a round bone covered with a thick shell.

A healthy, ripe seed is found in ripe fruits, therefore, when acquiring an "alligator pear", it is worth intensively pressing on the skin. If deep dents remain on the skin, retaining its shape - the fruit is ready for use, its seed has a high chance of germination.

Such fruits can be safely bought for human consumption, and the bone is suitable for growing an ornamental plant.

With a sharp knife, carefully cut the fruit, trying not to cut the bone. Ripe pulp separates easily from the seed. The bone freed from the pulp must be rinsed in running water, then dried.

Planting methods

How to quickly grow an avocado from a seed at home? You can use one of two popular methods: germinating the seed in an earthen mixture or in water.

It is worth noting that a fairly long period of time can pass from planting the seed in the ground to the appearance of the first seedlings. All this time, the pot with avocado seed will have to be watered regularly, not allowing the earthen coma to dry out. A plant lover should have enough perseverance and patience for such an activity.

The seed germination occurs much faster in water. This method is very interesting, the process of appearance of leaves and roots occurs before our eyes. A little more detail about this method.

The avocado seed is dipped in water for germination in an original way... To do this, you will need to prepare three wooden toothpicks and a sharp awl, and also observe the rule - the seed is dipped into a glass of water with a blunt end, while the water level should reach its middle.

Germination process: neatness and patience

Germinating avocado seed with toothpicks.

In order for the process to be successful, a number of operations must be performed sequentially:

1. Carefully poke three holes in the avocado pit on three sides in the middle. They try to open only a solid shell with an awl, without destroying the embryo of the seed. The holes must be large enough for the wooden toothpicks to fit tightly.
2. Insert toothpicks into the holes made.
3. Fill the glass with settled water, then on the side glass vessel put the avocado pit in such a way that it hangs on the toothpicks. The toothpicks will hold the bone securely in suspension. It is very important to monitor the water level, because the indoor microclimate is characterized by high air dryness. If the water evaporates, add fresh water.

It will take only 2-3 weeks, the cotyledons will begin to burst, and weak roots will appear. Growing an avocado seed in water doesn't take any effort; you just need to carefully monitor the water level. Young roots should not dry out.

When the length of the roots reaches 3 cm, the bone is freed from toothpicks and carefully planted in a pot with light earth. Transplanting an avocado into the ground is carried out in such a way that the seed with the roots is located above the soil at the same level as in the water.

It is even easier to germinate a bone in the ground. It is important to properly prepare the soil mixture, for which it will be necessary to mix humus earth, sand, peat in equal parts, it is useful to add up to 15% lime to the mixture.

It is necessary to choose small pots, no more than 10-12 cm in diameter. Several holes must be provided at the bottom of the pot, then a layer of expanded clay drainage is laid. When planting an avocado seed, it is immersed in a pot with a blunt end, leaving half of the seed above the ground. Now all that remains is to water and wait for the first leaves to appear from the burst seed.

Agrotechnology for growing an adult avocado

The filigree work of sprouting the seed is completed, now it is necessary to provide for the tree proper care at home.

A pot with a planted bone is watered sparingly; the soil should not be overmoistened too much - the seed can easily rot. After about 7-10 days, closed reddish leaves will appear from the burst cotyledons, which will grow rapidly. In three months, a tree up to 60 cm high will form, on which amazing leaves up to 30 cm long grow. Further growth of the avocado tree slows down, in the future, only an increase in the main trunk is observed. In order to form a beautiful and spreading crown, it is useful to pinch the top growth point.

At what level are avocados pinched? It depends on the desire of the grower, but pinching the plant is necessary, because in nature the avocado grows to a significant size, which cannot be allowed in a living room. It is worth pinching the plant until it acquires the desired shape. The first pruning of the top is performed over the 8th leaf of the tree, the side branches are pinched over the 5th leaf.

Transplant timing

If the plant has given good growth, has formed a powerful root system, part of which has already appeared from the drainage holes, it is required to transplant the plant into a large container.

The diameter of the pot should be increased gradually, because a young avocado is too big pot can slow growth. Small roots are not able to braid a large earthen lump, therefore, soil acidification may occur, which will negatively affect the health of the tree. The transplant can provoke stress - the leaves will fall off the plant. You should not be afraid of this, gradually the leaves will grow back, but warn stressful situation when transplanting, it is in your power to:

1. You cannot change the pot when transplanting with a sharp increase in volume.
2. Watering the plant after transplanting should be gentle.
3. Do not keep the transplanted plant in the shade - avocados require a bright location for normal growth.
4. Stress can arise from dry air, especially in summer. In extreme heat, it is required to periodically spray the crown of the tree from a spray bottle.

It is best to plan a tree transplant in the second half of February or September.

Fruiting

Sprouted avocado seedling, bursting cotyledons can be seen.

It is interesting to care for an avocado, the tree is not at all like the others houseplants, but the main goal of lovers of exotic plants is the flowering of a unique rarity and the formation of fruits.

How to grow a fruiting avocado in a room? To begin with, you must follow the plant care measures:

• air humidification: uniform, daily;
• watering: plentiful in summer, moderate in winter and autumn;
• top dressing: applying complex fertilizers in the spring and in the first half of summer, in the fall - top dressing mineral compositions(iron chelate, zinc);
• lighting: bright, but not direct sun;
• additional lighting: in winter they provide lighting up to 15 hours a day;
• pruning, pinching: regular.

Only if these requirements are met, the avocado can bloom and set fruits. The natural flowering of a tree grown from a stone can occur in 5-6 years. To speed up this process, you need to graft the plant.

If the avocado does bloom, it will be necessary to carry out forced pollination with a soft artistic brush, transferring pollen from flower to flower so that the fruits set. Pollination is repeated up to three times, after which it is necessary to feed the plant. If a lot of fruits are set on the tree, it is worth removing some of the ovaries, because a young plant cannot bear a heavy harvest.

The successful cultivation of avocados from the seed largely depends on careful adherence to agrotechnical measures, only then the success and health of the green pet is guaranteed.

Grow unusual plants interesting and exciting. Fans of such floriculture now have the opportunity to add exotic avocados to their collection. Process home cultivation pitted avocado is extremely interesting. Moreover, this unusual tropical plant will decorate your home.

Avocados are called the fruit of evergreen trees of the genus Perseus, which belong to the laurel families. It is grown in Latin America and Africa, as well as in Israel and India.

The avocado tree is fast growing. Its height reaches 10-20 m. Usually the trunk of the plant is straight and highly branching. The tree has long, up to 20 cm, elliptical leaves. They fall all year round... The greenish flowers of the plant are inconspicuous and small. They are bisexual. Flowers are located in the axils of the leaves.

The fruit of the tree looks like a dark pear. Its length is from 5 to 10 cm, and its weight is from 0.05 to 1.8 kg. The fruit has a tough skin. Unripe fruits are distinguished by a dark green color, which, as it ripens, is replaced by black. When ripe, the flesh is green or yellow-green, buttery in taste. There is a large bone in the center of each fruit.

The fruit is very high in calories. Each fruit contains up to 45% fatty oil and up to 30% unsaturated fatty acids. There are 2-3 times more proteins in one avocado than in other fruits.

Selection and preparation of the bone

When growing this exotic plant, the main thing is to choose the right bone.

The seed of a ripe fruit is best suited for home germination. A simple technique will help to distinguish a ripe avocado: if small dents remain on the fruit when pressed, it means that it is ripe, and its bone is quite ready for the upcoming germination and planting.

A suitable fruit must be freed from the brown crust and pulp with a sharp knife. This must be done very carefully so that the bone does not suffer.

If everything went well, the resulting bone is washed well and left to dry.

Growing methods

There are two ways to germinate the cherished seed:

• in water;
• in the ground.

Sprouting in water has proven to be the most quick way getting a sprout, and therefore experts recommend using it. The second method can take several months, but perhaps to someone it will seem more interesting.

Typically, when using this growing method, the seed of the plant is fixed over a vessel of water using toothpicks.

To do this, three holes for toothpicks are very carefully made in the seed with a thick needle. The maximum depth of the holes should not exceed 0.5 cm. In addition, the holes must be made in the right place the first time so as not to disturb the seed again. The holes should be positioned so that the toothpicks inserted into them hold the avocado pit securely above the water.

When the position of the future holes is determined, you need to take a needle and carefully pierce the seed shell, trying not to damage its core. After that, toothpicks are also carefully placed in the holes. Pour boiled water at room temperature into a suitable vessel. Then we lower the seed into it with the thick side down.

The toothpicks should lie on the edges of the vessel, keeping the bone suspended. When placing the seed, you need to make sure that it does not submerge in the water, but only barely touches it. As the water evaporates, it should be topped up to the previous level.

This placement of the seed creates the moist conditions necessary for the successful germination of the avocado. After 2-3 weeks, you can see the result - the bone will start up the first roots. When they grow up to 3 cm, the germination period will end and it will be time to plant the seed in the ground.

You can germinate a bone in water without toothpicks. To do this, it will be enough to lower the avocado seed to the bottom of a transparent container, where it can remain upright, and add some water there. Subsequent care consists only in maintaining in capacity the right level water.

Land use

To germinate an avocado seed in the ground, you first need to create a suitable substrate. To do this, mix in equal proportions:

• land;
• sand;
• humus;
• peat.

Then you should choose a container suitable for planting the bone. It should be small. A pot with a diameter and depth not exceeding 10 cm is suitable. To avoid stagnation of water, it is necessary to make drainage holes in the container and place a drainage layer on the bottom. After that, you can fill the pot with prepared soil.

When planting a seed, it must be borne in mind that it cannot be completely immersed in the ground. From this, the avocado seed can rot and die. The seed is immersed in the ground with the blunt end down and only half. After planting, the seed is watered and covered with a transparent cap.

The soil of the seed should always be moist. The hood must be periodically removed for ventilation.

To grow an avocado at home, you need to pay attention to the climate in which it grows in nature and try to create the most similar conditions.

• The first is high humidity air. The homeland of the plant is located in the tropical zone, which is characterized by an abundance of heat and moisture. And this means that home tree needs regular spraying. You can increase the moisture around the plant using air humidifiers or a spray bottle. In addition, the pot of avocado can be placed on a tray of damp expanded clay, which should be regularly doused with water.
• The second condition for the successful growth of a tree is a sufficient level of illumination. The plant is best placed in a bright place, protected from direct sunlight.
• The temperature in the room where the avocado grows should not drop below 15 degrees.
• The tree needs timely watering. With abundant watering, the plant can get sick with various types of rot, and with insufficient water, its roots will begin to dry out and gradually die off. Watering the avocado should only be done after the soil has dried well. For irrigation, it is better to use settled water at room temperature.

• Avocados and top dressing are needed. To do this, use any complex mineral fertilizers... Top dressing is done once every two weeks. This will help the tree grow quickly and develop properly.

If for the winter period a green pet is left in a cold room, where the air temperature is from 10 to 12 degrees, the plant will shed its leaves. But with the arrival of spring and the warming of the air, the foliage will grow again.

In summer, the tree can be grown outdoors in partial shade.

An exotic plant can be grown outdoors only if the air temperature never drops below 10 degrees.

Once a year, it is advisable to transplant avocados into a larger pot, simultaneously replacing most of the soil. It is better to do this in early spring.

At the age of three years, the plant will bloom for the first time with small yellow-green flowers. But you shouldn't wait for the fruits. For avocado pollination to occur, there must be several trees. Grafting can replace pollination. Then the exotic tree will become not only a decoration, but also a supplier of delicious fruits.

Forming a beautiful tree

Before you start growing an avocado from a seed, you need to decide on the placement of the future tree in an apartment or house. Avocados are fast growing and very tall trees. Already in the first three months, it will grow by 50-60 cm. Then its growth will slow down somewhat, allowing it to form a beautiful crown.

To do this, pinch the top of the plant, thereby stimulating the growth of lateral branches. But you should not be especially zealous in this matter, since too active pruning slows down the growth of the tree.

Experienced growers grow several avocado sprouts in one container and twist the plants together as they grow. This composition looks very beautiful and unusual.

Pests and diseases

Here are some of the problems associated with improper care behind the plant:

1. Dry leaf tips. This is because the air around the tree is too dry.
2. The leaves of the plant dry up and fall off. This problem occurs with excessive watering, as well as when the air is too cold. In addition, in this way, avocados can react to drafts and low temperatures of the water used for irrigation.
3. After the foliage dries up, the tree dies. The reason lies in the lack of water.
4. Avocado leaves turn pale and young shoots stretch out. This behavior of the plant indicates a lack of lighting.

Avocados are threatened by the following pests:

• shield,
• spider mite.

To avoid the appearance of these insects on the plant, you need to regularly humidify the air around the tree, as well as carefully inspect the foliage. If preventive measures did not help and the avocado nevertheless became a victim of infection, then manual collection of insects with subsequent washing of the plant with a solution will help laundry soap... If these control methods turned out to be ineffective, it is worth using insecticides.

If the air is too humid and cool, the plant can get sick with powdery mildew. In this situation, it is necessary to spray with a suitable fungicide.

It is not difficult to germinate a seed of an unusual fruit. Avocado grows at home more than successfully, gradually turning from a modest sprout into an exotic tree with huge leaves. Such a green pet will decorate any apartment, greenhouse, house or winter garden.

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Avocados are smooth, creamy, nutrient-dense fruits that are important for a dish like guacamole (sauce) they can be grown from the pits left over from the fruit. While seed-grown avocados take quite a long time to produce their own fruit (sometimes 7-15 years), growing an avocado tree is a fun, worthwhile project that leaves you with a great looking tree in the meantime. After your tree has grown, you can wait for the avocado to start growing, or start the process by grafting or budding productive plant members for your tree. Whichever method you choose, learn how to grow your own avocados from scratch starting with step 1 below!

Steps

Part 1

Choice good conditions for growing

Find a warm growing area with partial sun. Subtropical plants like avocados love the sun. Native to Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies, avocados have evolved to thrive in warm, humid environments. Although avocados were bred to grow in places as far away as California, they always require good sunlight for good growth... However, paradoxically, young avocados can be damaged by excessive amounts of direct sunlight (especially before they have developed extensive leaves). Because of this, if you are growing a single-pit avocado, you will want to choose a growing location that has access to good sun during some parts of the day, but not constantly in direct sunlight.

• Sunny windowsills are great places to grow avocados. In addition to ensuring that avocados receive sunlight for only part of the day, indoor windowsills allow you to carefully control the temperature and humidity that the plant is exposed to.

1. Avoid cold, wind and frost. In general, avocados do not grow well in inclement weather. Snow, cold winds and rapid temperature changes, which can be harmful even to hardy plants, can directly kill avocados. If you live in a tropical or subtropical climate with a fairly mild winter you have to keep the avocado outside all year round. However, if you live in an area where winter temperatures are likely to drop below freezing, you need to prepare by moving the mature plant indoors for the winter to protect it from the elements.

   • Different varieties of avocado have different low temperature exposure. In general, the common avocado varieties listed below suffer significant freeze damage at the temperatures indicated:
     • West Indies - -2.2-1.7 ° C
     • Guatemalan - -2.8-1.7 ° C
     • Hass - -3.9-1.7 ° C
     • Mexican - -6.1-2.8 ° C

2. Use saturated soil with good drainage. Like many other common garden plants, avocados grow best in loose, saturated soil. These soil types will provide a high nutrient content to help the plant grow stronger, as well as reduce the risk of over-watering and provide for aeration. For best growing results, try putting a stock of this type of soil (such as soil rich in humus and organic matter) ready to use as a potting medium by the time your avocado roots and stem are well established.

   • To be clear, you don't necessarily need ready-made soil at the very beginning of the growing process, as avocado seeds grow in water prior to transplanting into soil.

3. Use soil with a fairly low pH. Like many other common garden plants Avocados grow best in low pH soils (in other words, acidic soils, not alkaline or basic ones). For best results, try planting your avocado in soil with a pH of 5-7. At higher pH levels, the ability of avocados to absorb vital nutrients such as iron and zinc can be significantly reduced, hindering its growth.

   • If the pH of the soil is too high, it is recommended to use a technique to lower the pH, such as adding organic matter or introducing alkali resistant plants into the garden. You can also achieve good results with a soil additive such as aluminum sulfate or sulfur.

Part 2

Planting an avocado

Seed planting

1. Remove and wash the pit. Removing the pit from a ripe avocado is easy. Use a knife to cut the avocado in half lengthways on both sides, then grab and twist to separate the halves. Remove the seeds from the half of the fruit in which it is stuck. Finally, wash off any excess avocado pulp that has stuck to the pit until it is perfectly clean and smooth.

   • Don't throw away the avocado fruit - try making guacamole by spreading it on a piece of toast or eating it raw for a delicious, nutritious snack.

2. Hang the bone in water. Avocado seeds should not be planted directly in the ground - instead, they should be submerged in water until their roots and stem have developed enough to support the plant. The easiest way to hang a bone in water is to stick three toothpicks into the sides of the bone and place the bone on the rim of a cup or large bowl. Don't worry - the plant doesn't get hurt. Fill a cup or bowl with water until only the bottom of the bone is underwater.

   • Make sure the bone is right side up in the water. The top of the pit should be slightly rounded or pointed (like the top of an egg), while the bottom, which is in the water, should be slightly flatter and may have discoloration compared to the rest of the pit.

3. Place on a sunny window and add water as needed. Next, place the pit with a container of water in a place where it will receive occasional (but less often direct) sunlight, like a windowsill where the sun is only a few hours a day. Watch your plant occasionally and add fresh water every time the level drops below the bottom of the seed. Within a few weeks to about a month and a half, you should notice roots starting to emerge from the bottom of the seed, a small stem beginning to emerge from above.

   • The initial stage of passivity can take anywhere from two to six weeks. It may seem like your seed is not doing anything, but be patient - you will eventually see the plant's roots and stem sprouting.

4. When the stem is about 15 cm. in length, cut it off. When the avocado roots and stem begin to grow, continue to monitor their development and change the water as needed. When the stem is about 15 cm tall, cut it back to 8 cm. Within a few weeks, this should result in new roots developing and cause the stem to eventually grow into a wider, fuller tree.

   Plant an avocado seed. A few weeks after the first pruning, when the roots of the avocado are thick and have developed and new leaves have grown on the stem, you should finally transplant it into a pot. Remove the toothpicks and place the seed, roots down, in a soil saturated with organic matter with good drainage. For best results, use a pot with a diameter of about 25.4-30.5 centimeters. Smaller pots can cause the roots to grow outside the pot, inhibiting the growth of the avocado unless you transplant it into a new pot.

   • Do not completely cover the pit with soil - cover the roots, but leave the top half open.

5. Give the growing plant good sunlight and frequent watering. Once you have planted the avocado in the pot, give it good watering while drenching the soil gently but thoroughly. Later on, water the soil just enough to keep it slightly moist, but not to look soggy or muddy. Place the avocado in a location where it will receive plenty of sunlight, but not constant, direct sunlight during the day, especially if you live in very hot climates.

   Pinch off the leaves every 15 cm. growth. After your plant has been potted, continue with frequent watering and strong sunlight as it starts to grow. Periodically monitor his progress with a ruler or tape measure. When the stem of the plant reaches a height of about 30 cm, pinch off any new growth of leaves. As the plant continues to grow, pinch off the newest, tallest sets of leaves each time it grows another 15 cm.

   • This stimulates the plant to grow new shoots, resulting in fuller, healthy mind avocado in the long run. Don't worry about harming your plant - avocados are hardy enough to recover from this routine of pruning without a problem.

Budding

1. Grow your seedling to a height of 0.6-0.9 m. As noted above, growing an avocado from seed does not necessarily mean that you can grow your own avocado in the current time frame. Some avocado trees may take several years to begin producing fruit, while others may struggle to bear fruit much longer or may never even bear good fruit. To speed up this process and ensure the tree produces excellent fruit, use the technique that professional gardeners use - budding. For the tree to blossom, you must have an avocado tree that is already bearing good fruit and an avocado seedling that is at least 60 to 75 centimeters tall.

   • If possible, try to find a “grower” tree that is hardy and disease-free, in addition to producing good fruit. Successful budding physically connects your two plants together, so use the healthiest plants possible to avoid future health problems.

2. Make a T-shaped cut in the seedling. Using a sharp knife, cut a T-shaped cut in the stem of the plant about 20-30 centimeters from the ground. Cut horizontally about a third of the stem's thickness, then turn the knife and cut about 2.54 cm (2.54 cm) of the stem down towards the ground. Use a knife to peel the bark from the trunk.

   • Obviously, you want to avoid cutting too far into the stem. Your goal is to "open up" the bark along the side of the stem so that you can attach a new branch to it without damaging the seedling.

3. Cut the bud from the "producer" tree. Next, find a seemingly healthy bud on the fruit-producing tree of your choice. Remove it from the tree by making a diagonal cut that starts 1.2 cm below the bud and ends 2.5 cm below it. If the bud is in the middle of a branch or twig and not at the end, make an incision 2.54 cm above the bud to remove it.

   Attach the bud to the seedling. Then, tuck the cut bud you removed from the "grower" tree into the T-shaped cut on the seedling. You want the green material under the bark of each plant to touch - if it doesn't, budding may not be successful. After the cut bud sits in the cut of the seedling, secure it in place with rubber bands or budding rubber (you can buy a special substance at most garden stores).

   Wait for the kidney to be received. If the budding attempt is successful, the cut bud and sapling should eventually grow together to form one seamless plant. In the spring, this can happen in a month or less, but in the slow growing months, it can take up to two months. After the plant is completely healed, you can remove the rubber bands or budding rubber. If you wish, you can also carefully cut the stem of the starting plant 2.54 cm or 5 cm above the new branch to make it the new "main" branch.

   • Once the branch you introduced to the plant grows to a sufficient size, it should start producing high quality fruit just like it would on an old tree. By using this technique, professional gardeners are able to maintain consistent results from all of their avocado trees.

Part 3

Avocado care

1. Water frequently, but avoid over-watering. Compared to other plants in the garden, avocados can require a lot of water. However, it is important to remember that over-watering is a potential problem for almost all plants, including avocados. Try to avoid watering so often or thoroughly that the soil of the avocado tree looks runny or muddy. Use a soil with good drainage (soil rich in organic matter is usually a good bet). If the tree is in a pot, be sure the pot has drainage holes at the bottom to allow the water to drain. Follow this simple tips and your plant should not be wary of over-watering.

   • If your plant's leaves are starting to turn yellow and you water frequently, this could be a sign of over-watering. Stop watering immediately and start again only after the soil is dry.

2. Fertilize only occasionally. You don't need fertilizer at all to grow a strong, healthy avocado tree. However, if used wisely, fertilizers can significantly stimulate the growth of a young plant. After the tree is well rooted, add a balanced citrus fertilizer to the soil during the growing season according to the fertilizer directions. Don't overdo it - when it comes to commercial fertilization, it is generally best to be somewhat conservative. Always water after fertilizing so that the fertilizer is absorbed into the soil and delivered directly to the plant's roots.

   • Like many plants, avocados do not need to be fertilized at all when they are very young, as they can be very sensitive to the "burn" that can result from over-fertilizing. Try to wait at least a year before feeding.

3. Watch for signs of salt buildup. Compared to other plants, avocados can be particularly vulnerable to salt buildup in the soil. Avocados suffering from high level salts, there may be slightly wilted leaves with "burnt", brown tips, where excess salt accumulates. To reduce the salinity (salinity) of the soil, change your watering practice. At least once a month, try to water vigorously while saturating the soil. The flow of heavy water will carry the accumulated salts deep into the soil, under the roots, where it will be less harmful to plants.

4. Do you know how to win common pests avocados and ailments. Like any crop, avocados can suffer from various pests and diseases that can threaten the quality of the plant's fruit or even endanger the whole plant. Knowledge of how to recognize and resolve these issues has crucial to maintain a healthy, productive avocado tree. Below are just a few of the most common avocado pests and diseases - to get additional information, refer to the botanical resource:

   • Plant Cancer - "Rusty", settled sores on the plant that can secrete gum. Cut the ulcers out of the affected branches. Ulcers on the trunk of a tree can kill the plant.
   • Root Rot - Usually due to over-watering. Causes yellowing of leaves, wilting and possible decay even when all other growth conditions are met. Stop over-watering immediately, if the current is heavy, dig up the roots to expose them to the air. Sometimes fatal to the plant.
   • Withers and plant diseases - "Dead" areas on the tree. Fruits and leaves in these areas wither and die. Remove the affected areas from the tree immediately and wash the tools you are using before using them again.
   • Lacemakers - Reason yellow spots on leaves that dry quickly. Damaged leaves die and fall off the branch. Use a commercial pesticide or natural insect control, such as pyrethrin.
   • Woodworm - sharpens wood, creating small holes from which sap can ooze. Preventive treatment is better - keeping trees healthy and well fed, making it more difficult for trees to be affected. If woodworms are present, remove and destroy any affected branches to reduce their spread.

• Fertilizers are suitable especially for avocados. Used as directed, they will almost always be helpful. Other fertilizers can also be helpful, especially if the shared soil is somehow not optimal for avocado growth. Since you will have the result, consider buying organic fertilizer, not synthetics.

Warnings

• If the leaves turn brown and brown at the tips, too much salt has accumulated in the soil. Let the water flow freely into the pot and drain for a few minutes.
• While it is true that you can grow a tree from an avocado seed, keep in mind that a tree grown from a seed will be very different from its parent variety and may take 7-15 years to start producing fruit. Fruit from a seed-grown tree generally has different characteristics taste than their parent variety.

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