DIY: Grow your own Avocado Plant
Not only is the flesh of an avocado versatile, but the entire fruit can be used in a number of wonderful ways.
Combine your love of avocados and house plants by growing your own avocado plant with just a few simple steps.
Method:
Step One: Remove and clear pit
Remove the pit from the avocado without cutting it. Wash the seed, and then carefully remove the brown coating on the seed with your fingers. Identify the top and bottom of the pit by looking for the slightly pointier end, which is the top of the seed. The bottom is where the sprouts will emerge.
Step Two: Wrap your pit in paper towel
Dampen a paper towel and wrap your peeled pit inside. Then place the paper towel covered pip into a zip lock bag and keep for 2-8 weeks, or until a root starts to grow from the pit.
Step Three: Place avocado root submerged in a glass of water
Once a root has grown, remove your pit from the paper towel and prepare a glass of water. Choose a glass or vase that has a small opening for the pit to sit atop, or place two pieces of sticky tape adjacent over the lid of your glass for the pit to sit on to keep it dry while the roots are submerged. Place the pit on top of the sticky-tape so that only the root is submerged in the water and watch your plant grow.
Wait for your plant to grow
In approximately 2-4 weeks you should see the root growing out of the bottom of the seed and in around 7-8 weeks the leaf should start to grow out the top of the seed.
When the roots have grown thick and the stem has leaves again, you can either keep the plant in your vase of water, or plant it in soil in a pot leaving the seed still exposed above the soil.
Keep your plant in a warm, sunny location with indirect light and water once the soil is dry. You can test this by putting your finger in the soil around the edge to see if the soil is dry.
Includes tips and images from Brad Canning of @leafy.lane