If you love nutritious avocado in your salads, dips or on a sandwich, you will love the simplicity of growing your own. Those who have attempted to grow this lovely tree know the importance of giving an avocado seed the proper treatment in the beginning. These are a few simple ideas which will help you insure your avocado seed will grow into a lovely tree.
Begin by removing the avocado pit from the fruit. This is easily done by taking a sharp knife and cutting completely around the length and then gently prying the two halves apart. Carefully wash any excess pulp from the seed and then remove the brown skin. Take three toothpicks and stick them into the pit at a little lower than the half way point. These will be used to support the avocado pit when it is placed over a glass. Be sure the head, which is the pointed part of the pit, is facing up. Next, fill a glass with water and add a teaspoon of instant tea. Stir until the tea is dissolved and then add 1\2 teaspoon on epsom salts. Place the pit on top of the glass, making sure the liquid covers only about an inch of the bottom of the pit. Place the glass in a dark area, this can be a closet or kitchen cabinet, and leave it there for five days.
After five days you will want to move your avocado into the sun and allow it to sprout roots. When the roots have reached the bottom of the glass, you should have some leaf growth at the top. Gently remove the pit from the glass being sure not to damage the new roots and pull out the toothpicks. Before you plant your pit, press a hole in the center of a pot of african violet soil that is thoroughly wet. You want to be sure the roots of your avocado are placed well down in the soil while the pit is about 1\4 inch above the soil line. Place the plant in a sunny area, then feed and water it like any other house plant.
When the plant has reached a height of 10 to 12 inches, pick out the growth in the center. This will help your avocado to branch. It is a good idea to continue doing this until you have as many branches as you desire. If you plan to keep the avocado tree in your home, you can dwarf it by pinching back the center leaves to stunt the branch growth. Even though an avocado will grow well inside your house in an area that gets plenty of light, sure to keep your avocado well fed and watered for the best results.
