The endeavor of growing an Avocado tree from seed does not have to be as hard as you might think. Though Avocado trees can be a little demanding to make sure they give fruit, growing them to maturity from seed is a great way to ensure you have avocados whenever you need them. If you keep track of the main points of this guide, you will be able to grow avocado tree from seed without any hassle.
Just like growing any tree or plant, there are certain steps you need to take in order for your avocado tree to reach maturity and stay as healthy as possible. We’ve recently written a long guide on how to properly take care of your avocado plant. Things like temperature, soil, fertilizing and watering are all important things to keep in mind when growing an avocado tree. If you follow all the necessary steps, you shouldn’t have any problems with keeping your tree happy and healthy.
Table of Contents
Mind the temperature
The first thing to keep in mind while growing avocado trees is that they tend to do best in temperatures that are moderately warm. A safe bet would be a temperature from 60 F to 85 F. You should also take care that the humidity should be relatively moderate.
Once the avocado tree is established, it shouldn’t have problems tolerating temperatures from 28 F to 32 F without any damage. The most important thing you have to keep in mind is to avoid freezing temperature. Avocado trees do not absorb water very well when they are young, which is why you should not plant your tree in the summer. Instead, try to plant your tree sometime during the spring.
Dig the right hole depth
When digging a hole for the tree, take into consideration that an avocado tree is shallow-rooted and most of its feeder roots are in the top 6 inches of soil. This means that you should give it plenty of aeration. When getting the pit ready for planting, you should be sure to differentiate from the bottom of the avocado pit from the top.
Avocado pits are oblong and wider towards the bottom. In order to help your avocado tree sprout, it’s important that the wider portion is put in water. Pierce the avocado pit with 4 toothpicks evenly around its circumference. You will be able to use the toothpicks as scaffolds to keep the lower portion in water. Then place the pierced avocado pit at the top of a glass of water. It will usually take anywhere from 4 weeks up to 8 weeks for your avocado pit to sprout and grow.
During this period it is important to keep the lower portion of the avocado pit totally submerged in water. Otherwise, the plant will not be able to survive. When your avocado plant is about 6 to 7 inches tall, this is when you can plant it in the ground instead of keeping it at home in the water.
Water it properly
When it comes to watering your avocado tree, a good rule of thumb would be about two to three times a week. This frequency should not be changed for the 1st year. After the 1st year of growth, you can water your avocado tree once a week but add more water.
As is the case with most trees, it is very important that your avocado tree does not get dry. Seedlings tend to need somewhat less water than saplings and full-grown trees. When it comes to bearing fruit, it will take many years before your avocado tree will give you any amount of fruit. Growing from seed means you have to be patient as it may take anywhere from five to thirteen years before it is mature enough to give you any fruit.
How to fertilize your avocado
Mulching and fertilization is another aspect of growing your tree to make sure it is healthy and optimal. Typically, you should mulch with coarse yard mulch. Things such as shredded bark tree, cocoa bean husks, or redwood bark are what people usually use for mulching when it comes to growing avocado trees from seed.
Typically, anything that is woody will work just fine. When it comes to fertilization, you should typically fertilize your tree with half a pound to 1 pound of actual nitrogen a year. Another important nutrient important for growing avocado trees is zinc. For this, you can use any ordinary home fertilizer for houseplants.
Conclustion
By following all the aspects mentioned, you shouldn’t have any problem in growing avocado trees from seed and keeping them as healthy and happy as possible. If you want to grow avocado tree from seed, it might be a challenge. It may take a little patience and more than a few years before your avocado plant starts giving any fruit, but the wait will be much worth it.
