Steps to grow avocados How to grow avocados

Avocado has a smooth taste and is rich in nutrients. It is the main ingredient of guacamole. After eating the pulp, the remaining pit can be planted into an avocado tree. Although it takes a long time to grow a fruit pit into a large tree that can bear fruit (sometimes 7-15 years), planting an avocado tree is still a very meaningful thing. When the core grows into a big tree, you can wait for it to bear fruit, or you can speed up the process and help it graft branches with strong vitality. Either way, let’s first look at the basic steps for growing avocados!

Steps to grow avocados, this DIY tutorial includes: choosing a suitable planting environment, starting planting, and maintenance. If you want to learn how to grow avocados, read the article about planting crocodiles in the production department. Learn the pear steps!

Choose a suitable planting environment

1Find a warm planting site with partial sunlight. Avocado is a subtropical plant that loves sunlight. It is native to the central United States, Mexico, and western India, so it prefers warm, moist conditions. Avocados can also be grown in California, and good light is a must for their healthy growth. However, too much light can cause damage, especially before your avocado tree reaches full growth. So, if you are growing an avocado tree from the pit, you need to choose a planting site that gets sunlight part of the day but not constant direct sunlight.
- Sunny window sills are great for avocados. By placing it indoors on a window sill, the avocado tree can enjoy some sunlight, and you can control the appropriate temperature and humidity.
2Avoid cold and wind and frost. Avocado Trees Can't Survive Bad Weather Snow, cold winds, and sudden drops in temperature can kill avocado trees. If you live in the tropics or subtropics with a relatively mild climate, you can safely keep your avocados outdoors year-round. If your area experiences freezing temperatures in the winter, you may need to overwinter your avocado tree indoors.
- Different varieties of avocado trees have different cold tolerances. Generally speaking, the following avocado varieties thrive when temperatures drop toSerious injury may occur if the temperature is exceeded.
  - West Indian avocado: -2.2-1.7 degrees Celsius
  - Guatemalan avocado: -2.8-1.7 degrees Celsius
  - California avocado: -3.9-1.7 degrees Celsius
  - Mexican avocado: -6.1-2.8 degrees Celsius
3Use well-drained, nutrient-rich soil. Like other garden plants, avocado trees prefer soft, nutritious soil. Such soil provides sufficient nutrients for plants and also facilitates drainage and ventilation. Once the avocado trees roots are established, use some soil rich in humus and organic matter.
- No soil is required at first, the avocado pits are initially grown hydroponically and then transplanted into soil.
4Use soil with a low pH value. Like other garden plants, avocado trees prefer soil with a low pH, also known as acidic soil. The most suitable pH value is 5-7. If the pH value exceeds this value, the avocado trees ability to absorb nutrients such as iron and zinc will be greatly weakened, hindering its growth.
- If the pH is too high, add organic matter or transplant alkali-tolerant plants into the garden. Aluminum sulfate or sulfur can also be added to the soil. See the article "How to Reduce Soil pH" for details.

Start planting

Start from the core

1Take outAnd clean the core. Removing the pit from a ripe avocado is easy. Use a paring knife to cut along the center line of the avocado on both sides, then grab the sides and twist them down to split the avocado in half. Scoop the core out of the pulp. Wash away any remaining pulp from the pit until smooth and clean.
- Don’t throw away the avocado pulp. You can make guacamole, spread it on toast or eat it directly. It is a nutritious snack.
2Let the core be suspended in the water. Avocado pits cannot be planted directly in the soil, they are first grown in hydroponics until the rhizomes are long enough to support the entire plant. An easy way to keep a fruit pit suspended in water: insert three toothpicks evenly spaced on the sides of the pit to secure it to the surface of a cup or bowl. Don't worry, this won't hurt the avocado. Fill a cup or bowl with water so that the bottom of the pit is submerged in the water.
- Distinguish the upper and lower sides of the fruit core. The upper end is rounded or pointed (like the top of an egg), while the bottom in the water is somewhat flat and mottled in color.
3Put it on a sunny window edge and add water as needed. Place the container with the suspended core on a window sill that is sunny (not direct sunlight) and receive light for a few hours each day. Watch carefully and add water when the water level drops to the bottom of the core. In about one and a half months, a stem will grow from the upper end of the fruit core and a root system will grow from the lower end.
- The initial phase will last 2-6 weeks. There may be no change in the core at first, but you need to be patient. You will eventually see roots growing from the core.
4When the stem grows to 15 cm long, it needs to be pruned. After the fruit core grows a root system, you still need to be carefulKeep an eye on it, adding water as needed. When the stem reaches 15 cm, it needs to be pruned, leaving 7.5 cm. This allows the pit to grow new roots, which then grow into an avocado tree.
5Transplanting avocado trees. After a few weeks, when the avocado tree has grown branches and leaves and the roots are firm, it should be transplanted into a pot. Remove the toothpicks and transplant the avocado tree root system down into well-drained, nutrient-rich soil. Flower pots with a diameter of 25-30 cm are best. If the pot is too small, the plants root system will be restricted and its growth will be stunted.
- You cannot bury the fruit pit completely in the soil. You only need to bury the root system so that the upper part of the fruit pit is exposed.
6Water frequently with enough sunshine. After transplanting the plant into the pot, give it a good watering to gently moisten the soil. The water you pour in the future should keep the soil moist and not too wet. Place the flowerpot in a sunny location (but not constant direct sunlight), especially if the local climate is hot, not in direct sunlight.
7Pick leaves every 15 cm long. After transplanting into the flower pot, give it enough sunlight and water frequently. When the avocado tree reaches 30 centimeters long, it is time to start picking new leaves. For every 15 cm of growth, remove the newest and tallest leaves.
- The purpose of picking leaves is to allow the avocado tree to grow side branches and make it more lush. Don’t worry, you won’t harm your avocado tree by picking the leaves.

Budding

1Let the avocado The tree grows to a height of 0.6-0.9 meters.As mentioned above, the time required from the pit to the fruiting is uncertain. Some avocado trees bear fruit in a few years, while others take longer or never bear fruit. .In order to speed up this process, professional budding can be adopted. Bud grafting requires two avocado trees, a mature avocado tree that can already bear fruit, and an avocado tree seedling that is at least 60-75 cm tall.
- Try to choose healthy and productive mature avocado trees for bud grafting. Because bud grafting requires actually connecting the branches of mature trees to seedlings, the health of the branches must be ensured.
2Make a T-shaped cut on the branch of the avocado seedling. Use a sharp knife to make a T-shaped incision 20-30 cm from the root of the avocado seedling. The depth of the horizontal knife edge is 1/3 of the stem, and the length of the vertical knife edge is about 2.5 cm. Use a knife to score the bark of the seedlings.
- The cutting edge should not be too deep. The incision is made for bud grafting and should not harm the saplings.
3Take a bud branch from a ripe avocado tree. Take a healthy bud branch from a ripe avocado tree of your choice. Make a diagonal cut 1.2 to 2.5 cm below the pre-taken bud branch. If the bud is in the middle of the original branch, make a cut in the upper part of the bud.
4budding. Insert the removed bud branch diagonally into the T-shaped edge of the seedling. Keep the green tissue under the bark in contact or budding may not be successful. Once inserted, secure with rubber tape (available at gardening stores).
5Waiting for engagement. If the bud grafting is successful, the inserted branch will eventually integrate with the seedling. For example, in spring, it usually takes one month to join. If it is a slow growing season, it may take two months. Once fully engaged, remove the rubber tape. You can also cut off the original main stem of the seedling to 2.5-5 cm, so that the bud grafted branches can become the main stem.
- Always remember that it takes 5-13 years for an avocado to go from pit to flowering and fruiting.

Maintenance

1Water frequently, but not excessively. Like other plants in the garden, avocado trees need a lot of water. However, too much water is not good for any kind of plant. It is advisable to water the soil in an appropriate amount and do not let the soil turn into mushy form. Use well-drained soil, preferably soil rich in organic matter. If planting in a pot, make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. This way, the avocado tree doesn’t absorb too much water.
- If your avocado leaves have turned yellow due to recent watering, this indicates too much water. You should stop watering immediately and wait until the soil dries before watering again.
2Fetilize only occasionally. Avocados can grow healthily without fertilizing. However, the correct use of fertilizers can help your avocado tree grow. After the avocado root system is stable, add organic fertilizer appropriately according to the instructions during the vigorous growing season. Do not overdo it and control the amount of fertilizer applied. Water after applying fertilizer to disperse the fertilizer in the soilin the soil for easy absorption by the roots.
- Like many other plants, avocado trees should not be fertilized when they are immature or they may become burned by the fertilizer. Fertilizer should be applied at least one year after planting.
3Watch for signs of too much salt in the soil. Compared to other plants, avocado trees are more sensitive to salt. Avocado leaves may turn brown if the soil contains high levels of salt. In this case, water plenty of water at least once a month to moisten the soil and flush salts into the underlying soil to prevent damage to the root system.
4Kill insects and treat diseases. Like other crops, avocados can also be infested by pests, which can affect the quality and even survival rate of avocados. To keep your avocado trees growing healthily, you need to know how to recognize and deal with pest infestations. The following are some common symptoms, please consult a plant expert for details.
- Canker: Plant cells swell and may ooze sap. Cut off cankered branches. If the main stem is cankered, the plant may die.
- Root rot: usually caused by overwatering. It is accompanied by symptoms such as leaf yellowing and wilting. Overwatering should be stopped immediately and, in severe cases, the roots need to be exposed to air. Severe cases can also lead to death.
- Blight: There are spots on the tree. The infected area should be removed immediately, and the tools used must be strictly cleaned to prevent secondary infection.
- Net bug: Yellow spots appear on the leaves, and the yellow leaves will fall off. Insecticides such as pyrethrins should be used.
- Bore borers: Small holes appear in the tree, and sap may flow out. Prevention is always better than cure. If a problem has already occurred, it is necessary to remove the infested parts as soon as possible to prevent the spread.

Tips

There are fertilizers specifically designed for avocado trees. Use as directed for maximum effectiveness. If the soil is not good, other fertilizers can also be used. Because avocados are ultimately meant to be eaten, use organic fertilizers rather than synthetic fertilizers.

Warning

The pit can grow into an avocado tree, but be aware that it will take 7-15 years to bear fruit. The taste of the grown fruit may be different from that of the fruit from the original tree.
If the leaves are browned, the soil contains too much salt. Excess salt should be drained away by watering.